Freemovement - Say No to Deportations & Removals
                                  News & Views - Week Monday 12th September to Sunday 18th September 2011

Fight Back Against Family Returns
UKBA are due to visit the home of Fatma Ruth Ndoro and her children, on Monday 19th September; for a 'Family Departure Meeting' to finalize plans for their forced removal from the UK. This will be the second and final meeting with the family, in the so called 'Family Returns Process'. After this visit the family must leave the UK by their own 'force' or be 'forced' by UKBA.

Fatima supported by Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) are asking people to be outside Fatima's house at 10:00am on Monday to show solidarity with the family and to let UKBA know that they and their policies are not welcome.

Assemble Monday 19th September at 10:00am home of:
Fatima Ruth Ndoro
191 Willows Lane
Bolton BL3 4AZ

Please contact WAST Manchester if you need further information:
wastmanchester@yahoo.co.uk

Attached is a briefing produced by

UNITY in Glasgow, have produced a briefing, on the 'Family Returns Process', to obtain a copy Email:
info@unitycentreglasgow.org


English language training for job seekers on benefits
The Government has announced that jobseekers whose lack of English is preventing them from getting a job, will be required to attend English language training or face losing their benefits. Prime Minister David Cameron made the announcement during a visit to the A4e (Action for Employment) offices in Brixton where he met Work Programme participants and advisers.

Under new rules coming into force Jobcentre Plus advisers can mandate people onto training courses if they believe they lack the correct skills to get the jobs on offer in the local labour market. People with poor English skills, which are preventing them from getting into employment, will be referred onto free specialist English language training courses.
Prime Ministers Office, Tuesday 13 September 2011


- Stop the Arms Trade - Support EDM 2166

The UK government exports arms to Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; major source countries of people seeking asylum in the UK. These countries use UK manufactured arms to murder/intimidate/disenfranchise the population, causing many to flee the country of their birth.

Early day motion 2166: Arms Trade
That this House notes that the arms export priority markets for the UK Trade and Investment's Defence and Security Organisation in 2010-11 included Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; further notes that, with the exception of Libya, these sales efforts continue; is concerned by the inherent conflict between the Government's promotion of military exports and its stated desire to help protect human rights overseas; and therefore calls on the Government to end the export of military equipment to all authoritarian regimes.
Primary sponsor: Caroline Lucas, Date tabled: 12/09/2011

Put your MP to work demand they sign EDM 2166
Early Day Motions are very good ways of raising issues in parliament, which may not get debated in normal sittings of parliament.
You can contact your MP for free, through: WriteToThem.Com


Afghanistan: Rein in Abusive Militias and Afghan Local Police
Militias and some units of the new US-backed Afghan Local Police are committing serious human rights abuses, but the government is not providing proper oversight or holding them accountable, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Afghan government and the US should sever ties with irregular armed groups and take immediate steps to create properly trained and vetted security forces that are held accountable for their actions. The report, documents serious abuses, such as killings, rape, arbitrary detention, abductions, forcible land grabs, and illegal raids by irregular armed groups in northern Kunduz province and the Afghan Local Police (ALP) force in Baghlan, Herat, and Uruzgan provinces. The Afghan government has failed to hold these forces to account, fostering future abuses and generating support for the Taliban and other opposition forces, Human Rights Watch found.
Read more: Human Rights Watch, September 12th 2011


National Human Rights Tour:

Making Human Rights Happen

British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR ) - 16 Rights | 16 Cities | 16 Weeks

To read this message on the Internet go here . . . .

Make sure your campaign books a place for below

What's the role of human rights in a period of cut backs to public services? What is the role of human rights in protecting the vulnerable? Do human rights offer an effective tool for people wishing to challenge the impact of service cuts or changes? How do we make sure we balance one person's rights against the interests of society as a whole?

These are the questions at the heart of a National Human Rights Tour by the British Institute of Human Rights. There will be 16 free-to-attend events taking place across the UK between September and December 2011

Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, London, Manchester, Mold (North Wales), Newcastle, Norwich, Oxford, Plymouth, Scotland (2 events TBC), Sheffield.

What are human rights?
Human rights protect individuals from the worst excesses and arbitrariness of state power. They are meant to ensure that no-one finds themselves completely abandoned or exploited by society. As well as playing a critical role in respecting and protecting our human rights, governments must also promote and fulfil them. In other words human rights are not just there for when things go wrong, but exist to stop things going wrong. Human rights have a very positive vision which is to enshrine in law the fundamental worth and dignity of all human beings and ensure everyone is helped to reach their full potential.

