Nottingham

With Brexit getting done and with ongoing migration from Syria and nearby regions across Europe including the Channel crossings, there’s never been a better time to look at the activist and political aspects of No Borders. Natasha King wrote the book No Borders : The Politics of Immigration Control and Resistance in 2016 based on the work in her PhD from The University of Nottingham and experiences as an activist around the time when No Borders and Calais Migrant Solidarity was emerging as a major focus in the UK and Europe.

Nottingham Refugee Week is an act of welcome, a gesture of solidarity and a shared celebration with people who are refugees and asylum-seekers in Nottingham. It runs every year from 15th-21st June.

“The global situation has meant we’ve had to put our face-to-face plans for Refugee Week 2020 on hold for this year. But we’re just as excited to share some online events, activities and resources that we’ve put together to keep the spirit of Nottingham Refugee Week alive, so that we can continue to connect, create and imagine in these challenging times. Rest assured that we’ll be ready and rearing to go with the fantastic events we have planned for 2021, when we’ll be able to support refugee communities, educate people on the issues faced by refugees and asylum-seekers, and make our city a truly welcoming place.

In the mean time, why not download our Activity Pack and get creative; tune in for a podcast with award-winning author Christy Lefteri; roll out your yoga mat and stretch those worries away with Bahia Yoga; or join writer Eve Makis for a special online Life-Writing Session? Don’t forget to check out all our other resources too!

We’d love it If you’d share your creative work, and your thoughts about Refugee Week, on social media with us. You can email us at nottinghamrefugeeweek@gmail.com, post to Facebook, tagging @NottinghamRefugeeWeek, or post to Twitter, tagging @NottsRW.”

Please support the NNRF (via Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum) Community Café this Christmas, and help them to provide a hot meal and a place of warmth for refugees and asylum seekers.
Appeal closes on 18/01/2020 (but there will be other appeal and way to help NNRF so please set in touch).
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/nnrfxmasappeal

This is just a quick note to say that refugee-friendly ExLibris (the masked booksellers) are hosting another two long weekends of second-hand book sale events in Gedling (Friday 26th to Monday 29th April & Friday 3rd to Monday 6th May, 2019). As it’s consistently so popular, this year they are encouraging booksale visitors to please indicate online which day(s) you are attending (although you can still just turn up). This will no doubt help to gauge how much tea and cake is needed!

Last year’s booksale took £2176, which was given to Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum Anti-destitution project and Hayward House palliative care NUH Charity.

Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum, based at the Sycamore Centre in St. Ann’s, offers advice, support and friendship to Nottingham’s refugees and asylum seekers.

There are lots of ways to help NNRF. Volunteering, working there or donations.
Volunteer opportunities and Job Vacancies are advertised on the NNRF website. Donate via the website: http://www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk/

Find NNRF on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nottsrefugeeforum/

Follow @NNRF1 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nnrf1

The Morton Hall Detainees Visitors Group (MHDVG) is an organisation set up in July 2011 in response to the opening of the new Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre (detention centre) in Swinderby, Lincolnshire earlier that year. The centre holds up to 392 people and is very isolated in its location. The site is a former women’s prison.

We support people detained at Morton Hall IRC by providing a link to the outside world. Immigration Detention is the deprivation of liberty and the administrative detention of people can impact on them mentally and
emotionally in many ways.

Visits from people who care, people that aren’t part of the system that keeps them locked up, can be invaluable for the emotional wellbeing of the people we visit. We aim to to reduce the isolation that is all too common in detention centres. As well as providing friendship and support we are able to signpost the people we support to other services.

To remember all people who have died crossing the Mediterranean.
(source: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/groups/nottingham/soseurope-vigil-wed-22-april ).

This Wednesday 22 April, please join us at Brian Clough statue, Market Square, Nottingham, 5:30-6:30pm to remember all those dying as they try to cross the Mediterranean.

There’s been a two incidents in the news in the last few days, and up to 1,500 people are feared to have drowned this year alone.

Please come along if you can, and bring a white flower in remembrance.

