tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33422302466932617022024-03-05T04:51:54.297-08:00STAR ManchesterStudent Action for Refugees Society at The University of ManchesterSTAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-90397015867785917552012-06-19T13:09:00.002-07:002012-06-19T13:09:28.775-07:00A Week of Recognition for the 15 Million.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not
to mention the 27 million internally displaced peoples who fail to gain Refugee
status.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
marks the start of Refugee Week, a week that aims to recognise the plight and
needs of refugees around the world: Zimbabweans, Iranians, Afghanis, Eritreans,
Chinese, Bosnians. Groups across the globe such as Amnesty International,
Refugee Council, UNHCR and Refugee Action work tirelessly to secure, support
and integrate the needs of refugees into the societies of our home countries.
<i>Yet</i> among the fundraising activities and awareness campaigns that scream “We
are here and we are growing by the day” an unmistakable disengagement with
these issues is being passed through our national politics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">While
our local and international media spins news headlines of European economic
downfalls into double dips and grieves the costly interventions into the
‘failed’ states of the Middle East, our thoughts are almost forcibly pulled
away from an indisputably linked and ever amplifying problem of displaced
peoples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
more troubling is the passivity and discrimination that guards our government’s
disengagement with refugee rights. Over the last 20 years our media and society
itself has used the refugees and asylum seekers as all-purpose scapegoats. For
example in recent economic plight as ‘benefit leeches’. Or even as the cultural
stereotypes and political playdough of our century, blowing a wave of malignant
discrimination over Muslim asylum seeking communities as ‘Radical Islamists’. Of
course this is nothing new, minorities no matter where in the world have
historically been used to justify discrimination and ignorance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
is new however, is our societies growing disengagement with these individuals
as human cases, our passivity to uninformed, discriminative media and the
consequential endowment of our national break with refugee rights, human
rights, and the international laws set by the 1951 UN conference. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During
a Refugee Action workshop on Refugee and Asylum seekers in Britain even a room
of engaged university refugee volunteers had problems picking out the
definition between an asylum seeker, a refugee, or an ‘illegal migrant claiming
asylum status’. In fact they are all part of the same process. The vocabulary
of ‘Illegal’ and ‘claiming’ are merely words that we are used to associating
with the idea of asylum seekers and refugees, that they might be falsehoods, or
undeserving of refugee status. No one claiming torture, disaster or any threat
to their livelihood as a reason to gain residence is ever illegal. <i>No one
chooses to be a refugee.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Likewise,
we are also used to hearing of the drastically and damagingly high numbers of
refugees that we accept into our country. In fact countries such as Pakistan,
Syria and Iran house more refugees than Britain. Of the 22,000 individuals that
applied for asylum in 2010, Britain’s quota is merely 700. Last year Britain didn’t even meet its quota due to high amounts of forced deportation and the
overturning of appeals in court. Consequently the UK holds only 2% of the world’s
refugee community. Media also tends to ignore the fact that</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">many asylum
seekers that are forcibly removed and are claiming human rights violations are
under the age of 20 or 18. For instance
in 2010 a 1/4 of refugees and asylum seekers that contacted the One Stop Service
provided by Refugee Action were under 26. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
reference to economic refugee ‘hear-say’, it costs £17,000 to deport a single adult asylum seeker, yet asylum seekers are awarded a meagre sum of £36.62 a
week and are <i>unable</i> to claim mainstream benefits. Many refugees come across to
host countries having lost a lifetime of qualifications and career prospects.
