Press Release -Council debate whether to support campaign and bus stop solidarity demonstration

Council debate whether to support campaign and bus stop solidarity demonstration
 

Tomorrow morning, Wednesday 17th, a group of refugees, migrants and allies will be holding a city centre bus stop solidarity protest with all people who have to report with the Home Office at Patchway.

Over 500 migrants in Bristol are required by the Home Office to sign in regularly. Until recently, people reported at Trinity Police Station. Since 1st October 2014, they have to travel to Patchway police centre, a 14 mile round trip from the centre.

Over half of the people signing are asylum seekers, having fled their country due to war or persecution. The group will be holding their protest near the bus stops by Primark, holding images of bombed out Broadmead to make the link between war and people seeking safety here in the UK.

Asylum applicants are already struggling with anxiety and depression - finding solicitors, gathering evidence, facing cultures of disbelief in the Home Office, not being allowed to work, being made destitute. Reporting at Patchway is making this situation even more unbearable. 

The protest is part of a Campaign to end signing at patchway and reduce signing frequency. The Dignity group, with the support of Bristol Refugee Rights and Bristol Defend Asylum Seekers have already collected over 800 signatures in support of their campaign goals. They will be asking more people to sign in support of dignity and freedom.

"It is all too common for people claiming asylum to have to wait years for their case to be resolved. The majority who are initially refused go on to win their leave to remain in the UK.  During this long wait, people have to keep signing every week. Each time they go, there is the chance they will be detained, taken to a detention centre and deported. Signing is a stressful experience for all, traumatic for some." said Claire, from East Bristol and Dignity member

On Tuesday evening, the council will be debating a motion tabled by Cllr Ron Stone, and will vote as to whether to lobby the Home Office to end signing at Patchway.

"I have a daughter aged 3 and she goes to school in Soundwell from 9am till 12. On my signing day, Tuesday, she misses school, because I have to be at Patchway between 10.30 and 11.30. From Easton it takes 1 hour30 minutes each way. It is not possible for me to take her to school in Soundwell, then go to Patchway and return in time to pick her up at 12. So she misses school. When I signed at Trinity Road she didn't miss school, because the journey was not so long." S, Bangladesh

The protest will take place by the bus stop from where the buses to Patchway leave to offer solidarity to those going to sign. However, not all can afford the bus. Only those in receipt of support from the Home Office are entitled to travel costs. Destitute asylum seekers either have to walk all the way or beg lifts or bus fares. Parents have to take children out of nursery, students are forced to miss college classes, disabled people find it even more difficult to travel to Patchway.

"I see no reason why people should be signing so often. Two to three days before signing you can't eat. After signing you are happy, then after 3 days you start to worry again. I feel so worried for those still signing weekly. Nothing guarantees you will sign and go back home. It is very sad. It dominates lives. We must end signing" M, West Africa and Dignity member

The Home Office have committed to a 3 month review of the decision to move signing to Patchway.

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

Asylum Seekers Sleep Out to Dream of Ending Forced Destitution

Press Release

Asylum Seekers Sleep Out to Dream of Ending Forced Destitution

On Monday 14^th January 40 destitute asylum seekers from the group Dignity for Asylum Seekers will sleep within a 'Chain of Destitution' on College Green to publically condemn the governments policy of forced destitution [1] and to encourage Bristol Council to do the same.

Esam Amin, a refused Kurdish asylum seeker from Iraq and volunteer chef at Bristol Refugee Rights Welcome Centre said “My asylum application has been refused wrongly because the Home Office chooses not to believe me. They asked for more evidence and my mum put herself in danger getting this and they still refuse me and then leave me destitute”.

Destitute asylum seekers and supporters [2] will set up tents within a giant chain to highlight how asylum seekers who have had their asylum applications wrongfully refused [3] are made destitute by unjust laws. 

