News in Brief

Take action! Send One More Card
"I saw bad things happening in prison and there was too much crying. It gave me terrible headaches and I felt sad." Dominic Mwafulirwa Junior, detained in Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in 2009. Each family sends an average of 76 Christmas cards each year. We want you to send One More Card to help stop the immigration detention of children in the UK. Send an extra Christmas card to Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas MP, and let him know that your Christmas wish is for him to stop the practice of detaining children for immigration purposes. (14 Dec 09)

Nuclear Weapons' convoy passes through Stirling
Nukewatch filmed a Trident nuclear weapons' convoy as it passed through Stirling at 5.40 pm on Monday evening (7 December).
The convoy is understood to have travelled straight from the nuclear bomb factory at Burghfield in Berkshire. It was spotted on the Edinburgh bypass earlier in the day.

The cruelty of locking up child asylum-seekers
' the central issue is not the conditions inside such detention centres (important though those are) but the policy of detaining children in the first place' There are alternatives to the policy of detaining migrant families. Last week the medical establishment called for the Government to overhaul its policy of detaining children in immigration removal centres. This week they are joined by a number of paragons from the world of children's literature including Michael Bond, Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson. Both groups make a compelling case.
Leading article: The Independent, Monday, 14 December 2009

Britain Must Implement the Goldstone Report - Sign the Petition
One year since Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, raining bombs on 1.5 million Palestinians, killing over 1400 and wounding over 5,000, the Israeli government has tightened its blockade on Gaza, creating a dire humanitarian disaster. Appallingly, the British government abstained on the votes at the UN on the Goldstone Report, which called for an end to the blockade, and for war criminals to be brought to justice. Please sign the petition here  calling on the British government to implement the Goldstone Report – it will be presented to Gordon Brown in January. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign 8 Dec 09

South Africa vows to treat all babies with HIV

Detention of children at immigration 'prisons' attacked by MPs
Too many children being held at detention centres for too long.In a report released on Sunday, the home affairs select committee said statistics suggested that about 1,000 children a year were held in secure immigration centres while they and their families awaited removal from the UK, but it was "troubling" that no one was able to give an exact number held or an overview of their welfare. The committee is calling for reform of the asylum process to speed it up. Children spend an average of more than a fortnight in detention centres, with longer stays of up to 61 days not uncommon. Some children are released and re-detained. MPs said detention of a child was difficult to justify and should only ever be used as a last resort. It costs £130 a day to detain someone, and holding a family of four for between four and eight weeks can cost more than £20,000.
Full article: Tracy McVeigh, The Observer, Sunday 29 November 2009

Download the full report: The Detention of Children in the Immigration System

Anti Slavery Campaign victory! Government agrees to new forced labour law in the UK Thank you to all the campaigners who took part in our recent action to lobby the Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, and your MPs, to criminalise forced labour and servitude in the UK. On Wednesday 28th October the Government announced plans to introduce these two new criminal offences ahead of a Parliamentary vote. Until recently the Government had argued that existing legislation was sufficient. Anti-Slavery International and Liberty, along with our campaigners, have been lobbying for the new legislation since June. Thank you for all your support!

Democracy is under threat from arms trade, says leading commentator

Demand a deadline for the Arms Trade Treaty email David Miliband now

Act now: Help create a safer world by calling on President Obama to support an effective Arms Trade Treaty

The gap between rich and poor in the UK is greater now than at any time in the past 40 years Vote now to close the gap!

Pressure on UN to act over Goldstone report on Gaza  Oct 09

Immigration judges: 'Afghanistan is not in a state of war'
By Robert Verkaik, Home Affairs Editor
The Independent Friday, 23 October 2009
Hundreds of Afghans living in Britain face being deported after immigration judges ruled that their home country's bloody conflict did not make the region an unsafe place to return failed asylum-seekers. Refugee campaigners said the situation was much more dangerous than it was being represented by the UK Government and the courts. Read the full Independent article, including the story of one the many deported to death in Afghanistan.

The Serious Fraud Office acts to prosecute BAE
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has taken the first steps that could see BAE in court. This time it's not Saudi Arabia but allegations of corruption and false accounting around arms sales in four countries - Czech Republic, Romania, South Africa and Tanzania. We know what happened last time (Tony Blair stepped in to stop the investigation going ahead) but this time we are hopeful that a prosecution will proceed. We are monitoring the situation and whatever the outcome it will be big news in the media. See CAAT  press release for the full story. For further information on BAE, visit the CAAT BAE web pages

Fact-finding mission details crimes against humanity in Gaza 
A United Nations fact-finding mission into the Israeli offensive in Gaza, which led to the death of 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, says it has found evidence that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United Nations is giving both sides six months to investigate their own actions or it will refer the allegations to the International Criminal Court. (Sept 16, 09)

London arms fair opens to storm of protest  
 
Risk of nuclear disaster at Faslane shiplift
Folllowing a Freedom of Information request from Scottish CND, the Ministry of Defence have released risk assessments for a major nuclear accident on the shiplift at Faslane. The heavily redacted internal reports say that the risk is "close to the tolerability criterion level". The story was published in the Sunday Herald and background information is available here   

New poll shows 61% of Scots are opposed to replacing Trident
The Sunday Times has published a new poll which shows 61% of Scots are opposed to replacing Trident while only 24 % support the proposal. The survey of 1,040 people was carried out by MRUK between 7 and 13 August. Those who are opposed also hold their views more vociferously. 29% are strongly opposed to Trident replacement, plus 32% opposed. In contrast only 7% strongly supported the idea, with a further 17% saying they supported it.