Interestingly enough to support a refugee doctor costs only £25,000 while
training a doctor from scratch costs £200-250,000. In fact refugee communities
and individuals are statistically more likely to pay into public funds than the
standard citizen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Still</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
refugee and asylum rights are dwindling in the UK. Of 520,000 Sudanese refugees
in 2008 only 265 applied through the asylum seeker process in the UK. And it is
not surprising, no longer is our country providing for the human consequences
of many of our international political relations and interventions. Instead
cuts now mirror social unawareness. Refugee Action whom work alongside numerous
other refugee and asylum seeker service organisations have suffered incredible cuts
including a 100% cut to their Integration and Employment Service that will
fully be set in motion by 2013 .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">If
refugees are unable to integrate or gain jobs are we not merely writing them
off as a society altogether?</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During
this week it is not only vital to remember to celebrate and campaign for the
awareness of the existence of refugees <i>but also</i> to critically challenge our
society’s disengagement, and thus our government’s disengagement with refugee
rights. It is perhaps easy to forget, surrounded by headlines of Economic
downfalls and regional intervention, that there is <i>still 15 million and a half
individuals</i> that look to us to uphold their rights to continue as humans
despite the existence of conflict, disaster, and intervention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
look into <b>Refugee Actions Work</b> and Refugee Week events see: <a href="http://www.refugee-action.org/">http://www.refugee-action.org/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or
to join your local <b>STAR network</b> and engage during Refugee Week visit: <a href="http://www.star-network.org.uk/">http://www.star-network.org.uk/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">For
further action and articles on hostility and disengagement to Refugee and
Asylum seeker rights see Amnesty International’s launch of </span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">‘When You Don’t
Exist’</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> campaign that launched one week prior to Refugee week:</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_565310875"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></a></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://whenyoudontexist.eu/">http://whenyoudontexist.eu</a></span></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-60167960610151324682012-03-08T04:59:00.000-08:002012-03-08T04:59:17.984-08:00KONY2012Okay, so I'm a day late with this video, but here you are:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y4MnpzG5Sqc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-84238756309018193282012-03-08T04:42:00.001-08:002012-03-08T04:42:19.269-08:00Sleep Out - A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/421258_10151349070000427_606665426_23144820_784544880_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/421258_10151349070000427_606665426_23144820_784544880_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-15747482970947276852012-03-08T04:34:00.002-08:002012-03-08T04:34:24.402-08:00Another Film Night! Persepolis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/persepolis-post-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://www.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/persepolis-post-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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WHEN? <b>14TH MARCH, 6:30PM</b><br />
WHERE? <b>ROOM 6 STUDENTS UNION</b><br />
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FILM DETAILS?<br />
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<tr><td class="vTop" style="vertical-align: top;"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_4f58a58ebe7459d52851280" style="display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />In 1970s Iran, Marjane 'Marji' Statrapi watches events through her young eyes and her idealistic family of a long dream being fulfilled of the hated Shah's defeat in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. However as Marji grows up, she witnesses first hand how the new Iran, now <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">ruled by Islamic fundamentalists, has become a repressive tyranny on its own. With Marji dangerously refusing to remain silent at this injustice, her parents send her abroad to Vienna to study for a better life. However, this change proves an equally difficult trial with the young woman finding herself in a different culture loaded with abrasive characters and profound disappointments that deeply trouble her. Even when she returns home, Marji finds that both she and homeland have changed too much and the young woman and her loving family must decide where she truly belongs.<br /><br />Persepolis deals with some of the themes and issues that are prominent within refugee lives, notions of belonging, separated families, integration. </span></span></div>
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So come along!STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-82608907428444784662012-02-10T05:03:00.000-08:002012-02-10T05:03:14.774-08:00SLEEP OUT and touch faith...<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">STREET SLEEP-OVER! Everyone is invited... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Student Action for Refugees (STAR) and Amnesty International are campaigning to end the destitution of refused asylum seekers. We hope to raise awareness of their destitution and frequent homelessness by sleeping out…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Manchester Sleep Out</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Manchester Uni Student Union steps</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>7.30pm on Thursday 23rd of Feb till the next day </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5330900307_c61877c65f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5330900307_c61877c65f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from Glasgow uni, but it's the same idea.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When asylum claims are rejected (72% in 1st attempt in 2010), many people still cannot return to their home country, so have no choice but to stay in the UK. They become destitute: living in abject poverty and relying on charities or fellow asylum seekers to subsist. The total number of refused asylum seekers is unknown, yet there are many thousands in London alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">They live on the margins of society, denied free healthcare under the NHS unless it is an absolute emergency (therefore excluding pregnant women, cancer patients and diabetics) and join the ranks of the stateless wandering the streets. Many of those interviewed by Amnesty International suffer from mental health problems, due to their insecure position, and fear of detention and return. