UK Migration Feature Archive
Borders at the G8
24-06-2005 11:57
G8 countries spearhead the world system of borders; a system which renders many people illegal and which leaves all of us divided. Restrictions on our movement, restrictions on our right to work, restrictions on our right to receive medical treatment or legal aid or any other social benefit are all standard. What's more these restrictions are largely based on the arbitrary notion of nationality and on its ugly twin: race.
[Groups opposing borders and/or campaigning on immigration issues: No Border Network | No one is Illegal | Make Borders History | Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers | National Coalition of Anti-Deporation Campaigns]
[Opposing borders at the G8: Make Borders History tour (July 3, Glasgow)]
Kurdish hunger striker in critical condition
23-06-2005 23:00
Zulkuf Murat Bora, more widely known as Bahoz, has been on hunger strike since 17th of May. He was forced to leave Turkish Kurdistan due to his struggle for the rights and liberty of the Kurdish people. He is now in hospital in a very critical condition. At the moment, Yusuf Temiz, another political asylum seeker, is being kept in detention in Greece. He is under threat of imminent deportation to Turkey, where he faces the death penalty.The last 6 weeks has seen a wave of activities in solidarity with Bahoz and Temiz. On 5th June a large concert took place in Thessaloniki, while on 21st June 1000 people took to the streets in Thessaloniki. The EU Office for Information and Culture was occupied earlier that morning. Others, including various radio stations and Amnesty had their offices occupied. A symbolic hunger strike took place in Athens on 21st June. Various actions took place in Volos, Patras and Edinburgh.
A recent report by the UN Human Rights Committee on Greece, stated 'Ill-treatment of minorities and foreigners or even killings at the hands of authorities resulted in negligible punishment.'
Video interview with Bahoz (in Greek) | Video of concert + speech Bahoz (in Greek) | Video EU office occupation | Thessaloniki IMC | (1) (2) (3) (4)
AUDIO: "Voices from Africa" Conference - G8 - Migrants - Aid, Trade, Debt - HIV
31-05-2005 16:28
There were excellent presentations and speeches by the usual suspects - Patrick Harvie, Tommy Sheridan, Aamer Anwar, representatives from Oxfam and G8 alternatives - but the most succesful aspect to the conference, what made it really striking, was the African speakers.
The conference was held at Caledonian University - Glasgow - 23rd April 2005.
A Flight to Hell
15-04-2005 18:21
"Since the letter of warrant is hanging on your head you may be killed by this special squad RAB without observing the due process of law."
Zahangir Alam, a father and husband who has lived in Salford for nearly three years with his wife Naima and his sons, Jubaer (10) and his baby Jamiul (18 months), has been deported by immigration authorities from Manchester airport. Alam has been deported in spite of the fact that he has been recently told that his life is under severe threat should he return to his home country.
Alam was a politician in Bangladesh when he had to flee for his life because of his membership of the Freedom Party. The Alam family, who authorities have already attempted to deport, have consistently had poor representation during their asylum process. Their former solicitor has reportedly admitted he didn’t know what he was doing and documents have been mistranslated and lost. Alam's wife and young family remain under threat of deportation.
UK Noborder Demos Join Europeans for Free Movement and Right to Stay
03-04-2005 21:51
UK, 2 April 2005. For the first time, a wide coalition of groups participated in a UK-wide, decentralised, but synchronised action day for a radical and uncompromising "no" to immigration controls, following a call for a European day of action for free movement and the right to stay.
People in Birmingham [pic], London, Manchester [call|pics|report], Glasgow, Nottingham [call|occupation|pics 1|2], Oxford and Canterbury were out in the streets simultaneously and made clear that they don't think what the Tories think.
For the first time, people with very different political cultures had mobilised together for free movement: the National Coalition of Anti-deportation Campaigns and the campaigns against detention centers along with committees to defend asylum seekers, migrant and refugee support and community groups, black and asian groups, direct action groups, trade unions, noborder activists and people from social centres.
In Europe, demos and actions were announced in 41 cities and 11 countries. They included the occupation of a detention centre in Barcelona and the occupation of the IOM-offices in Paris [more links]. In Ireland, a demo welcomed back Olunkunle Eluhanle from Nigeria.
The day of action, first agreed at the European Social Forum in London last year, is seen as a contribution to the European landscape of rebellion against migration management. Activists regard it as closely connected to the Euromayday initiatives, thereby linking issues of migration and work.