Unlock the camps in Sri Lanka
Locked up in filthy, overcrowded camps. Detained against their will. Living in fear of torture, execution, abduction and sexual violence. 300,000 people displaced by the fighting in Sri Lanka are held by the government in de facto detention camps. They cannot leave the camps, where conditions are "appalling" according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. (Aug 09)

URGENT ACTION - Student leaders arrested - 5 August 2009 
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) President, Clever Bere, and 13 other student activists were arrested at the University of Zimbabwe yesterday, Wednesday 5 August, on charges of ‘disorderly conduct'. The individuals were arrested during a meeting organised by ZINASU to discuss the issue of tuition fees, which at least three quarters of students are unable to pay, and how to improve the welfare of students in tertiary institutions. The university, on Monday 3 August, placed notices informing students who have not paid fees are barred from attending university. The students are currently detained at Avondale Police Station. Please write to the Minister of Justice, Patrick Chinamasa, condemning the violation of the students' rights to freedom of association, expression and assembly guaranteed under Zimbabwe's constitution and asking for their immediate release without charge. Write to the Zimbabwe Minister for Justice now

Tell the Office of Fair Trading what needs to be done about high cost credit and irresponsible lenders.
To help inform the Office of Fair Trading investigation review of high-cost credit, Debt on our doorstep has devised 6 simple questions, for you to send them your views on. Please get your group, advice centre, community project, credit union or church to discuss them and send your feedback and comments. They want to ensure the OFT get an accurate picture of the grassroots reality. (Aug 09)

Stop the government penalising the poorest
The Home Office has announced that it plans to cut support for asylum seekers, who already receive only 70% of income support. Church Action on Poverty, Refugee Action and probably you believe that this is totally unacceptable and discriminates against those seeking sanctuary, who are already among the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. We are particularly concerned about lone mothers, whose support is not going to be increased in line with inflation, meaning that they will face a real reduction in their income. Please write to Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas, now, asking him to increase all asylum support in line with inflation, and stop asylum seekers being pushed into deeper poverty. Take Action Now!  (Aug 09)

22% of people in the UK live below the poverty line.  Tell your MP it's 100% wrong.

Zimbabwe: Be careful of false impressions (July 09)

Refused asylum seekers forced to eat from bins, says Rowntree trust
Report highlights desperate plight of families unable to return to
Iraq, Iran, Eritrea and Zimbabwe. A situation of absolute desperation is developing among refused asylum seekers in Britain from four of the world's most troubled countries, who are sleeping rough and eating from bins, according to a detailed audit by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Full article: Martin Wainwright, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 8 July 2009 

Migrants 'not given housing priority' The end of a pernicious myth
An independent survey of social housing allocation explodes the myth that new immigrants jump the queue for social housing. The research, commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, found that less than 2 per cent of social housing tenants had arrived in the UK within the past five years, while the proportion of those born abroad living in social housing was almost identical to the proportion of social tenants born in the UK.
Leading article: The Independent, Wednesday, 8 July 2009

Trident the Moral Argument - Cardinal Keith O'Brien
The Times 29 June 2009.  In an article in the Times newspaper, Cardinal Keith O'Brien describes the Trident weapons system as a 'weapon of mass destruction' and argue that possessing it is 'morally reprehensible'. Scotland's Catholic Bishops issued a statement in April 2006 condemning the Trident system, their stance was subsequently endorsed by the Vatican, when Cardinal Renato Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, wrote to cardinal O'Brien endorsing the Bishops' April 2006 declaration. See study guide on Nuclear Weapons here  June 09

Asylum Seekers: Detention of Children - House of Lords / 30 Jun 2009 : Column 115  'the pejorative term "dawn raid" is not one that we recognise in the UK Border Agency's activities'. Lord Brett.
The UK Children's Commissioner, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, has made it clear that the detention of children is "harmful to their health and wellbeing". Furthermore, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, on her recent visit to Yarl's Wood and other detention centres, found that in the past four months alone no fewer than 83 children had been detained for either 28 days or longer, with no clear indication when they would come out of detention. Therefore, will Minister consider looking at community-based schemes for families who are awaiting return to their homes or who may not be able to be returned to their homes, as has happened in other countries? Will he also consider that those families who have been in Britain for many years, in some cases with children born and entirely educated here, might be eligible for a humanitarian system of amnesty, because it is difficult to return people who from birth onwards have had no links with any country except our own?

NGO's write to First Minister about Climate Change (May 09)

Fairtrade thrives despite the credit crunch - report says
The Ethical Corporation Institute have found that the current economic climate is having little effect on consumers' ethical buying. Demand for Fairtrade products is rising, according to the report. And it's all thanks to people like you.

Make poverty a political priority: Ask your MP to sign the Poverty Pledge
Ask your MP to sign the Get Fair Poverty Pledge and commit to specific action as a practical response to poverty in the UK.  The gap between rich and poor in the UK is wider than at any time in the past 40 years – according to the Government’s own latest figures. Politicians must do more to protect those who are hit hardest by the impact of the recession. By the autumn all parties will have finalised their manifestos. Now is the time to influence them! It is time politicians started talking about the real issues affecting millions of people in this recession. Ask your MP to take action now!

Cause to Celebrate: Paris Conference Success  (June 09)
Last Thursday morning the French government announced it will lead a group of nations to examine implementation of a Currency Transaction Levy (CTL). It is the first time such a high level public endorsement of the proposal has taken place by a nation state.

WDM calls for climate justice for Malawi
The average Scot is responsible for 155 times the amount of CO2 produced by the average Malawian. And yet 1,500 Malawians die every year through climate change-related disease and malnutrition.  As the Scottish climate bill reaches a critical stage on its journey through parliament, WDM has published a report showing the devastating impacts of climate change in Malawi and calling on MSPs to ensure the bill sets the standard for action across the industrialised world.  

