Some background ... (from the Guardian)

The present Government policy towards irregular migrants manages to be inhumane and economically inefficient. Migrants are left without access to basic health services and the Treasury is denied their tax contributions.

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Around the Campaigns Friday 28th November 2008

Bradford kids, still doing time, 33 days in detention

They had their second bail hearing yesterday and were refused bail. According to their mother the immigration judge wasn't happy with the sureties, so refused to release the children and their parents.

It is as ever unacceptable that children 1) are detained and 2) have to suffer the whims of the judiciary as to the conditions/terms that they the judiciary will grant bail. In cases where children are detained for more than seven days and all legal avenues have not been resolved; the 'Children's Commissioner' should be able to step in immediately as an an independent authority, with the authority to release the children on the 'Commissioners' terms.

Britain's Youngest Prisoners: 5 Children, 'Done no Crime but doing Time'
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/Newszine100/Fivekids.html

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Hope for Zimbabwean asylum seekers (Useful update)
By Frances Webber, Published by IRR News, 27 November 2008
 http://www.irr.org.uk/2008/november/ha000030.html

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Hackney Refugee and Migrant Support / Meeting / Vacancy

Reminder - the next meeting of the Hackney Refugee and Migrant Support
Group will be held next Monday 1st December 6.30pm at the Law Centre.

Also, here's details of a job going at the Hackney Migrant Centre, and
a benefit to support immigration detainees

 http://www.hackneymigrantcentre.org.uk/

From: Megan Redmond

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Solidarity gathering at Dungavel

Sunday 30 November 2008

A solidarity gathering at Dungavel Removal Centre in Scotland.

* Sunday 30 November 2008, 1:00pm

* Dungavel Removal Centre
Strathaven
South Lanarkshire
ML10 6RF
 http://www.justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk/


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"DRC, a forgotten emergency"

Africatime Community Group in association with other Africans and Congolese groups and churches organise a conference in sheffield to discuss an reflect on the ongoing situation of conflict in D.R.C

Date: Saturday the 29th November 2008
time : 10:30-13:30
Burngreave Vestry Hall,
2 Burngreave Road
sheffield S3 9DD

Among the speakers:
- Meg Munn: Sheffield MP for Heeley
- Dr Ungor : Lecturer of African and International History @ sheffield university .
- Mr Noel Mbala: Former DRC minister and husband of the 2006 Congolese presidential candidate, Mrs Therese Nlandu.
- Innocent Empi: Congo Action Group (Manchester)

Come along, everyone is welcome.
Tea and cofee will be served.

Contact: Mr. Joli 079 8569 6796 /  africatime1@yahoo.com
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Petition to the Prime Minister to withdraw the oppressive new immigration rules on overseas students and staff
 http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Overseasstudent/

The new rules for overseas students and staff threaten university autonomy and breach human rights legislation. These rules would require Universities to report to the Border Agency any absences from lectures and seminars or any failure to submit any assessment on time. In other words the University is being asked to act as an Immigration Officer to the students. These requirements go far beyond the present monitoring of student progress systems in Universities which has as its purpose assisting students to reach their full potential. It is hard to justify such detailed monitoring of overseas students. Surely the Border Agency just needs to know students have registered and are at the University. This police-like surveillance is not the function of universities and alters the educational relationship between students and their teachers in a very harmful manner. University staff are there to help the students develop intellectually and not to be a means of sanctioning them Trust between students and staff is essential to the relationship They represent a breach of Articles 8 and Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Posted by: Jui Chu Hsu Allott /  juichu@gmail.com

End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Africatime Community Group
Jui Chu Hsu Allott
Justice & Peace
Hackney Refugee and Migrant Support
IRR
NCADC