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although a House of Commons Committee noted that ‘where the removal of a failed asylum seeker is delayed through no fault of their own, it is morally acceptable for them to be rendered destitute’, they have failed: the current policy is ineffective and inhumane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even those still within the asylum process are living in destitution due to the inability to work whilst being given a pitiful amount to live on. The asylum support amounts to £5 a day, hardly enough to cover even travel costs in this country!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As part of the Still Human Still Here campaign, we are asking the government to: </span></div>
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<a href="http://lsesu.com/asset/event/6114/STAR-sleep-out-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lsesu.com/asset/event/6114/STAR-sleep-out-logo.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ensure adequate support for asylum seekers until they are given protection in the UK or returned to their country of origin</span></div>
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</span><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Make sure that when they introduce annual increases to Income Support in line with inflation, the same happens for asylum support rates too</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Provide asylum seekers with support rates equivalent to at least 70% of Income Support, paid in cash rather than vouchers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Grant asylum seekers permission to work if their cases have not been resolved in 6 months, or if they have been refused but cannot be removed through no fault of their own </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Still Human Still Here campaign is a coalition of groups campaigning for the rights, dignity and wellbeing of destitute asylum seekers. This group includes many refugee and human rights charities, and faith groups, who are all committed to campaigning against to end the plight of these asylum seekers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Find out more on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/231576240263463/">Facebook event</a>: STAR and Amnesty International </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Student Sleep Out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-790454484679320552011-12-06T09:19:00.001-08:002011-12-06T09:21:45.569-08:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A few key points highlighted in Chance or Choice?</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chance or choice? Understanding why
asylum seekers come to the UK, written by Professor Heaven Crawley, University
of Swansea and commissioned by the Refugee Council </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> is available online at:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy/briefings/2010/13012010_x">http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy/briefings/2010/13012010_x</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The report
is based on semi-structured interviews with 43 refugees and asylum seekers in
the UK and key findings include the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Over
two thirds did not choose to come to the UK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most
only discovered they were going to the UK after leaving their country of
origin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
primary objective for all those interviewed was reaching a place of safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Around
three quarters had no knowledge of welfare benefits and support before coming
to the UK – most had no expectation they would be given financial support.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">90%
were working in their country of origin and very few were aware they would not
be allowed to work when they arrived in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
majority of the interviewees explained their lives were in danger and that they
had to leave their home countries very quickly – within a few days or weeks –
leaving them little time to plan or pick their destination. In addition most
were helped to leave by an external party or agent, who made the key decision
about their destination and helped facilitate their journey to safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While none
of those interviewed came to the UK in order to seek work, they fully expected
to have to work to support themselves, and were not anticipating being given
money by the government to live on. The single biggest area of British life
they were familiar with was football.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The report
also makes a number of recommendations around the following areas:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Addressing
the root causes of migration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Creating
protection-sensitive border controls <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Improving
the asylum determination process<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Providing
access to work and increased benefits<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Changing
the terms of public and political debates on asylum <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Addressing
research gaps<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-39846563651276607152011-12-04T15:55:00.001-08:002012-03-08T04:43:44.039-08:00Want To See Photos of the Flashmob?<br />
Go To:<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/christinalumsden/sets/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/christinalumsden/sets/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/309520_10150949586435427_606665426_21699902_335480528_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/309520_10150949586435427_606665426_21699902_335480528_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-85524765861752876662011-11-26T04:14:00.001-08:002012-03-08T04:35:40.186-08:00Any Thoughts On This?http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/rights/<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="background-color: white; color: #112f61; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; padding-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;">