The hidden massacre: Sri Lanka's final offensive against Tamil Tigers.  More than 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final throes of the Sri Lankan civil war, most as a result of government shelling, an investigation by The Times has revealed. The number of casualties is three times the official figure.
Full article: Catherine Philp in Colombo, The Times, May 29, 2009

Somalia: one week in hell - inside the city the world forgot
Few respites in this most ravaged of cities last long, and within days of our conversation the relative calm had given way to a more familiar story: running battles between the forces of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the notional president, and the more radical Islamist al-Shabaab militia. More than 200 people have been killed in these skirmishes and as many as 60,000 people have fled.
Full article: Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, The Guardian, Friday 29 May 2009

Burma: Unions back petition calling for release of political prisoners  Trade unions in a number of countries are lending their support to a huge global petition campaign to pressure the Burmese dictatorship to free all political prisoners.  A number of these are in prison because they up for workers' rights -- including Su Su Nway who reported cases of forced labour and Thu Rein Aung and Wai Lin who dared to hold a meeting on workers rights' on May Day in 2007. (21 May 09) 

It's time for Europe to lead on climate change!
ACT NOW: Email your European election candidates. The European Parliament elections are on 4 June.Over 80% of Scotland's environmental legislation has its roots in Europe. If you care about the environment, then these elections are important.
Make sure your candidates know that you want the European Union to take the lead on climate change. If you live in Scotland, then please take action HERE:

Scottish climate change bill action
Scottish Parliament’s Climate Change Committee has just published its recommendations of what should be in the Scottish Climate Change Bill. With this WWF action you can email all eight of your MSPs, asking them to go to the Stage One Debate to strengthen the bill and include our recommendations.

Failed asylum seekers not entitled to free NHS treatment
Refugee and health charities expressed dismay after the appeal court ruled yesterday that failed asylum seekers with chronic illnesses were not entitled to free health care on the NHS.
But the three appeal judges also ruled that hospitals have the discretion to provide free treatment to such individuals if they cannot afford to pay for it.

Nuclear safety breaches at Faslane
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) was so concerned about poor handling of nuclear waste at Faslane that if it had been a civil site they would have threatened to close it down. There were accidental discharges of nuclear reactor coolant from HMS Torbay in February 2008 and from HMS Superb in August 2007. An internal MoD report found that the failings were a cultural issue at the base. SEPA has disclosed documents under the Freedom of Information Act and given an interview to Channel 4 which will be broadcast at 7 pm tonight (Monday 27 April).  The MoD are exempt from the regulations governing nuclear discharges at civil power stations. SEPA asked for this to be changed, but the UK Government rejected their proposal.  Alan Mackinnon, Chair of Scottish CND, said:
"This shows that the regulatory framework for Faslane and Coulport is inadequate. It is scandalous that the Ministry of Defence are able to exploit a loophole in the rules. The current system is not transparent, nor is it open to public scrutiny."
See Also Channel 4 news and Guardian:

Climate Change (Scotland) Bill
The Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee have finished their Stage 1 scrutiny of the Bill and their report is due out soon, before the Stage 1 debate in the week of 4th May. Now is a good time to contact your MSPs and make sure they support the Bill in the Stage 1 debate and that they are aware of the key things that need to be included:
- 3% annual emissions reductions NOW (not from 2020)
- Include international aviation and shipping from the start
- Limit 'carbon trading' so that 80% of emissions reductions must be achieved in Scotland. More information here (27 April 09)

Appalling treatment of Heathrow detainees laid bare in damning report   Thousands of foreign visitors and refugees who are detained at Heathrow airport each year are forced to endure degrading living conditions and "deep-seated" negative attitudes about their welfare, an independent report concludes today. The findings will add to growing concerns about the treatment of foreign people held in detention in the UK before they are granted entry clearance or sent home. The report by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) makes note of cockroaches in Terminal 4 kitchens and the absence of proper washing facilities for detainees held overnight. The monitors were so angered by one case, the comprehensive failure to care for the needs of a disabled visitor who was travelling to the UK with her young son, that they sought personal apologies from the staff concerned. Some of the visitors held at Heathrow are incoming passengers detained for questioning or refused entry to the UK. Others are brought to Heathrow from immigration removal centres, prisons or police stations to be deported. Full article: Robert Verkaik, The Indpendent, 15 April 2009

UNHCR guidelines for assessing refugees from Sri Lanka
The long awaited new UNHCR guidelines for assessing refugees from Sri Lanka, were published yesterday. These replace the 2006 guidelines. They detail the appalling security situation, the abductions and disappearances, the feared "white vans" combing the cities picking up people who are then never seen again. The report details internal flight risks and whether it is realistic to claim that a person can relocate to another part of Sri Lanka to be safe. This is often areason for dismissing a refugee claim for protection. The report details the violence and risky security situation and states clearly.*"Consequently, any return of a refugee to Sri Lanka must be on a strictly voluntary basis"*. This will be agreat relief to the cohort of Sri Lankans currently under threat of return.

Failed asylum seekers 'have no right to free health care' - Court of Appeal
Failed asylum seekers are not entitled to free treatment on the NHS, three judges at the Court of Appeal ruled yesterday. But hospitals can make up their own minds on whether to treat them if they have no money, said the judges. Lord Justice Ward said: "Because most of those who suffer are invariably penniless and destitute and quite unable to pay for the treatment they need, their predicament has become a legitimate cause of widespread concern." He said to receive free health service treatment, the patient must have resided lawfully in the UK for at least a year.
Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com - Monday 30th March 2009

Kenya: End Abuse and Neglect of Somali Refugees
Hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees in Kenya face abuse by corrupt and violent police and a rapidly growing humanitarian emergency in the world's largest refugee settlement, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Kenya should immediately rein in abusive police and grant new land for additional camps, while the United Nations and international donors should urgently respond to Somali refugees' basic needs.
Human Rights Watch Monday 30th March

Happy Birthday Minimum Wage
On 1 April 2009 the national minimum wage is 10 years old. Please join the national campaign to get it increased to a living wage.
The Minimum Wage is a major achievement. Over the last 10 years it's raised the living standards of the lowest paid, and helped close the gap between men and women's pay. Soon the Low Pay Commission will be making this year's recommendation to the government on the national minimum wage.
Please take this chance to make sure the Government continues to support the national minimum wage, by increasing it to a living wage for all workers. Get your MP to sign up to the national living wage campaign.