Check the audio reports for background interviews, the no one is illegal manifesto for a radical position against immigration controls from the UK; and noborder.org for updates from Europe.
Londoners Demonstrate for Freedom of Movement and the Right to Stay
03-04-2005 00:25
Following the European call for action on April 2nd, a wide coalition of anti-racist groups joined up for a local demo from Clerkenwell to Haggerston Park. About 1,000 people marched through Hackney in bright sunlight, led by the Rhythms of Resistance samba band, greeted by locals and swapping agitprop.
A letter was delivered to Communication House, one of the immigration holding prisons, where people must report regularly and are often detained for immediate deportation completely unprepared.
[Guido's Picture Report| Pics 1| 2|3|report|reflections]
The demo in London was part of the first UK-wide, decentralised, but synchronised action day for a radical and uncompromising "no" to immigration controls: People in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham, Oxford and Canterbury were out in the streets simultaneously and made clear that they don't think what the Tories think. For the first time, people with very different political cultures had mobilised together: the National Coalition of Anti-deportation Campaigns and the campaigns against detention centers along with committees to defend asylum seekers, direct action groups, trade unions, political and community migrant groups, noborder activists.
In Europe, demos and actions were announced in 41 cities and 11 countries. Check the audio reports for background interviews.
Are You Thinking What We're Thinking? Er... No
28-03-2005 14:20
Spring is in the air and with it the talk (yawn) is of elections. But all is not lost for the season also sees the return of the time honoured pastime of defacing election billboard posters. The Conservative Party, in particular, has been on the end of some widespread street level heckling,
Far from thinking of locking up refugees and throwing away the key, grassroots organisations are putting together a European wide day of solidarity with migrants and refugees on April 2nd, in recognition of the appalling and tragic circumstances that so many refugees have to endure. A significant turnout is expected in Manchester, where three separate marches are planned from the north, south and centre of the city.
Anti-racist Spray Paint | Tories Subvertised in Longsight | Nottingham | Bristol | South Wales | 'Funny Billboards' | Tory election ads - are they racist? | yes it is... | Tory Poster - How You Can Complain | SchNews - Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum | Demonstration Against Deportations - Manchester
A 'Point of Disappearance'
23-03-2005 16:16
Following the screening of the BBC programme ‘Asylum Undercover’ which exposed the abuse of immigration detainees, around 50 demonstrators including refugees from many different countries, gathered at Dallas Court Reporting Centre in Salford to demand justice for asylum seekers and an end to arbitrary detention and deportation.
The Home Offices answer to the abuse seen on the BBC programme is to call yet another public inquiry concerning GSL (Group 4) which has taken over the contract from Wackenhut. This is the third enquiry into this company. The last inquiry into allegations of abuse at Yarls Wood concluded that most of the incidents exposed by an undercover journalist did happen, and yet GSL retained all its contracts to run Removal Centres. A contract to build and manage an accommodation centre for refugees was awarded to them only thirty days after the publication of the results of the inquiry.
Dallas Court is effectively a ‘point of disappearance’ for some, into detention and eventual deportation to potentially unsafe countries. Each time an refugee reports to Dallas Court, they fear being snatched, detained and deported.
Full report | Press Release for Dallas Court Demo | Anti-Detention Center Filmscreening and Talk
Brutality towards asylum seekers
20-12-2004 21:03
At Oakington asylum seeker detention centre, near Cambridge, an Indian couple with a two year old child have been imprisoned for 54 days, and have been refused bail. The child has been ill, but because he is in detention has not been allowed to see a paediatrician. The family have been told that deportation is imminent. By the time they leave, they may have been imprisoned for 77 days. See [full report] [press release] [local press].
A recent Cambridge feature described how Lina Castanos, and her 8 year old son, Miguel were violently taken from their home at night, to be held first at Gatwick, and then at Oakington. While at Oakington, Miguel was refused a doctor for at least 24 hours when he became ill (Read more on Lina and Miguel's stay in prison).
The Castanos family face fear and uncertainty, as to whether they will be deported to Columbia. While at Oakington, they thought deportation would occur soon, however they have now been told they can appeal. Despite the fact that several close family members have been killed by Columbian paramilitary authorities, they are left uncertain as to whether they can remain in the UK.