More info on vigil: https://www.facebook.com/events/434913446682684/

More info on the situation from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32376082

More info on Amnesty’s campaign: http://www.sos-europe-amnesty.eu/stop-people-from-suffering-and-dying-at-our-borders-actions/

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY MEETING
THE FIGHT TO END DETENTION AND STOP THE SCAPEGOATING OF IMMIGRANTS
SPEAKERS FROM MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE
WEDNESDAY 10th DECEMBER
7.30pm

at the International Community Centre
61b Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3FN

Background and details about the meeting from the organisers

The Surround Harmondsworth demonstrations led by Movement for Justice have
become the focal point for a growing movement nationally to end detention and stop
the scapegoating of immigrants. At this meeting you will hear from ex-detainee’s and
Movement for Justice organisers about the struggle inside and outside of detention to
bring down a system that sees thousands of people locked up, people who have
committed no crime other than to seek freedom and safety for themselves and their
families. You will find out how you can get involved in this movement for freedom and
join others in Nottingham as we organise and mobilise for January’s demonstration.

Just a reminder about the website of Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum which also moved this year:
http://nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk/

http://nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk/were-on-the-move/

About:
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF) is an independent voluntary organisation and registered charity set up in 2000 to work with and for refugees and asylum seekers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire offering practical advice, information, support and friendship and also campaigning on issues affecting them.

NNRF is run by a volunteer Management Committee, a third of whose members are refugees and asylum seekers. Its supporters include political, religious and students groups, trades unions and concerned individuals, as well as refugees and asylum seekers who have always been involved in the running of NNRF.

Our Mission:
To support Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire to gain fair and just outcomes, rebuild their lives and integrate into society.

Our Vision:

A society where Asylum Seekers and Refugees are welcomed, receive just and compassionate treatment and support in rebuilding their lives.

We seek to achieve this by:

Providing a welcoming community centre.
Offering specialised advice & support services.
Providing programmes to develop confidence, skills and knowledge.
Campaigning for a just and generous response to Refugees and Asylum Seekers from government and the host community.
Advocating on behalf of individual Asylum Seekers and Refugees in cases of injustice and hardship.

Contact Address: NNRF, The Sycamore Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, Nottingham, NG3 4NB.
Telephone: (0115) 9601230

ExLibris – Nottingham 2014 September Megasale – not long now!

A message from the Masked Booksellers (Carlton/Gedling branch)…

This year our 8th anual mega-booksale will be on September 12th – 14th, again Friday to Sunday as this seemed successful last year. We’ll be running from 11.00 am to 7.00 pm on all days. There will again be yummy cakes for sale.

Details including location:

http://www.maskedbooksellers.org.uk/booksales.htm

Disorder among detainees following the death of a man at an immigration centre in Swinderby, Lincolnshire, has ended, the Home Office has said.

Staff at Morton Hall earlier had to withdraw to a “place of safety” and emergency services attended the scene.

About 30 detainees were believed to be involved in the disorder, which is thought to be connected to a death on Friday night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-29094137

RELAUNCH: Tuesday Night Project

The Tuesday Night Project will be relaunched as The Tuesday Night Welcome
Group on the 9th September at a new venue St Andrews Hall, Goldsmith Street
NG1 5JT, Just around the corner from the University Tram Stop.

The Group is aimed at Welcoming new Asylum Seekers to the City and will be
working with Nottingham University Star Students to learn English as part of
their Conversation classes. They will also:-

Help new Asylum Seekers register with Begin for college, and introduce them to
the various free Language Cafes and activities in their local libraries around
the city.

Help register people with the YMCA Activity for Life a free 12 week health
project at the gym.

Provide a social space so new Asylum Seekers will be able to meet and make new
friends.

Hosting monthly community activities and encouraging new communities activity.
Signposting clients to other organisations around the city.

The group hope to have guest speakers from different community groups
attending on a Tuesday Evening and are planning to invite workers from
Ridewise and Sustrans to talk about their projects after the relaunch on the
9th September.

For more information please contact Bill Walton at the British Red Cross on
07834252008.

Petition by Rhiannon Prideaux Nottingham, United Kingdom

Ahmadu fled war-torn Sierra Leone the age of just 17 having escaped from the rebel soldiers who had killed his family, burned his village and forced him to work as a slave. He has had no formal education and could only speak Fula. He is now 30 years old and for the past 13 years his life has been in limbo here in the UK.

http://www.change.org/p/rt-hon-theresa-may-mp-secretary-of-state-for-the-home-department-give-ahmadu-the-right-to-remain-in-the-uk

See also: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/do-not-deport-wadih-chourey-vack-to-the-lebanon-just-because-his-parents-have-died

Update 16/5/2013 (full details below):

Abdul has been given his scheduled date for removal and flight time from the UK for early morning next Wednesday 22nd May at 00.10am. He is understandably very worried about this but his many friends continue to support him in every way they can.