 

Patrick from East Africa and volunteer at St Nicholas Church said “We are young. We are here. We have many skills. We want to contribute to this society, pay taxes and help to generate money for the economy. Refused asylum seekers are not allowed to work but nor do we receive any government support. These unjust laws leave us with no shelter or food. It is inhumane and degrading. We are made to feel inferior and have lost our confidence. The government needs to change this policy. We need to be treated as humans. We want dignity”

The group will stay on College Green until 2pm on Tuesday 15^th January, facing sub-zero temperatures. They will then go in to the City Hall to encourage councillors to agree to publically deplore this government policy, join the Still Human Still Here campaign and encourage Bristol MP's to organise a debate in the House of Parliament.

“The government has rejected my case and they try to reject me from society. This situation brings up mental problems and I forget my background due to the hard pressure I am under. Its a kind of amnesia. I feel I am not able to connect with people and I have lots of thoughts in my mind of doing harm to myself. But I also dream of asylum seekers getting basic human rights.” said Manesh, a refused asylum seeker from Iran and a regular writer on the Asylum Seekers in Bristol blog.

The group will be there from 7.30pm on Monday until 2pm on Tuesday. They will take the tents down at 1pm and at 2pm walk within the Chains in to the Council House. 

Claire Hall from Bristol said “My friends and I are going to support this sleep out. It is going to be a long cold night but this is nothing compared to what destitute asylum seekers experience. We want be part of this amazing movement of people who are doing something positive to bring an end to forced destitution.” 

[1] See report by Refugee Action for more information about the forced destitution on Asylum Seekers: http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/campaigns/destitution/NewDestitutionReport.aspx

[2] This event is supported by Bristol Defend Asylum Seekers, Bristol Hospitality Network and Bristol Refugee Rights.

[3] People are refused for many reasons; lack of English and stress when interviewed on arrival in UK; not understanding the legal process; cuts to legal aid make it difficult to get a solicitor;  standards of evidence required by Home Office which are near impossible to reach; a culture of wilfully disbelieving people.

Press release - eight detentions is eight too many

Today, 35 people gathered outside Trinity Police Station to protest against the detention of 8 people by United Kingdom Border Agency. They held a banner saying “Eight Detentions is Eight Too Many” and passing cards beeped their horns in support.

One asylum seeker from Buruni was detained at 11am by officers carrying guns and was visibly shaking and terrified during the forced detention. She is currently being held despite her having an active legal case which means she is not able to be deported.

“Home Office policy is that no one should be detained unless they are going to be deported, yet today they have detained at least two people with no legal reason. This mass detention creates fear among asylum seekers that they also could be put in a detention centre and deported at any moment. This is a form of psychological torture, this is wrong and should not happen.” said Claire Hall from Bristol Anti-deportation Network.

 
Another asylum seeker from Afghanistan was detained at 11am and was later released after it became clear that there was no legal ground for his detention.

“I really feeling sad when I heard what happened. Bristol is a City of Sanctuary but it is not safe for asylum seekers. We are feeling unsafe, nervous and stressed when we go to sign at the police station. And if they scrap human rights for asylum seekers today, tomorrow they will do for another kind of person living in Bristol.”said Esam Amin

People sang “We who believe in Freedom can not rest” and chanted “Stop Stop Deportations, Our Detention and Destitution”and passerbyers stopped to read messages, to ask questions and make donations towards legal costs for those detained. Letters of support and food were also passed to those detained.

“I am here to support these people in detention. People are living here a long time and it is very unfair for them to be deported. Everyone has serious reason to come here, they are not tourists. Home Office must give asylum seekers leave to remain. If they don't, they destroy lives of many people” said Nassour Hussain, a refugee from Sudan.

This protest builds on the success of the Dignity for Asylum Seekers demonstration in June which saw 250 people march for an end to destitution, detention and deportation and on protests in College Green in support of Ibrahim who has been sleeping there for over three weeks in protest of the forced destitution of asylum seekers.