UPDATE: Mother and 8 year old Son free from Oakington 'Prison'
03-12-2004 00:09
An 8 year old child and his mother who had been aggressively removed from their home in Bristol and were then held at a secure facility outside Gatwick airport have been moved to Oakington and are facing imminent deportation to Colombia. The mother was strip searched and left in her bra and knickers under the full gaze of male police officers before being allowed to pack one small bag of their personal belongings.
Miguel, 8 years old, is a much loved member of the St Nicholas of Tolentine RC primary school. His first action after detention was to write a letter apologising for his absence and is still looking forward to and practising for his tap dance routine at the school’s Christmas show on 13th December.
Lina & Miguel began the Fast Track legal farce on Saturday 4th December in the afternoon, theoretically a 7 day process where their entire case is heard, judged and appealed in a week. Oakington has a near perfect record in rejecting cases heard this way, and deporting immediately.
Read more on Bristol Indymedia: In Prison - In YOUR name | Merry Xmas Miguel
Mansoor Hassan Must Stay
23-11-2004 18:48
An investigative journalist and NUJ member, Mansoor Hassan fled Pakistan two years ago. There as joint editor of an Urdu language magazine Crime, he exposed corruption and criminal activities amongst the business community and within the political establishment itself.
After implicating a senior politician in an honour killing Mansoor was shot at and his house was burned down. He exposed a company owned by the Minister of Agriculture that sold adulterated pesticides and substandard cottonseed to farmers, which led to his being beaten up and his family threatened by the secret services and the police. A known criminal shot at Mansoor after he wrote an article about him.
But the UK government, while accepting that Mansoor had been subjected threatened, attacked and shot at, described these experiences merely as “anxiety” and claimed that he would be “perfectly safe somewhere else in Pakistan” and that he was “not at any on-going risk”.
In Manchester Mansoor has worked as a volunteer with the British Red Cross and a refugee orientation programme.
Reports: Mansoor Hassan and Family Defence Campaign | Stop the deportation of Mansoor Hassan and family
Naseh Ghafor must stay!
20-08-2004 23:00
Naseh Ghafor a resident of Burngreave, Sheffield, was on hunger strike for six weeks from the 8th July to oppose his deportation to Iraq. He had sewn up his lips and was refusing medical attention. He has now removed the stitches from his mouth and stopped his hunger strike.
He believes he will be killed if he is deported to Iraq. His father and brother were killed there and his sister and mother are missing. There is more detailed background information on the NCADC web site. Local and national politicians are offering no hope to Naseh.
Local activists had organised a 24 hour rota to watch over Naseh while he was on hunger strike. Direct action, in the form of road blockades resulted in coverage in the local media and there was a demonstration from Burngreave into the centre of Sheffield on 21st August.
Daily vigil: 5pm, every day, on Ellesmere Green (top of Spital Hill) for Naseh Ghafor's right to live, stay and work in this country.
Saturday 21st August: Don't Let Naseh Die - Demonstration, from Ellesmere Green, Burngreave to Sheffield Town Hall | Photos: [1].
17th August: Milton House protest
12th August: Burngreave Road protest [video] | [photos]
7th August: Burngreave Road was blocked in a spontaneous protest by friends and supporters of Naseh for nearly an hour [ photos: 1 | 2 ] after a protest at Chatsworth where Sheffield MP David Blunkett was opening a scent garden.
Defend Naseh Ghafor web site | Defend Naseh Email List | Sheffield Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers | No one is illegal | No borders
European Sans-Papiers March from Brussels to Paris
13-06-2004 17:13
More Info in French: Imc Lille [1 | 2] and Imc Paris [1
Time to Fight for Papers! Sin Papeles Actions in Barcelona
13-06-2004 15:19
Although police violently evicted the Cathedral [reports] and 25 immigrants are facing certain deportation, the Assembly for Regulation Without Conditions is calling for further actions [1 | 2], supported by many civil society organisations and demonstrations all over Spain.
While Barcelona’s ‘Cultural Forum 2004’ (sponsored by multinationals) appears to celebrate culture, peace, and sustainability, it remains obvious that some are not welcome. Many immigrants living ‘illegally’ in squatted abandoned buildings have been evicted and the buildings demolished to make room for housing developments connected to the Cultural Forum [article].
Imc Barcelona [es | en] | Imc Estrecho [es]
Sin Papeles Updates | Plan Gotta [es] | Papeles Para Tod@s 2003
Barcelona Forum Parody Page
Asylum campaigners fight on
25-05-2004 16:32
Stop The Apartheid wall at The Hague!