What you can do:
- first and foremost, sign the petition at the website below:
- write to your local MP (or the relevant office for external affairs if you’re outside of the UK)
- write to Home Secretary, Theresa May MP at public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
- copy your email to Minister for Immigration, Mark Harper MP, at ministerforimmigration@homeoffice.gsi.gov
- telephone the office of the Home Secretary, Theresa May MP, on +44(0)20 7035 4848 or +44(0)870 606 7766
- telephone the office of the Minister for Immigration on +44(0)20 7035 4848 or +44(0)20 7219 5056

Let’s make a big push over the next few days to help ensure that Abdul stays.

Solidarity with Abdul!

We have been contacted by friends in Leicester about the detention of Abdul Ghafar Rajabali. As part of his asylum requirement, Abdul regularly reported to the UK Border Agency reporting station in Loughborough. However, while reporting to UKBA on Friday 10th May 2013, he was detained and held at Loughborough police station. From there, he was to be transferred to Morton Hall Detention Centre in Lincolnshire to await his removal back to Afghanistan. Morton Hall Visitors’ Group are aware of this.

Petition | Release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and halt his deportation | Change.org
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-abdul-ghafar-rajabali-and-halt-his-deportation

Here’s Abdul’s story in brief:

Abdul is being held in Morton Hall Detention Centre awaiting deportation to Afghanistan
He fled Afghanistan as a teenager to avoid the option of being either press-ganged into the Taliban or shot
His father was Russian and all his family were consequently murdered in connection with this
He arrived in the UK six years ago, when still a minor
He now knows no one in Afghanistan, would be unable to cope and would be in extreme danger there
He suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and has other medical problems
He has made many friends in Leicester, helps out with Leicester City of Sanctuary based at the Cathedral and participates in a local anti-racist/anti-fascist football team, FC Kolektivo Victoria – https://www.facebook.com/pages/FC-Kolektivo-Victoria/199020316797628
He is an asset to his local community

It’d be much appreciated if you could sign the petition to halt his deportation (in cases like this, they can be very useful):
Petition | Release Abdul Ghafar Rajabali and halt his deportation | Change.org
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/release-abdul-ghafar-rajabali-and-halt-his-deportation

You will also find more information on his case and tips on how to help Abdul further at this website: Campaign for Abdul Ghafar Rajabali

http://releaseabdul.blogspot.co.uk/

Also, if you could forward this info to anyone else you reckon would support Abdul, that’d be ace.

New blog exposing UKBA immigration raiders, in the style of Fitwatch:
http://ukbastards.noblogs.org/

We are the friends and neighbours of detainees and deportees, some of us are migrants ourselves, some of us not. We are fellow human beings who give a damn about the invisible suffering of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants; a suffering that happens on a daily basis.

That injustice is not just the result of a nebulous system. It needs individuals willing to capitalise on it. Those individuals are the Ministers and the senior civil servants making policy decisions, but also the Immigration Officers prepared to carry out the dirty work. Although they may be at the bottom of the echelon, they still make a hefty sum from this business. After all, it’s probably not that easy to find people who can inflict such suffering on other human beings and remain unaffected by it.

These officers are few in number and need to be exposed. If they have the shamelessness and arrogance to show their faces on shows like UK Border Force, given what they are responsible for, they can be identified here. These people are given free reign to do what they can to detain and deport migrants without ‘permission’ to be here. They act with total impunity. We need to challenge the acceptability of this profession. We need to challenge the norm of immigration control.

While they bear full responsibility for their actions, even these officers do not see the full picture. For a start, the sector is sanitised with terms like removal and pre-departure accomodation; and of course it is also criminalised with concepts such as illegal immigrant and sham marriage. Secondly, Immigration Officers are ignorant – whether willingly or not – of what migrants have experienced prior to the encounter with them, and are equally ignorant of or refuse to engage with what might happen to these people as a result of their work.

We are doing this for all those assaulted or killed by UKBA officers or their corporate partners – deaths which have gone barely investigated – and for those who’ve died or suffered after deportation. We are doing this for approximately 3,000 people currently held in the in misery of British detention centres; for the asylum seekers who’ve been pushed to self-harm or suicide whilst being held indefinitely in immigration detention, with the fear hanging over them of being returned to persecution, torture, female genital mutilation, rape, or war. We are doing this for the friends ripped away from us, for the families torn apart. It’s time to expose the lies and shine a light on these collaborators.