Rights and responsibilities</h2>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
This page explains the rights and responsibilities you have while you are in the United Kingdom as an asylum applicant.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #112f61; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.4em; text-align: left;">
Your rights</h3>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
As an asylum applicant in the United Kingdom, you have the right to:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 166px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 21px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 34px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">be treated fairly and lawfully regardless of your race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation or any disability;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">practise your own religion, and you are expected to show respect for people of other faiths;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">have your application considered fairly and accurately;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">have access to support and accommodation if you meet the requirements for it;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">have access to free health care from the National Health Service (NHS); and</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 34px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">have legal representation. Free legal help may be available, depending on your income and your case. Your case owner can tell you more about this.</li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
Various types of support may be available to you, depending on your circumstances. For more information, see <a href="http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/support/" style="color: #112f61;" tabindex="1">Asylum support</a> and <a href="http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/helpandadvice/" style="color: #112f61;" tabindex="2">Help and advice</a>. You will not normally be allowed to work while we are considering your asylum application. For more information, see <a href="http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/support/employment/" style="color: #112f61;" tabindex="3">Employment</a>.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #112f61; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0.4em; text-align: left;">
Your responsibilities</h3>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
As an asylum applicant in the United Kingdom, it is your responsibility to:</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 212px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 21px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 51px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">co-operate with the UK Border Agency and tell us the truth. It is a crime to make an asylum application that involves trying to deceive us. If you do this and are found guilty of it in a court, you may be put in prison, after which you may be deported;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">stay in regular contact with your case owner, including keeping all your appointments;</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 17px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">obey the law (for examples, see <a href="http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/rights/thelaw/" style="color: #193978; font-weight: bold !important; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="4">Obeying the law</a>);</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 51px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">care for your children (for example, an adult must always supervise children under the age of 16, and if they are aged between five and 16 they must have full-time education, usually at school);and</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/static/biaAssets/kimages/bg-box-more.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 1px 4px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; height: 51px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: top;">leave the United Kingdom if we refuse your application for asylum and any appeal you make is unsuccessful. But until we have made a decision on your application, we will not take any action to remove you or your <acronym>dependant</acronym>s from the United Kingdom.</li>
</ul>
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<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-54474681696551041222011-11-21T03:13:00.001-08:002011-11-21T03:25:38.402-08:00DID YOU SEE US???Last Tuesday, 15th November, we had a flashmob in aid of the STILL HUMAN, STILL HERE campaign. This is a campaign to end the destitution of asylum seekers. In most cases these people have been refused asylum but they cannot return home i.e. for safety reasons - they may be killed, arrested, tortured if they return (you may ask the question: well if this is the case why haven't they been granted asylum then?????)<br />
- they may not have the right documents<br />
- they may not have the money to return<br />
- they may have family in the UK. <br />
<br />
These refused asylum seekers then end up homeless, many live on the streets. We believe this is WRONG. Because they have not been granted asylum they cannot work; many are forced to work illegally, or to beg.<br />
What civilized country would do this to someone who is feeling persecution? All they are seeking is protection. They don't come here to claim benefits, or to use the health care system, they come here because something has seriously provoked them to leave their home country and their family.<br />
<br />
The flashmob therefore was a way of raising your attention to this issue and to demonstrate that there are people living like this in OUR society. We want to make this change. The more people who are aware, the better chance we have of making ourselves heard.<br />
<br />
If you want to become more involved in campaigning with STAR Manchester, email me annieostorey@hotmail.com and we can come together with ideas and make something happen!<br />
<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-87864954014057091552011-11-18T05:19:00.001-08:002011-11-18T05:34:05.866-08:00Another Film Night!After the success of the last film night, we're having another one, this time alongside the Francophone society.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVBvpV5kWW6wcd0LGnkGS2izxlFZvM0lG5wLcm5trl24lUYazNhF7L8Oi-6F9LpbQSh52VxTHBzHnJbCkt43rka9bzFbw28yEtfdqd5_CF_EYzQemfUPeSEihzzEjmXBDEqMIUfX3hMY/s800/welcome-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVBvpV5kWW6wcd0LGnkGS2izxlFZvM0lG5wLcm5trl24lUYazNhF7L8Oi-6F9LpbQSh52VxTHBzHnJbCkt43rka9bzFbw28yEtfdqd5_CF_EYzQemfUPeSEihzzEjmXBDEqMIUfX3hMY/s400/welcome-poster.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">‘<b>Welcome</b>’ (2009) by Philippe Loriet</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">24th November</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Khalid Said Room, Student Union</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">19:30-22:30</span></span></div>