Glasgow City Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to guarantee a living wage for all its workers.
On 9 March, Glasgow City Council announced the launch of the Glasgow Living Wage, set at £7 an hour. (This is the rate recommended by CAP's Living Wage campaign.) The living wage will be the guaranteed minimum for all Council employees. The Council will also encourage its suppliers to pay staff working on Council business a living wage, and a Glasgow Living Wage Employer Award will be developed to encourage wider uptake by employers in the public, private and voluntary sector. The first local authority in Britain to adopt a living wage was  London, in 2005.

Trident Replacement
The Radio 4 Today programme had a short feature on whether it was affordable to replace Trident. (19 March) Commander John Muxworthy of the National Defence Association suggested that money should be taken out of Health and Education budgets to pay for nuclear weapons. Listen to the 5 minute discussion

The Age of Stupid
A new film about climate change Watch a trailer here 
Find out more about the Not Stupid campaign here

Children seeking asylum 'denied protection'
New UK Border Agency Code 'routinely flouted' as Government fails in commitment to safeguard children say Refugee and Migrant Justice. Asylum seeking children in Britain face a 'hostile legal process' and are regularly locked up and left without adult support, according to a new report, 'Does Every Child Matter'?, (launched 10 March 09) by Refugee and Migrant Justice. Coming just 2 months after the UK Border Agency published its first Code of Practice for keeping children safe from harm, this is the first ever comprehensive review of children's experiences since the introduction of the Code. The report reveals extensive bad practice and breaches of the Code that are already occurring and also highlights major omissions, both of which put vulnerable children at risk. It claims that there is a major gap between the Government's aspirations of a fair and humane system, and the reality. One World Net, Tuesday 10th March 2009

The Debt On Our Doorstep campaign is urging MPs to sign a motion which calls for extra legal protection for people who are in debt. Please help by writing to your MP. The Government has proposed that county courts should be able to issue  'Enforcement Restriction Orders' (EROs), to allow for any action to recover debts to be suspended for up to 12 months. With rapidly rising levels of redundancies and unemployment, EROs would provide real help now to many households struggling to cope with the recession. However, the Government is now planning to delay introducing the Orders until 2010. We believe that will be far too late for many people, and are urging Government to act now. DOOD has teamed up with John Battle MP in a bid to get Government to bring forward the introduction of Enforcement Restriction Orders.

Scottish CND call for all Trident submarines to be immediately taken off patrol following the collission HMS Vanguard with its French equivalent in the Atlantic (Feb 08)

Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL], received its' second reading in the House of Lords on 11 Feb 2009, it is pretty grim reading.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child: Democratic Republic of the Congo: Published Friday 6th February 2009 The Committee is alarmed over the grave violations committed against children by both State party forces and non-State armed groups in the context of the armed conflict. The Committee is gravely concerned that children's right to life, survival and development are violated as a consequence of being the most vulnerable of victims in hostilities. The Committee also expresses grave concern at the very high rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality, as well as at deaths caused by preventable diseases or by HIV/AIDS, conditions all of which are aggravated by the armed conflict. Extracts and full report can be accessed here:

Rape as a Weapon  EDM 612 Tabled by Lorely Burt
That this House condemns the use of rape as a weapon; notes the rape capital of the world is the eastern Congo where in some areas three-quarters of women have been raped; further notes that in Darfur, raped women are scarred or branded, or occassionally have their ears cut off and that this is often done by police officers or soldiers, in uniform, as part of a co-ordinated government policy; and calls on the Government to condemn violence against women, to work to highlight this abhorrent use of force in conflicts around the world and do everything that it can to prevent the systematic use of rape as a weapon.    See also the UN Security Council's defining of rape as an act of war  here 

The world has taken another step towards an Arms Trade Treaty (Jan 09)

Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL] / First Reading
Please note that  the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, will progress through the House of Lords to its' conclusion and then to the House of Commons. House of Lords / 14 Jan 2009 : Column 1224 A Bill to provide for customs functions to be exercisable by the Secretary of State, the Director of Border Revenue and officials designated by them; to make provision about the use and disclosure of customs information; to make provision for and in connection with the exercise of customs functions and functions relating to immigration, asylum or nationality; to make provision about citizenship and other nationality matters; to make further provision about immigration and asylum; and for connected purposes. The Bill was introduced by Lord West of Spithead, read a first time and ordered to be printed. Second Reading: Monday, 26 January 2009

Israeli Massive Demonstration against the War
Saturday 03/01/09. At the same time as Ehud Barak was ordering the army to start the bloody ground offensive against Gaza, some ten thousand protesters from all over Israel marched in Tel-Aviv in a massive demonstration against the war. See Gush Shalom peace website

New immigration code does not fully protect children
By Frances Webber, published by Institute of Race Relations 8th January 2009
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) Code of Practice on Children will not adequately protect children from the harm caused by immigration procedures. The new Code of Practice for Keeping Children Safe from Harm, unveiled by the UK Border Agency on 6 January, was met with scepticism by refugee groups and practitioners. The Code follows the UK's withdrawal of its reservation from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which historically put the requirements of immigration control above the welfare of children. Now, children's welfare must be a primary consideration in all the UKBA's dealings with children, whether accompanied or not, whether asylum seekers or not. There are however serious problems with the Code. The most important one is the fact that no immigration procedures affecting children have been changed. The Code has nothing to say about the detention of children, no new limits imposed, nothing about monitoring of children's detention, which is particularly concerning given the evidence of the serious impact that detention has on children's physical and mental health.
To read this article in full go to:
http://www.irr.org.uk/2009/january/bw000006.html

Ministers say they will ignore asylum-seekers' 11th-hour pleas
Refugees warned to expect deportation even if judicial review bid has been lodged. Asylum-seekers have been told that the Home Office can ignore last-minute legal challenges to removals from this country where the Government has hired a chartered aircraft to fly refugees home. Robert Verkaik, Law Editor, The Independent, Friday, 12 December 2008

Tell Gordon Brown to call time on global greed
The financial crisis, cooked up in the boardrooms of the rich, will have its most devastating impact in the homes of the poor throughout the world. WDM is calling for a system which works for the poorest of the world and will ensure a just, sustainable and prosperous world for all of us.  The've put this question to Gordon Brown on his 'ask the PM' YouTube channel. You can vote to see their question answered, pose your own or sign theirr petition to get his attention. Ask Gordon Brown to call time on global greed now.