The government has admitted that it has tried to forcibly remove tens of thousands of people from the UK unlawfully (Guardian newspaper website 22nd March 2013).
http://guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/22/ministers-forcibly-remove-people

March 23, 2013: Periodic controls and arrests in the Pashtu jungle and in town

During the past weeks the police have been frequently entering the jungles and performing ID controls and arresting people, taking them to Coquelles and trying to deport many back to other European countries (under Dublin II), particularly Italy.

It has started to become daily raids again in the jungles. On Friday (22nd) morning about 20 people were arrested. 17 people were released, three were taken to detention.

Also people are being harassed in the parks a lot, with the same police officers ID controlling the same people repeatedly again and again in the same day, sometimes after only minutes, including those who have papers for France.

And people are again being picked up late at night for ID controls in town, not just by the port, and held over night in cells at the police station illegally. It is illegal for the police to detain people for ID controls for more than 4 hours (from the moment they are stopped) and they are not allowed to hold them in custody cells at all for the purposes of ID controls. Yet this continues to be routinely ignored.

More about Calais Migrant Solidarity: http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/

Latest Morton Hall update, also on Nottingham Indymedia. 17th Jan 2013.

Another Hunger Strike at Morton Hall

A number of detainees have been on hunger strike inside Morton Hall IRC for as many as 9 days. Abbas Ayub, a Pakistani national said 3 men were protesting because they want to be returned to their countries of birth but the UK Borders Agency continues to detain them. Abbas said he had been refusing food since last Monday because he has been detained since May, even though he has agreed to return to Pakistan voluntarily. He said that no one from UKBA had spoken to him about his protest. “I just want to go back” he told No Borders Nottingham.

Indefinite detention is a deeply controversial part of the UK’s immigration detention system. According to Nick Hardwick, the chief inspector of prisons, speaking last month, some immigration detainees have “simply been forgotten”. One Somali migrant has been held for 9 years after he completed his prison sentence.

The hunger strike is the most recent in a series of protests by Morton Hall prisoners regarding their treatment over the last twelve months. On Wednesday 9th Jan, a Sudanese detainee attempted suicide by slitting his wrists. Friends of the man said that he was frustrated and angry at his long period of detention. Prior to this, a peaceful protest involving between 30 and 40 detainees took place on Christmas Eve. Prisoners had been left without running water, working toilets or cooked food for a number of days.

This is not the first hunger strike inside Morton Hall. In July 2011 an estimated 100 detainees went on hunger strike due to their treatment by the authorities. Two detainees scaled the centre’s rooftops and threatened to jump within less than 24 hours of each other. The detainees, originally from Palestine and Malaysia, were protesting at the ‘disrespectful’ and ‘inhumane’ treatment they experienced, including being detained for prolonged periods.

No Borders Nottingham activist Geoff Bates said “This hunger strike is only the most recent manifestation of ongoing resistance to this country’s inhuman migration control system. The indefinite detention of migrant detainees is an act of violence by the state on vulnerable members of our community and it must end.”

Morton Hall in revolt again - Published: January 03, 2013

The situation in Morton Hall immigration detention centre is at boiling point again after a series of incidents around Christmas. The trigger for events was another serious breach of their responsibilities by the detention centre management who failed to deal swiftly with disruptions to the water supply. A large number of detainees refused to return to their cells in protest. A serious disturbance on Christmas Eve resulted in a detainee ending up in hospital with a serious head injury and injuries to a number of prison officers. There was also a thwarted escape attempt on Christmas Day.

According to No Deportations the situation that sparked the incident was grim: there was a serious water supply failure, before the incident, all toilets blocked, no running water whatsoever, no cooked meals, detainees given sandwiches and cold drinks …

Full article on Nottingham Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/4699

See also:
Solidarity demo at Morton Hall detention centre, December 16, 2012
Hunger strike at Morton Hall immigration centre, July 25, 2012

As chaos and confusion dominate the transition to the new G4S asylum accommodation contracts in Yorkshire and the Humber, John Grayson from the South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) explains how the new delivery model works (or doesn’t), drawing on recent cases from the region. Full article: http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=4494