Understanding how human rights work
Human rights are often both misrepresented and misunderstood, and they themselves appear to be at risk of being cut back. BIHR's experience shows that human rights play an important role for the most vulnerable members of society - and for society as a whole. We have seen this over many years through our work with organisations and individuals. Sadly, these 'everyday stories' rarely reach the headlines. What's more, we don't believe human rights are utilised enough because people and organisations know little about how to use them. BIHR believes that until people are aware of their human rights and how they work, human rights - and the Human Rights Act - will continue to be underutilised. The media reporting also needs to be put in context. It is often wrong, inaccurate or misleading and rarely is the full story told.
With all of this in mind, we are taking human rights on tour to 16 cities throughout the UK between September and December 2011.

Background
The significant changes currently taking place to our public services, which are being cut back, redrawn, or commissioned out to other providers, raises fundamental questions about what human rights mean in our society and what role human rights can play in tackling these changes.

Issues addressed by the events:
The programme in each area may differ slightly. This is because each event will have a regional focus addressing issues specific to the particular city / region. The following list is given as an example of the kind of issues we will address in different regions.

a) Human rights: myths and reality

* What are human rights, where do they come from, why are they important?

* Why are they necessary in this country?

* Do they protect the villains or the victims of society (or both)!?

* Does the media get it right?

b) Making practical use of human rights

* Which issues are covered by the Human Rights Act?

* How the Human Rights Act works - and how individuals can make use of it

* Examples of using the Human Rights Act to protect the most vulnerable

c) Linking today's political changes with human rights

* How do the cuts, NHS reform, changes in legal aid - and other issues - relate to human rights?
* What does the 'Big Society' mean for human rights?
* What are the key issues in this region - and can the Human Rights Act be used to address them?

d) Working together to protect human rights

* How can we ensure that the protections offered by the Human Rights Act are not weakened?

* How can we ensure that the Human Rights Act is better known and better used?

* How can BIHR support and sustain local initiatives to promote and protect human rights - and vice versa?

The events will occupy the best part of a day and will probably consist of 4 sessions broken up by coffee-breaks and a lunch break.

The events will adopt a workshop format: the sessions will be interactive and facilitated towards giving participants the chance to air their views and discuss the issues. Additional input will be provided by BIHR and other speakers.

Timing and programme
The events will occupy the best part of a day and will probably consist of four sessions broken up by coffee-breaks and a lunch break. The day will run from about 10am to 4pm.

Six road shows are being funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) through BIHR's 'Human Rights in the Community Project'. These are Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Manchester, Newcastle, and Sheffield. They will follow a similar agenda with the addition of specific information on the community project, input from the official partner, EREN, and presentations from participating pilot organisations. For more information about this project follow this link:

When will we be in your area?

Location Venue Date

 
Birmingham - 29th September
The Friends Institute
220 Moseley Road
Highgate
Birmingham
B12 0DG 


Brighton - 18th October
Community Base
113 Queens Road
Brighton
BN1 3XG
 
Bristol - 15th September
St Werburghs Centre Bristol
Horley Road
BS2 9TJ

 
Cardiff - 17th November
Cardiff County Hall


Derby - 27th September
YMCA Derbyshire
London Road
Wilmorton
Derby
DE24 8UT 27th September


London - 13th December
Amnesty International UK
The Human Rights Action Centre
17-25 New Inn Yard
London EC2A 3EA

 
Manchester - 8th September
St Thomas Centre
Ardwick Green North
Manchester
M12 6FZ

 
Mold - 9th November
North Wales
"Alyn & Deeside Room"
Flintshire County Council/Cyngor Sir y Fflint County


Newcastle - 4th October
West End Women and Girls Centre
Stephenson Building
173 Elswick Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 6SQ
 
Norwich - 1st November

The King's Centre
Norwich.
 
Oxford - 13th September
North Oxford Association, Community Centre
Diamond Place
Summertown
Oxford
OX2 7DP

 
Plymouth - 21st November
Plymouth Guild Hall
Royal Parade
Plymouth
 

 
Sheffield - 13th October

The Circle
33 Rockingham Lane
Sheffield
S1 4FW

Dates and locations for Scotland, likely to be 2 events, and Belfast, are still TBA. You may sign up to a mailing list that will enable us to notify you as soon as the date and venue are confirmed. You can access this mailing list by following this link.

Scotland TBA TBA

Belfast TBA TBA

Booking

Places are limited so please book early! We will take up to 3 representatives from an organisation until we have a clearer idea of numbers but there may be a possibility to take more, so please indicate on the booking form if this would be of interest to you. 