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<b><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" /></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;">This film centres on the friendship between a swimming instructor at the Calais municipal bathsand a 17-year-old Iraqi Kurd bent on swimming the channel to be reunited with his girlfriend in London. The film's chief revelation is the way French officialdom treats both the illegal immigrants and French citizens who assist them.</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;">Winner of numerous awards at events such as the Berlin Film Festival, César Awards and Warsaw International Film Festival. </span><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;">Check out the trailer (below)and then come down for a chilled evening showing that its not always 'la vie est belle' in France...</span></div>
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</div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-66867834390131968452011-11-04T11:32:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:32:16.096-07:00Refugee Action Responds to Child Detention ReportsFrom <a href="http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/news/2011/childdetainees.aspx">Refugee Action</a>. Have a browse around their website:<br />
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<a href="http://bristol.indymedia.org/attachments/jun2010/refugee_action_logo_jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://bristol.indymedia.org/attachments/jun2010/refugee_action_logo_jpeg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In response to today’s reports that almost 700 children have been detained at ports and airports between May and August this year, Dave Garratt, Chief Executive at Refugee Action, said:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“We are shocked by the high numbers of children that have been detained, with more than a quarter of those children travelling alone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“We welcomed the government’s announcement that it was committed to ending child detention for immigration purposes by May this year, which makes this figure all the more shocking. Their publication also follows the Independent Monitoring Board’s recent description of some of the detention facilities at Heathrow Airport as ‘degrading’.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“We agree with the Children’s Society, which obtained the figures through the Freedom of Information Act, that the Home Office should launch an enquiry into the reasons why so many children have been detained on entry to the UK and the length of that detention.”</span></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-9035503858307961482011-11-03T11:56:00.001-07:002011-11-04T11:33:02.566-07:00Experiences of Child Detention<br />
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The UK has declared child detention to be over; but there is
still work to be done. It is true that child detention at Yarls Wood is over
but there are still children being detained at border entry points to the
country.</div>
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Even short term detention has been shown to have detrimental
effects on the health of children. <br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">‘Sarah Campbell, research and policy manager at Bail for Immigration
Detainees said: "Children can experience extreme distress in detention
even when only detained for short periods and the prison's inspector has
already outlined sometimes appalling conditions in short-term holding
facilities which are not suitable for children."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: 14px;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/16/ukba-childrens-society-child-detention" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: 14px;">Alexandra Topping, 'UKBA accused of breaking pledge to end child detention'</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: 14px;">. </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: 14px;">The Guardian</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 2px; line-height: 14px;">, 16/10/2011.</span></div>
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In September 2010 the charity Medical Justice looked into the effects of
detention on children and found some chilling results. Information <a href="http://www.medicaljustice.org.uk/mj-reports,-submissions,-etc./reports/1420-medical-justice--qstate-sponsored-cruelty-children-in-immigration-detention-090910.html">here</a>.</div>
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For a look at some quotes and a video expressing the
feelings of some children in detention please go <a href="http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-you-can-do/campaign-join/outcry/why-we-should-stop-immigration-detention-children/experiences-c">here</a>.<br />
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<br /></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-56673200605261040122011-10-18T09:03:00.000-07:002011-10-18T09:03:41.834-07:00Film Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are holding a film night. Here are the basic details:<br />
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<b>Where? </b>Khalid Said Room (Student Union)<br />
<b>When? </b>27th October (next Thursday). The film will start at about 7:30pm.<br />
<b>Perks </b>Free entry; there'll be popcorn.<br />
<b>What's this film about then? </b>From IMDB:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Beyond Borders is an epic tale of the turbulent romance between two star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of the world's most dangerous hot spots. Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie stars as Sarah Jordan, an American living in London in 1984. She is married to Henry Bauford son of a wealthy British industrialist, when she encounters Nick Callahan a renegade doctor, whose impassioned plea for help to support his relief efforts in war-torn Africa moves her deeply. As a result, Sarah embarks upon a journey of discovery that leads to danger, heartbreak and romance in the far corners of the world.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Running time: </b>127 minutes</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Anything else? </b>Bring tissues, it's a sad one. We also will be going to the pub afterwards if anyone wants to come along, and feel free to leave your comments about the film with us.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Hope to see you all there!</span></span>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-76953943331244523752011-10-18T08:56:00.000-07:002011-10-18T09:12:25.176-07:00Training!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://www.chorlton-central.org.uk/images/boazlogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.chorlton-central.org.uk/images/boazlogo.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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For all those that want to get involved in ANYTHING that STAR do or want to know more about the situation faced by refugees and asylum seekers in Manchester, come to:</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Refugee Awareness Training by Boaz Trust</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Kro Bar (Oxford Road)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">2-4pm</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Wednesday 19th October</span></div>