Asylum-seeker charities are just playing the system, says Woolas
* Lawyers are accused of undermining legal system
* I'm not new Enoch Powell, says immigration minister
Immigration minister Phil Woolas has attacked lawyers and charities working on behalf of asylum seekers, accusing them of undermining the law and "playing the system". In an interview with the Guardian, Woolas described the legal professionals and NGO workers as "an industry", and said most asylum seekers were not fleeing persecution but were economic migrants. Full article: Patrick Barkham, The Guardian, Tuesday November 18 2008

The European Commission is continuing to push unfair trade deals on developing countries. Send a message to European Commission President Barroso asking him for deals that work for people and planet. Take action here. (Nov 08)

How we fuel Africa's bloodiest war
The deadliest war since Adolf Hitler marched across Europe is starting again - and you are almost certainly carrying a blood-soaked chunk of the slaughter in your pocket. When we glance at the holocaust in Congo, with 5.4 million dead, the clichés of Africa reporting tumble out: this is a "tribal conflict" in "the Heart of Darkness". It isn't. The United Nations investigation found it was a war led by "armies of business" to seize the metals that make our 21st-century society zing and bling. The war in Congo is a war about you. What is rarely mentioned is the great global heist of Congo's resources. Full Article, Johann Hari: The Independent, Thursday, 30 October 2008

A £150,000 pilot project aimed at ending the detention of children at Dungavel is to be launched. (Oct 08)

Climate Change 
Scottish Bill - Scottish Government's News Release 
John Swinney has indicated that the Scottish Climate Change Bill will include international aviation and shipping, the full basket of greenhouse gases, and annual targets. The detail is yet to be seen, but if it does what the Minister promises, it'll be the best climate change legislation in the world, in no small part due to the pressure that has come from campaigning organisations within SCCS.
UK Bill
Other great news is that, on the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee, the UK Government looks very likely to adopt the 80% target, and include aviation and shipping emissions. Latest news on that here

Convert or we will kill you, Hindu lynch mobs tell fleeing Christians
As a fresh wave of sectarian violence is unleashed across the Indian state of Orissa, Gethin Chamberlain talks to homeless survivors in Kandhamal district who were forced to abandon their religion. Hundreds of Christians in the Indian state of Orissa have been forced to renounce their religion and become Hindus after lynch mobs issued them with a stark ultimatum: convert or die. The wave of forced conversions marks a dramatic escalation in a two-month orgy of sectarian violence which has left at least 59 people dead, 50,000 homeless and thousands of houses and churches burnt to the ground. As neighbour has turned on neighbour, thousands more Christians have sought sanctuary in refugee camps, unable to return to the wreckage of their homes unless they, too, agree to abandon their faith. (Oct 08)

Asylum Seekers [No enforced removals, non-Arab Darfuri's & Zimbabweans]
My Lords, we are not enforcing the return of unsuccessful non-Arab Darfuri asylum seekers to Sudan, nor are we enforcing returns to Zimbabwe. The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal is considering the situation in these countries and we have no plans to resume enforced returns before the tribunal has reached its conclusion. We continue to enforce returns to Iran for those found not to be in need of international protection. (Oct 08)

Darfur violence cause 230,000 to flee so far in 2008
 - Nearly a quarter of a million civilians have been forced to flee violence in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region this year as the conflict shows no sign of abating, the U.N. chief said in a report on Tuesday. In a bleak new report to the U.N. Security Council, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the humanitarian situation in Darfur was desperate, while international peacekeepers and aid workers found themselves increasingly at risk from attack. (Oct 08)

GPs win care fight for asylum seekers
The government is ready to scrap controversial plans to clamp down on so-called 'health tourism' among asylum seekers, following a revolt by doctors. Ministers had threatened to withdraw the right to free GP treatment from asylum seekers whose claims were rejected, forcing them to pay for care privately or go without in all cases except emergencies. However, doctors have argued the move would be unethical and potentially illegal, with some saying they would treat patients regardless of any new rules. The Home Office and Department of Health - which was due to publish its decision later this month - are understood to be reconsidering their position after conceding that there was no proof that free primary care was encouraging refugees to come to Britain.
Full article: Gaby Hinsliff, The Observer, Sunday October 12 2008

Taleban violence in Afghanistan is on the rise, say US agencies
American intelligence agencies are all agreed that Afghanistan is in a "downward spiral", suffering from an increase in violence by the Taleban and rampant corruption in the Afghan government. A leaked draft of an American National Intelligence Estimate, which combines the views of all the agencies, paints a stark picture of failure after seven years of international effort to introduce stability into Afghanistan. Full article: Michael Evans, Defence Editor The Times, October 10, 2008

CAP Action Request: Write to the new Immigration Minister
Phil Woolas has taken over from Liam Byrne as Immigration Minister in the recent Government reshuffle. We are asking all supporters of CAP's Living Ghosts campaign to take a couple of minutes to tell him how immoral and ineffective the policy of making refused asylum-seekers destitute is.  There are many points that you could ask about, but Gordon Brown promised in July that he was going to help out Zimbabweans refused asylum. This was great news, but we haven't heard anything since. Please use CAP's special website that gives you a template to post or automatically email the Minister.