Please note that in order to make the National Human Rights Tour possible, each event is likely to be BYOL - Bring Your Own Lunch. We will provide final confirmation of this nearer to the time.

Please note that you will not be able to attend without having booked on in advance. Please contact ewilcox@bihr.org.uk if you have any queries about the National Human Rights Tour.

To book onto one of these free-to-attend events please follow this link.
http://www.bihr.org.uk/bihr-national-human-rights-tour-online-booking-form


Afghans on Hunger Strike @ Morton Hall IRC
A number of Afghan detainees began refusing food, Friday morning 16th September

Protester Mohammad Nadi Mengal said the men had gone on hunger strike because they did not want to be sent back to Afghanistan. "We left Afghanistan about eight year ago, nine year ago, 10 year ago. Our country is not safe," he said. No food, no water, we've been sitting down here since last night. We don't want to eat the food or anything, we just sit here."
BBC News, 16/09/11


Early Day Motion 2173: Human Rights in Iraqi Kurdistan
That this House is concerned at the violations of press freedom in Iraqi Kurdistan, particularly the case of Sardasht Osman, the university student and journalist, who after criticising the Kurdish government was kidnapped and murdered on 5 May 2009; notes with regret that the major demonstrations held in February to April 2011 protesting at the lack of freedom and social justice were suppressed aggressively by the Kurdistan regional government, with 10 people killed and many others injured; and calls on the UK Government to urge the Kurdistan regional government to establish an independent commission of inquiry into the murder of Sardasht Osman and to respect the right of its citizens to freedom of expression and political activity.
Primary sponsor: John McDonnell, date tabled: 13/09/2011


The Real Deal for Asylum Seekers - it is necessary to point out the facts
In response to a previous article on complaining to the media, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) were asked to provide ammunition in the form of exactly what asylum seekers do get whilst waiting for a decision. there are so many incidences of tabloids reporting asylum seekers of living in the lap of luxury and costing a huge amount to accommodate, it is necessary to point out the facts.
Read more, JCWI 15th September 2011


Bernard Batey, Still Here, Remains in Detention
I would like to thank everyone for their support during this stressful period of our life facing deportation, the injunction applied for on Friday was successful and the flight was cancelled. I am still in detention at Colnbrook IRC, at this stage the fight continue since legal actions are still ongoing, Lydia is still in the community.

Hope to see you people if I get out soon, we love you all.

Bernard Batey & Lydia Besong
benbateyob@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.freemovement.org.uk/Media7-2011/LydiaBernard.html


Immigration Rules should not be bent to favour right to family life
R(on the application of Sayed) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; R(on the application of Patel) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2011] EWCA Civ 1059 - read judgment

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that Article 8 of the Convention need not necessarily be considered when deciding whether to grant an applicant indefinite leave to remain. The Immigration Rules the are the sole test of eligibility, and Article 8 cannot be used to modify them. They should therefore be read according to their natural and ordinary meaning. In these conjoined appeals the appellants challenged decisions upholding the secretary of state's refusal to grant them indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom.
Read the full briefing here
Rosalind English, UK Human Rights Blog, 13/09/11


Women's Asylum News - Issue 104 - Now Online
The lead article in this month's issue covers the latest report by the Asylum Support Appeals Project (ASAP) which considers barriers to asylum support appeals for women and has been written by Gerry Hickey, Legal Adviser at ASAP.

This issue also contains case summaries of recent judgments in the Upper Tribunal, national news concerning new guidance for the changes to the domestic violence applications rule and international news. 
To read issue 104  full, click here . . . .

*************************************************************

Last December Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of the Lib Dems, announced that the detention of children would end in May of this year. They were just weasel words as child detention continues and remains firmly enshrined in law.

Sunday will be a good chance to give the Lib Dems some stick over their collusion with the Conservatives on implementing/enforcing immigration policies.

TUC March and Rally - Birmingham for the Alternative

Trades Union Congress (TUC) is the voice of Britain at work. With 58 affiliated trade unions representing 6.2 million working people from all walks of life, TUC campaign for a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad.

Sunday 18 September
Assemble at 11:00 am
Granville Street
Birmingham
B1 1JW

Speakers include: Frances O'Grady TUC, Billy Hayes CWU, Mark Serwotka PCS, Christine Blower NUT, Paul Kenny GMB

This year the Lib Dems are having their annual conference in Birmingham and the TUC is organising a march and rally to show opposition to the Coalition Government's disastrous policies of pay freezes, cuts and attacks on public services that are producing rising unemployment, cuts in living standards and stagnation. The march will also show the support for The Alternative. We need jobs, growth and justice for a sustainable future and this event will send that message loud and clear.

