Reply to: Tammy Speers [[log in to unmask]]
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tammy speers
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2000 6:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: For moderation - Protest to defend asylum seekers
For those of you based near London-
29 August 2000
URGENT ACTION
Dear Friends
A major demonstration has been called by the North London Committee to
Defend Asylum Seekers (in which a number of Islington ARAFA have become
Involved) to march to Barbara Roche's surgery in Haringey on 7 October 2000.
The campaign is getting a lot of enthusiastic response from different
community Groups in the area so it will hopefully be quite big. Below is
the statement the campaign is asking organisations to sign - please get
anyone you can to do so, get involved in the planning if you can, and most
importantly pass the word out about the demonstration itself.
NORTH LONDON COMMITTEE TO DEFEND ASYLUM SEEKERS
Barbara Roche: Stop your racist scapegoating of refugees! Asylum seekers
are welcome here!
DEMONSTRATE!
SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER
Assemble 11am Manor House Haringey has a proud tradition of welcoming asylum
seekers. Over many years, refugees have made an immeasurable contribution
to the borough.
But in her capacity as a Haringey MP and Home Office minister, Barbara Roche
has trampled on this tradition.
* She has kept quiet while the Evening Standard, the Sun, the Daily Mail and
other newspapers have spread appalling racist lies about refugees;
* She has championed the voucher scheme, which condemns refugees to poverty
and makes them targets for discrimination and violence;
* She has backed the government's policy of "dispersal", condemned by the
Audit Commission for dumping asylum seekers in distant towns with no
support;
* She treats refugees like criminals and throws them into "detention
centres";
* She has pledged to deport over 40,000 refugees in the next two years.
* She has tried to introduce a £ 10,000 "bond" for Asian visitors to this
country.
* She has even hired a private plane to forcefully deport a local Ghanaian
refugee and part her from her sick son.
North London Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers has called a march in
Haringey against Barbara Roche's racist policies on Saturday 7
October.
We invite all anti-racist organisations, refugee groups, trade unions, human
rights campaigns, religious and community groups and individuals to back
this demonstration and mobilise to make it a massive show of disgust at the
government's policies."
Come to the next committee meeting:
6pm Sunday 3 September
Kurdish Community Centre
11 Portland Gardens
London N4
(off Stanhope Gardens, near Green Lanes Sainsbury's)
For more information or to make a donation call: Emine Ibrahim on
0777 334 4579
ISLINGTON ACTION
Islington Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers is holding a picket of Iceland
supermarket on Holloway Road - just by the Nags head - on Saturday 2nd
September from 1-3pm in protest against the pernicious voucher system for
asylum seekers in which the store is participating.
We will also use it to publicise the October 7 demonstration. At the same
time there will also be a protest outside Safeways (i.e. almost next door)
against the cuts in the voluntary sector which are threatening many black
community groups and it may well be possible to bring these actions
together.
Tammy Speers, Media Officer
Asylum Seekers & Refugees Media Working Group
School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Cardiff University
Bute Building
King Edward VII Ave
Cardiff
CF10 3NB
tel: 029 20875461
fax: 029 20238832
mob: 07811 829966
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