Liam Byrne has been replaced by Phil Woolas as Minister for immigration, vows to be tougher than the old minister!!!
Sunday Times, Sunday 5th October 2008

Get Fair Campaign Launched
Get Fair is a national coalition campaign of more than 50 organisations calling for an end to poverty in the UK. The campaign was launched officially on 11th September 2008. The launch highlighted findings in a recent YouGov poll which shows a total of 51 per cent of people say they would be more inclined to vote for a party that takes 'serious measures' to eradicate poverty.

21 Unions back Refugee Council work campaign for people seeking asylum
The Refugee Council's campaign with the TUC to allow people seeking asylum to work scored a great success at the TUC Congress 2008 held in Brighton, when a motion supporting the campaign was passed - and separately leaders of 21 Trades Unions representing over 5 million workers pledged their support.
You can get all the news from the TUC on the refugee council website

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT MOTION: Date of Lodging: 19 September 2008: Short Title: Dungavel and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
S3M-02576 Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): That the Parliament welcomes the UK Government’s opting-in to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the fact that this will mean the end of the practice of incarcerating asylum seeker children and child migrants without judicial scrutiny; further welcomes the fact that Dungavel will no longer hold children in close proximity to potentially dangerous adults; encourages the UK Government and the National Asylum Support Service to implement the convention now instead of waiting until domestic legislation is aligned with the convention, and congratulates all those who have campaigned to end child detention at Dungavel on the success of their campaign at last.

No Slavery, No Exceptions
60 years after the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated that all human beings, without distinction of any kind, should be free from slavery, there are still more than 12 million people living in slavery across every continent of the world.
This summer, Anti-Slavery International launches a new campaign, No Slavery, No Exceptions, which focuses attention on one of the root causes of slavery in the 21st century - discrimination. Full details here

Church Action on Poverty Action Request: Tell the Government to let Zimbabweans work. With Zimbabwe in the news, now is an important time to put the pressure on the Government to make sure the thousands of Zimbabweans in the UK can help themselves out of poverty through paid work. CAP was delighted that the Prime Minister has stopped the deportations to Zimbabwe of people refused asylum. For years, thousands of people refused asylum have been faced with an impossible choice: agree to return to a country being torn apart, or be destitute in the UK. Not surprisingly many have chosen the relative safety of Britain.  We believe that people refused asylum should be given a license to work whilst they are in the UK. That way they can help themselves out of poverty, contribute to British society and economy, and build up their skills to work in a future Zimbabwe.
You can help  put pressure on the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, to let them work. Please  email her now  And also, please write write to the Foreign Secretary too  Point out to him that his "foreign policy interests" are best served by letting Zimbabweans work

Tell Gordon to Get Fair
Please take a moment to email the Prime Minister. Tell him it's time for the Government take action to reduce poverty and inequality, to ensure adequate incomes, fair access to services, affordable homes and decent neighbourhoods for all. The Get Fair campaign, being launched in September, will press all the political parties to make poverty a priority. Please take a moment to join in this action, and start the ball rolling! Please email Gordon Brown NOW at http://tinyurl.com/5m5jfz, and forward this email to all your friends too. Help us tell Gordon to Get Fair! Find out more about Get Fair at www.getfair.org.uk or www.church-poverty.org.uk.
Poverty and inequality continue to be huge problems in this country. We won't make further progress in tackling these problems without higher levels of public and political support. CAP is working with dozens of other organisations on Get Fair - a major new campaign, aiming to mobilise public opinion and ensure that UK poverty is an important issue for politicians in the run-up to the next General Election. CAP need your help and support to make Get Fair a success, and to make UK poverty history. Sign up for Get Fair email updates here.  Download more information and a registration form here to become part of the campaign here.

Church Action on Poverty calls for change to "reverse Robin Hood" income tax policy

TELL PRIMARK NOT TO CUT AND RUN:
Many of you will have seen or heaard about the recent media focus on the Indian garment industry, including Blood Sweat and T-Shirts and the Channal 4 and BBC documentaries on Primark and India Labour Behind the Label is calling on Primark to reverse its decision to cut and run from three Indian suppliers (BBC Panorama investigation broadcast on 23rd June). They are also calling on Primark to take positive action to ensure that it fulfils its responsibility to these and other workers along its supply chain and to look at the impact of its own purchasing practices on working conditions. Take Action HERE:

Annual UNHCR figures show continuing climb in number of uprooted
" - UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres expressed concern Tuesday about the growing number of refugees worldwide after an annual survey said there were 11.4 million refugees and 26 million others displaced internally by conflict or persecution at the end of 2007. After a five-year decline in the number of refugees between 2001 and 2005, we have now seen two years of increases, and that's a concern,"
UNHCR,17th  June 2008

Let them give something back
"The case is compelling: we should restore the right to work for asylum seekers, allowing them to contribute to society" Bill Morris
"For a trade unionist there can be no greater rights than those of freedom, liberty and democracy. And with them comes the right to work and to make a contribution to society; after all, work defines who and what we are. That is why I am convinced that the right to work should extend to all those legally living in our country, including those who have come here to claim asylum."
Bill Morris, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday June 18 2008

How migrants helped make the NHS
"The health service has always relied on an international workforce. The history of the NHS is also a history of economic migration. Practically from its conception, the health service suffered acute shortages of staff, and that shortfall was met then, as it is now, by "importing" nurses, doctors and auxiliary staff from overseas."
Patrick Butler, Society Guardian, Wednesday June 18 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jun/18/nhs60.nhs2

Update on Trade
MEPs call on European Commission President to allow for more time for pro-development trade deals. 61 MEPs from across Europe and political parties have joined with the Trade Justice Movement to publish an advertisement in the Brussels based European Voice, calling on the European Commission President Barroso to allow for more time for pro-development trade deals. The focus on the Commission President came about because he has backtracked on commitments to renegotiate the most contentious parts of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).
It is therefore vital that MEPs closely scrutinise the deals during the summer and autumn months. It is also vital that we keep up the pressure, especially as the European Commission itself has begun to lobby MEPs in favour of supporting EPAs. If you would like to promote the issue being raised with MEPs, please go to the Trade Justice Movement website for a template letter and details of which UK MEPs to raise the issue with. Supporters can also email the EC President directly via an email action on Traidcraft's website.