We call for the maximum support and are specifically asking unions and trades councils to:

* Encourage all your members to attend, a flier is available to download [PDF] and printed copies are available, to order leaflets e mail mkesterton@tuc.org.uk clearly stating the number of leaflets wanted and a postal address for delivery, allow 5 working days for delivery,

* Let us know if you are booking transport and we can give advice on drop off, parking and collection,

* To ensure that we have an effective and safe event we need a number of stewards and all affiliates are asked to nominate a number of stewards, please Email contact details of potential stewards to mkesterton@tuc.org.uk

* Consider making a donation to help fund the campaign.

There will be provision for marchers with disabilities, including a short route. It would be helpful if organisations could give as an indication of what their members access requirements are and we will do our very best to ensure that they are met.

 

Russia should remove all hindrances to freedom of assembly

“Freedom of assembly is crucial to supporting pluralism and democracy. The Russian authorities should review legislation and practice in order to uphold this fundamental human right” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, releasing today a letter addressed to the Government of the Russian Federation. The general normative framework set out in the federal legislation on assemblies broadly complies with international standards, foreseeing – as in most other European states – a notification procedure which does not require the organisers of a meeting to seek authorisation from the authorities, but rather to inform them about their intention to hold a meeting. However, regulations or decisions promulgated by regional or local authorities have at times delimited this right more narrowly or in a different spirit. (more)


Italy should better respect the human rights of Roma and migrants

The situation of Roma and Sinti in Italy remains a matter of serious concern - a shift in focus is needed from coercive measures such as forcible evictions and expulsions to social inclusion, anti-discrimination and combating anti-Gypsyism” said the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, releasing today the report on his visit to Italy carried out on 26-27 May 2011 during which he discussed the situation of the Roma minority as well as of migrants from Northern Africa. The Commissioner is concerned about racist and xenophobic political discourse against Roma and Sinti. (more)


Alice Nderitu Back in her Glasgow Community
There was a good turn out today, Friday 16th September for the picket outside the Eagle Building in Bothwell Street. and the bail hearing itself was packed. As ever this is not the end of the struggle, Alice's immigration status is still not secure and until it is the fight goes on.

Thank you all for your support,

Benedicto Chakana on behalf of Alice and UNITY


Peaceful picket in support of Alice Nderitu

Friday 16th September 9:45am
The Eagle Building
215 Bothwell Street
Glasgow

Support Alice Nderitu! - Detained in Dungavel - facing deportation

Her only crime - fleeing from an abusive man!

Alice Nderitu is a 34 year old single mum from Kenya who came to Glasgow from England to flee her abusive partner and claimed asylum in 2005. She recieved Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK in 2009.

For six years her ex-partner has followed her, broken into her home and attacked her. Last year, only one week before Christmas, he broke into her home and forced her to let him take her children away to England with him.

The man has been arrested on five different occasions. He has been sentenced to 8 months in Barlinnie prison for attacking Alice. He has been caught outside a woman's refuge looking for Alice armed with a knife and has also broken down the door of her flat with a hammer.

In July her ex-partner reported Alice for using a false name and nationality when she claimed asylum. He did not do this until after he had custody of the children by taking them from her by force. Social work services in England were not aware of his criminal record or the record of him using violence against her.

Alice was arrested by the UK Border Agency and charged with using deception. She has been in detention for the last 8 weeks. Alice has a bail hearing on Friday at the Eagle Building at 215 Bothwell Street.

UNITY believes this woman should not be in detention. She used a false identity at a time when she was fleeing from an abusive man and was terrified that she would be killed by him. Subsequent events show that she was right to be so frightened of him and without the active support of Women's Aid and she might have been killed by him before now.

UNITY is calling for people to join us in a peaceful picket of the Eagle buildings in support of Alice's bail application on Friday 16th September at 9.45.

Please come and show support for Alice!

The UNITY Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow
G51 1AQ
0141 427 7992
www.unitycentreglasgow.org
info@unitycentreglasgow.org


Funeral of Innocent Empi

The burial will take place on Saturday at 11:30am at Willesden New Cemetery, London NW10 9TE.

A mass will be said at 9:45am at The Church of the Five Precious Wounds NW19 8ER

Elizabeth Coleman / 079 6938 5080

Obituray: Innocent Empi a wonderful, kind, courageous man

Last updated 18 September, 2011