Report from Bradford Day of Action

About 70 people attended 

a Destitution Day of Action in Bradford

, hearing speeches from 

Nigerian asylum seeker 

Harry 

Femi

, who  has first hand experience of the appalling impact of destitution,  local immigration lawyer Barry Clark, who outlined the injustice of a legal process which forces refused asylum seekers into destitution, and 

Bradford City of Sanctuary chair 

Will Sutcliffe who spoke of some of the practical ways that people can get involved locally to support destitute asylum seekers.

Barry Clark told the T&A "The government should not be using destitution as a means to enforce its harsh immigration and asylum policies, leaving people without food, shelter or the right to work"

In his speech, Will Sutcliffe made reference to the academic report published last year,  'No Return, No Asylum. Destitution as a way of life?' which counted 66 people, including 10 children in Bradford, made destitute after their asylum claims were refused.

The event was part of a national day of action on asylum destitution, with events taking place in cities across the UK.

Support and solidarity from Ireland against destitution.

As well as demonstrations happening all over the UK, the Rossport Solidarity Camp in Ireland  sent us a message of solidarity on Saturday, supporting us in calling for the end of destitution.

The message from Rossport in Ireland:

SOLIDARITY STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF BRISTOL DIGNITY FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

London No Borders, Klevis Kola, the London Anti-Raids Network, Stop Deportations,  No One IS Illegal campaign and Calais Migrant Solidarity send this message of solidarity in support of Bristol Dignity for Asylum Seekers in their fight against destitution.
Destitution means no housing, no financial support, no right to work, no access to education, limited access to healthcare, and no recognition, only harassment from the state.Governments’ policies on migration are designed to force and trap people into destitution. No one should be destitute.

We support and we are inspired by all those who demand an end to destitution in the face of, and irrespective of attempts to exclude them from society and silence their voices.  We will continue to challenge and resist unjust, degrading and oppressive policies and policy makers. End destitution now!

Bristol Dignity for Asylum Seekers campaign and all others marching today … We stand with you !

Excited to start our first shared day of action!

Cloud of destitution

This wordcloud shows how destitution makes us feel.

Come and join us at 11am from the Malcolm X centre in Bristol or at a march in your local city if you believe it is wrong we are forced to have nothing and want to help us change it. 

Why should you march? Video

Please share this video and encourage your friends to come to the march on Saturday!

PRESS RELEASE - Dignity, not Destitution: Asylum seekers across the country standing up in a national day of action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Asylum seekers across the country are making a stand for ‘Dignity not Destitution’ this Saturday 29^th June, in Bristol, Bradford, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and Glasgow and Birmingham[1], for the first asylum seeker-led national day of action aiming to highlight the government policy of forced destitution[2].

Since 2002[3] destitute asylum seekers[4] have not been permitted to work or claim any support. This means that they are unable to provide for themselves and are forced to be dependent upon charities and friends for housing, money and food. They are also unable to access education and some healthcare. Asylum seekers can be in this situation for years.

Marching just one week after refugee week[5], a celebration of all refugees have contributed to the UK, destitute asylum seekers are asking for the right to contribute.

Manesh, 29, former student in electrical engineering, from Iran says “I came here to be safe, I had to leave Iran because I was part of a humanitarian political group. I have had no support for over 4 years. I would like to share my skills and contribute to society, to pay taxes.”

Councils in Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield[6] have all passed motions against the policy of forced destitution over the past year. "We should not tolerate destitution in our city for any reason" said Bristol Mayor George Ferguson,[7] in January. However the national policy means the situation remains unchanged, with charity Bristol Hospitality Network estimating that over 100 people are destitute in Bristol alone.

The asylum seekers, who started self-organising last year,[8] have had to overcome language barriers and traumatic personal experiences to arrange the day of action and they plan to continue working together to build a strong national campaign in order to change the policy that forces them into destitution.

Contact:

asylumisnotacrime@mail.com
Twitter hashtag #Dignity2013

For images and more information http://asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.co.uk/p/press.html

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[1] Times and locations for all events http://asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.co.uk/p/marches-in-other-cit.html

[2] “.. The Government has indeed been practising a deliberate policy of destitution” The Joint Committee on Human Rights ‘The Treatment of Asylum Seekers, Tenth Report of Session 2006-7

[3] Until 2002 asylum seekers were allowed to work to support themselves and their families.   

[4] Asylum seekers who are seeking safety due to war or persecution, who are applying to be legally recognised as refugees by the home office. 

[5] http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/

[6] Glasgow June 2012, Bristol January 2013, Sheffield April 2013 http://www.symaag.org.uk/2013/05/08/sheffield-council-takes-stand-against-asylum-destitution/

[7] January 2013, City Hall http://www.cityofsanctuary.org/news/1937/bristol-council-stands-destitute-asylum-seekers

[8] 250 people marched through the streets of Bristol in June 2012 and camped out to highlight destitution in January 2013. http://asylumseekersinbristol.blogspot.co.uk

Bristol March Speakers and Route Outline

Route Map.pdf
Bristol Dignity for Asylum Seekers March – 29^th of June 2013

11am Introduction to the March Malcolm X

Speaker 1: Erkhes (BRR Member)

In his speech, Erkhes will welcome and thank all for their attendance and participation in the day’s events He will introduce the march, including its origins and will contextualise within the growing, nationwide movement which began here in Bristol.  