On 10 April the High Court ruled that the Government acted unlawfully when it curtailed a corruption investigation into BAE Systems' Al Yamamah arms deals with Saudi Arabia. The full text of the judgment, as well as the judges' summary and the Campaigns Against the Arms Trade press release is available on their website  As a result of this judgment the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will have to reconsider the decision to end the investigation. CAAT are calling on Gordon Brown to make a commitment that there will be no further Government interference. Sign their petition urging Gordon Brown to make a commitment that there will be no further government interference into the SFO's investigation into the Al Yamamah arms deals. CAAT will be sending the petition to the Prime Minister next week so please sign it as soon as you can.

Human rights in Tibet: send a message to Gordon Brown
China is on the fence--indicating an openness to talks with the Dalai Lama, while at the same time pressuring other governments to support its continuing crackdown. Each day, more leaders declare their stance. It's time to redouble our efforts--click below to send a personal message to your head of state, urging support for dialogue with the Dalai Lama. Politicians understand that there is power in numbers. We need to show them that they have more to gain by listening to their own people--and heeding the cry for help from Tibet--than by giving China a pass in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. Take action now

Inhumane and oppressive': the final verdict on Britain's asylum policy
The overuse of detention, the scale of destitution and the severity of removals are all areas which need attention before the system can be described as fit for purpose"
The most comprehensive examination of the UK's asylum system ever conducted has found it "marred by inhumanity" and "not yet fit for purpose".  The report, published by the Independent Asylum Commission, is a damning indictment of the Home Office's failure to deal fairly with those applying for sanctuary in this country. The commission found that Britain's treatment of asylum-seekers "falls seriously below the standards to be expected of a humane and civilised society". Its interim report will be delivered to the Home Office today by a delegation of asylum-seekers.
Full story: By Emily Dugan, The Independent, Thursday, 27 March 2008

Lord Goldsmith backs "the right to work" for people seeking asylum
In last week's report from Lord Goldsmith, he said that paid employment is essential to allow people seeking asylum to help themselves, British society and the UK economy. Lord Goldsmith, who had been asked to do the review by Gordon Brown, stopped short of saying outright that people refused asylum cannot work. Rather he called for a further "review of the policy in practice". Church Action on Poverty (March 08)

40% of people using refugee agencies are destitute. Latest news from Church Action on Poverty (March 08)

DRC: 'Majority of rapists go unpunished'
 - Sexual violence against women is rampant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but the majority of perpetrators, especially in "no-law" zones, go unpunished, according to a UN independent human rights expert. In South Kivu Province, for example, 14,200 rape cases were registered between 2005 and 2007 but only 287 were taken to court, Titinga Frederic Pacere, the UN Human Rights Council's independent expert on the state of human rights in the DRC, told reporters on 14 March. Full story: (IRIN) Nairobi, 18 March 2008

The latest news about slavery worldwide from Anti Slavery International
Police rescue man trafficked into forced labour in UK;  Fruit picked by enslaved farm workers in Florida;  Two arrested in Mauritania on slavery related charges;  UK pays compensation to victims of trafficking;  820 indigenous Brazilians freed by Government officials; 

Bail system 'not set up to get a fair hearing' says Refugee Council. Call for the Home Office to suspend the roll-out of video-link hearings for detainees applying for bail from immigration removal centres. People who are detained under Immigration Act powers, are locked up without time limit and without an automatic independent review of their detention. The right to apply for bail is a vital safeguard against prolonged and unnecessary detention; it is therefore essential the process is fair and accurate. Evidence contained in a joint report by Bail for Immigration Detainees and the Refugee Council shows that this is not the case. A high number of people apply for bail without legal representation, there is failure to comply with rules about how quickly bail hearings must be listed, and frequent delays in the Home Office producing their case for why detention should be maintained. Full story: Refugee Council Online Monday 10th March 2008

Age x-rays breach health rules
Plans by the Home Office to use x-rays to establish the age of young asylum-seekers contravene the government's own guidance and could be classed as "assault", the Royal College of Radiologists has said.
Full article: By Sarah Cooper, Children & Young People Now, 12 March 2008

Squalid priorities
It is a curious paradox that, while our Government is often perfectly happy to pour scorn on repressive regimes abroad, when it comes to offering asylum to the persecuted inhabitants of such countries, all this righteous anger seems to evaporate.
Leader The Independent, Friday, 7 March 2008

Resumption of Removals to Zimbabwe!
Over the past few days many Zimbabwean's recently refused asylum, have received letters from the Boarder and Immigration Agency (BIA), saying that BIA, "is expecting shortly to be able to enforce returns to Zimbabwe". Most of the recipients of these letter are living in the North east/west of England. Also Zimbabweans with refugee status have received letters asking them if they would like to leave the UK voluntarily for a cash incentive. (6 March 08)

Heat or Eat?
Women's Experience of Poverty in Scotland 2008
New qualitative research by The Poverty Alliance 
For a hard back copy please contact Rachel Jury: rachel.jury@povertyalliance.org 

Anti deportation campaign praises Glasgow campaigners (Feb 08)

Poverty: a denial of human rights
A new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation argues that we need tougher human rights laws to challenge the social attitudes that perpetuate poverty. (Jan 08)