21-02-2004 23:00
At the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague - Netherlands, from the 23rd to the 25th of February, there is a hearing as to the legality of the Apartheid wall being erected across Palestine [court schedule].The wall's construction - which has been criticised by the International Committee of the Red Cross - is widely seen as further land grabbing by the Israeli government, who couch its existence as a necessity for security in protection of the Israeli state.
State sponsored protests
On Monday the 23rd, Zionist groups are having a high profile demonstration in front of the ICJ. The local Israeli embassy has sponsored students and members of Zionist groups in support of the wall to protest outside the Court and has provided full colour pictures of bomb victims to 'Christians for Israel' who are carrying them on street protests. ZAKA, an Israeli 'rescue organisation', has brought to the Hague the two halves of a Jerusalem bus destroyed in a suicide bombing.
Anti-Apartheid Wall protests
25 anti-Wall protestors will be there to represent the concerns of the Palestinians along with the Palestinian Environmental NGO’s Network (PENGON) and other Palestinian solidarity groups, who have organised symposia, exhibits and protests around the time of the hearing. These groups will be bringing to The Hague Palestinians whose lives are affected by the Wall, including Sharif Omar (farmer from Jayyus), Fayez Tanib (farmer from Tulkarm) and Terri Balata (school administrator from Abu Dis separated from her school).
The Mayor of The Hague, Deetman, banned anti-Wall protesters from demonstrating in the morning, which will limit press awareness of the anti-Wall presence. The anti-Wall protestors will now march in the afternoon and hold a vigil outside the ICJ, remembering Palestinian victims of the Israeli occupation. Meanwhile, in Palestine, people are organising strikes, direct action and marches in support of the hearings in The Hague.
a href="http://www.indymedia.org.uk">Indymedia UK - check the 'Latest News' section. Or, why not follow the streaming video live from the hearing?
The Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign | Amnesty International - legal background | International Solidarity Movement | Palestine Monitor | Electronic Intifada | Gush Shalom: He, En, Ar
Noise Demo - Lindholme Detention Centre
30-01-2004 15:13
Saturday 31st January was a Europe Wide Day of Action against Refugee Detention and for Migrant Rights. As part of this day there was a noise demo outside Lindholme Refugee Detention Centre near Doncaster with a good turnout from from Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds.
The Sheffield Samba Band contributed to the noise and have some photos on their site.
January 31 - European Day of Migrant Struggles
30-01-2004 13:34
On 31 Jan 2004, the first European day of Migrant Struggles took place simultaneously across Fortress Europe in 11 countries and 49 cities, see the noborder web site and the round-up on the global indymedia site for an overview of the actions, and click here for a round up of actions in Europe.
At Lindholme Detention Centre, near Doncaster, there was a noise demo: timeline | photos | videos.
In London, there was a No Borders Protest at Waterloo Station and on Friday a Anti-Daily Mail Demo at which there was a counter, pro-hatred, BNP demo. In the evening there was a post demo party at Kentish Town Social Center.
A short video of the waterloo station action and the adbusting actions of the previous nights has been produced. Note how happy the eurostar staff were to collect up our leaflets in order to deny others access to it.
10min, 170mb~, smaller versions will follow: ftp://italy.indymedia.org/imc_italia/video/310104high.avi
Requires divx codec: linux | mac | windows
At Campsfield there was a small protest as part of the 10 in the UK. In Manchester there was a poor turn out.
In Athens 3,000 people marched on an anti-racist demo.
Reports of actions from Indymedia Centres across Europe: Austria | Barcelona (Photos) | Brussels (Photos: 1 | 2) | Belgrade | Estrecho / Madiaq | Istanbul | Russia
Asylum seekers welcome in Leeds!
10-01-2004 16:02
On January 8 Waterside Court, the Home Office Immigration office which processes asylum claims had both the car park and pedestrian gates locked whilst protestors blockaded both entrances and leafleted pedestrians and drivers. Banners were displayed in front of the building with slogans of “No to Destitution, Asylum to all those who seek it” and “No Borders, Freedom of Movement”. The protest lasted 2 hours and ended peacefully.
The protest was to raise awareness and draw attention to the effects of Section 55 of the Government’s Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 which came into force a year ago today. Over the past year this legislation has made 7,500 Asylum Seekers destitute, many of whom then became homeless.
Campaign launched to prevent Swindon teenager being deported
15-12-2003 21:17