Speaker 3: Amirah Cole (Manager of the Malcolm X Community Centre)

The march begins at the Malcolm X Community Centre, which is also the home of local charity Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR). Meetings and campaigning for Human Rights for Asylum Seekers and Refugees at BRR led to the formation of a splinter group and the beginning of the movement. The Malcolm X centre remains our base and the Dignity for Asylum Seekers campaign remains intrinsically linked to Bristol Refugee Rights. Amirah will put the current campaigning work into the context of the Malcom X centres inspiring history and its role in the community.

Destitution, Health and Education

12.15pm – 1.15pm Junction 3 Library,

Speaker 4: Thulani (BRR Member)

Thulani will discuss the reality of having limited or no access to health and education systems, making reference to his personal experiences.

Speaker 5: Rachael Bee (Bristol Hospitality Network)

Will discuss the barriers to education faced by asylum seekers and the implications that this has for their wellbeing.

Destitution and the Law. 

12.30 -1.30pm Trinity Police Station

Speaker 7: Indriani Currie (Bristol and Avon Law Centre)

Indriana will discuss the link between asylum law and destitution.

Speaker 8: 

An end to destitution for Asylum Seekers? Tactics for change.

12.45 – 1.45 Castle Park

On our final stop, we start to look towards the future. Amy reminds us of the painful reality of destitution and her experience. We ask what tactics can we take to make real change? Ellinor Harris and Alice Cutler will discuss what we can do moving forward at the grassroots level, whilst local councillors Fi Hance and Ron Stone discuss how to progress within local and national government.  

Speaker 9: Amy (BRR Member)

Speaker 10: Ellinor Harris (Still Human, Still Here/ Refugee Action)

Speaker 11: Clr Fi Hance (Liberal Democrat)

Speaker 12: Clr Ron Stone (Labour)

Speaker 13: 

Ending in Castle Park

Trailer film for our march on Saturday - please share!

#Dignity2013  Facebook Event Page

'We want to contribute'

  

 End Destitution of Asylum Seekers

March with us:  Saturday 29th June, 11am

Meet: Malcolm X Centre, City Road, St Pauls, BS2 8TX

Shared National Day of Asylum Seekers Taking Action

شاید ما را شامل نمی شود نوشتن بیش از حد

We Want To Contribute – End Destitution of Asylum Seekers

STAND UP FOR THE RIGHT TO ASYLUM! 

JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND DIGNITY FOR ALL

Great BRR open afternoon last Thursday

Wooh it's great to see so many people at my house (Bristol Refugee Rights welcome centre), both friends and new faces, I do appreciate those who came  here to support us and talk to us.

We told the story about the process of Dignity for Asylum Seekers and talked about it and showed the
film about asylum seekers who sign at police station weekly or month in Bristol and a film about other issues as well. We had discussions, gave a short speech about March on 29th, and of course there was music, food, cake and a lot of other things.

Oh it's a fantastic feeling of real home.

Thanks to everyone and BRR

We are human beings and have rights....Speech from Celebrating Sanctuary

This is a clip from the speech Manesh gave at Celebrating Sanctuary Day on Sunday about asylum seekers rights and being so-called 'illegal'.

Celebrating Sanctuary Day and Refugee Week

You may have spoken to one of us from Dignity for Asylum seekers at Celebrating Sanctuary Day on Sunday, we handed out loads of leaflets, spoke on the stage and in the talks tent and with lots of people at the day. We have a good presence at refugee week, we are talking at the Tea with Lord Mayor and City of Sanctuary tomorrow afternoon and at the Bristol Refugee Rights open afternoon at Malcolm X centre on Thursday from 2:30 - 6pm, so do come and speak to us if you are at these event!

For more information on all the events during refugee week in Bristol visit www.facebook.com/BristolRefugeeWeek

Poster for our march!

Please share! If you would like a hard copy of the poster to put up in your shop or cafe window or on your noticeboard please contact us asylumisnotacrime@mail.com

Leaflet

This morning a team of us are meeting to take these leaflets to many different places in Bristol and talk to different people about what we are organising. We are then going to celebrate our hard work with a proper good lunch cooked by friends! Yay.

If you would like some for your work, faith, community space then please email us at asylumisnotacrime@mail.com or via facebook.

Speeches in English or many languages?

We had an interesting conversation in our meeting last Wednesday and we would be interested to hear your thoughts.

We have leaflets!

 

Hard at work planning!

Here is a sneak preview of our leaflets from our planning meeting yesterday. We will be hitting the streets distributing some of our 6,000 leaflets from Monday, so you should soon find some somewhere in Bristol near you…. Or even better perhaps you want to help out with leaflet distribution? Contact asylumisnotacrime@mail.com to join us in leaflet distributing fun!

We should be doing ourselves out of a job

Rose, a member of the dignity for asylum seekers planning group shares why she thinks the march on June 29th is so important.