Shetlanders force climbdown on Burmese woman's deportation
Shetlanders' warrior past paint a misleading picture of Britain's northernmost people. For this week they once again showed that they are among the most welcoming of communities - willing to do battle on behalf of those who choose to settle there. Their latest victory came when a Burmese woman, Hazel Minn, and her two sons were told that they would not, after all, be deported. Ms Minn fled Burma's military regime in 2002 but was told in 2004 that her application for political asylum had been turned down.
Full story: Mark Hughes, The Independent

Doctors rebel over plan to prevent treatment for failed asylum-seekers
Ministers face a doctors' rebellion over plans to deny failed asylum-seekers the right to free health care while they are in Britain. In an unprecedented move, 275 GPs have said they will defy any new law by carrying on freely treating refugees, many of whom are torture victims, children and pregnant women.
Full story: Robert Verkaik, The Independent 16 January 2008

Hundreds of seriously ill people deported every year
Hundreds of seriously ill foreigners are deported every year, Britain's immigration chief admitted as she defended the removal to Ghana of a woman with terminal cancer.
The Independent: 16 January 2008

Let's speak up to support access to heath care for all migrants !
The Lancet, 15th January 2008

No resumption of removals to Zimbabwe
The Britain Zimbabwe Society has opened a petition to the Prime Minister which you can sign on the Number 10 website. Please sign the petition and encourage others to do so

No room at the uk inn for refused asylum seekers
In December, the House of Commons spent just a few minutes debating a group of people for whom there is absolutely no room at the inn - failed asylum seekers. Read Diane Abbot’s speech in Parliament (Dec 07)

Anti-poverty strategy 'stalling' (Dec 07)

Call to end detention at Dungavel (Oct 07)

Judge orders return of deported asylum-seeker, 15
Jacqui Smith was ordered yesterday to ensure the return to Britain of a teenage asylum-seeker who was taken from his foster carer's home in a 4am raid and removed to Austria.  The Times, Thursday 20th December 2007

Failed Zimbabwean Asylum Seekers Will Not Be Quickly Deported. The Home Office says the ruling against a Zimbabwean asylum seeker does not mean automatic removal of people who failed to gain asylum in the United Kingdom.  Tendai Maphosa reports for VOA from London that a recent ruling has sparked concern among other failed asylum seekers that they will be deported.
Full article: By Tendai Maphosa, London 05 December 2007
http://voanews.com/english/2007-12-05-voa46.cfm

8000 people die every day from AIDS-related illnesses. This is a preventable tragedy and injustice. HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest obstacles preventing people from overcoming poverty. Those who are infected are often too ill to go to work or are refused the chance to earn a living, and children caring for sick parents cannot go to school. World leaders, including the UK Government, promised to end the global AIDS crisis, but this promise is being broken. Barely 1 in 4 people can access the drugs they need to stay alive, and just 1 in 5 can access basic prevention services. Send a message to the UK Government. Remind them that they must act now to help save millions of lives, or break promises and lose more. Email the UK Government now and tell them to honour their promises

MPs support Sterling Stamp Duty - Take Action! 
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Debt, Aid and Trade yesterday published a report into innovative finance for development, in which it calls on the government to consider imposing a 0.005% levy on sterling currency transactions as a way of raising money to combat global poverty. To read more on this story please visit the Stamp out Poverty website  To contact your MP on this issue click here

M85 cluster bomb petition
Thanks to all who have signed the petition against the continued use of the M85 cluster bomb. For those who have been too busy to sign, remember it only takes a minute! Downing Street petitions must reach at least 200 signatures to ensure an answer from Downing St. Right now we have only 85. M85 cluster munitions are hideous weapons and their continued use colours the UK as the cold war-monger that the
US has become. The UK signed on to the Oslo Conf Agreement against Cluster Munitions. That UK foreign policy should include the approval and use of M85 cluster munitions is unacceptable. Please take a minute to sign your support.

Cardinal O'Brien resigns from Amnesty International

The Defence Export Services Organisation, the Government's arms sales unit, to shut

Cluster bombs: get them Milibanned

Rule change 'cheats' skilled migrant workers
Richard Ford, Home Correspondent The Times Thursday 9th August 2007
Thousands of skilled immigrants face deportation after the Government unlawfully and unfairly changed the rules allowing them into the country, a parliamentary committee says.
It criticises the Home Office for applying new rules retrospectively against thousands of the "bright and the best" encouraged to come to Britain to boost the economy.
The Lords and Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights urges Liam Byrne, the Immigration Minister, to change the rules to ensure that they apply only to new migrants, rather than the 49,000 who have already arrived under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.
The committee says in its report today that the changes breached the European Convention on Human Rights.
Source: NCADC

Millennium Development Goals: Joint statement from Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien.
We commend the Prime Minister and the UN Secretary General for making this Declaration.  It is vitally important for two reasons:  
First, it reminds us that we are not on track to meet the commitments we agreed to back in 2000 and calls for an international summit in 2008 to focus much needed attention on the challenge.  Today we have the means to achieve the MDGs - now we need the will.  Second, the Declaration recognises that the MDGs will only be achieved by a partnership involving the key stakeholders in society - states, faiths, civil society and the private sector.  This is a crucial point.  We have long believed that faith groups in particular are crucial to deliver the MDGs because in much of the Developing world, it is faith groups that provide many of the educational and health services.  We believe that such a partnership on the international level - involving all the relevant stakeholders in society - could make the difference between success and failure in 2015. Read Prime Minister's Statement to UN

The Fairtrade Foundation welcomes the report from the Commons International Development Select Committee that has found that the Government’s commitment to promoting fair trade has not kept pace with a marked increase in national support for fair trade. The report, entitled 'Fair Trade and Development', states that the Department For International Development’s (DFID) approach has not been sufficiently proactive and recommends DFID consider how best to generate more support and resources for fair trade. Read the Fairtrade Foundation's response here.