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A representative from Boaz Trust will be explaining what life is like for some refugees and asylum seekers in Manchester and what Boaz do to help them out.</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-2455199332435891912011-10-17T13:59:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:49:34.229-07:00Child Detention: Has The Government Broken Its Promise To End It?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">One of STAR's campaigns last year was to end the detention of children. When the government promised last December to end child detention for good, it looked like we'd won...but are the 'pre-departure accommodation centres' that hold refused asylum seekers and their children really any different?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Have a read of today's article in the guardian <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/17/child-detention-government-broken-promise?INTCMP=SRCH">HERE</a> and let us know your thoughts. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Or read below (by Amelia Gentleman, 17 October 2011, The Guardian).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">A lot of care has been paid to the interior decoration of the new centre designed to hold families facing deportation from this country. Each of the nine apartments is named after a flower – lavender, iris, orchid – and pictures of these flowers are painted on the doors to the flats. The centre has an indoor play area for young</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/children" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="More from guardian.co.uk on Children">children</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">, decorated with animal murals, and a recreation area for teenagers, with a pool table. There's a computer zone, a mosque and a non-denominational prayer area, as well as family-friendly communal kitchens. Outside there is a mini-adventure playground and extensive gardens.</span></span></blockquote>
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There are also two boundary fences that make it impossible for residents to leave the premises unsupervised, and the centre is staffed by workers from the security firm G4S, paid by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). Guests are brought here by escorts, after being arrested at their homes. Belongings are x-rayed, and adults are taken aside to be searched on arrival. The pretty, white-gabled building will be inspected by Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
Officials avoid referring to Cedars as a detention centre, describing it instead as a "pre-departure accommodation centre" to hold families whose immigration requests have failed and need to be removed from the country. The children's charity Barnardo's (which campaigns for an end to child detention) has been contracted to work with the children who are housed there, and its chief executive, Anne Marie Carrie, says its involvement will ensure that the new regime never recreates the scandals of the old "immigration removal centre" Yarl's Wood, particularly the notorious, now-closed family unit, where families of failed asylum seekers were held (often at length).</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
But there is a lot that is confusing about the new site. Is it a detention centre? Does it represent an end to the detention of children, which the government promised in its coalition manifesto last year? Is the presence of Barnardo's a constructive attempt to ensure that conditions are better, or (as some asylum charities argue) just a useful fig leaf?</blockquote>
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Last December <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/speeches_detail.aspx?title=Nick_Clegg_confirms_end_to_child_detention_(full_speech)&pPK=d73b587e-f837-4b16-b7d5-a14b1bfa8a9b" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">Nick Clegg announced</a> in an impassioned speech that child detention would be ended this May, promising that the government would end the "shameful practice that last year alone saw more than 1,000 children – 1,000 innocent children – imprisoned".</blockquote>
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"Children literally taken from their homes, without warning, and placed behind bars," he said. "That practice, the practice we inherited, ends here." By March there would be a "big culture shift" and "totally new process" for families in the immigration system would be introduced, one that "puts our values – the protection of children – above paranoia over our borders", he said.<br />
But a number of charities believe that the changes are superficial and point out that if children are still being locked up, child detention has not ended. A Freedom of Information request made by the Children's Society revealed this week that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/16/ukba-childrens-society-child-detention" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">almost 700 children were held between May and August this year</a> at the UK's south east ports, as they tried to come into the country. Cedars centre doesn't take families as they come into the country, but holds them before they are removed, while final arrangements are made for their travel.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
The government has not yet disclosed how many families or children have been held there since the centre opened in August, although the numbers are understood to have dropped substantially since the closure of Yarl's Wood. In a written statement, immigration minister Damian Green said: "This facility could not be further in look or feel from an immigration removal centre or other detention facility. The completion of the pre-departure acc</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
ommodation marks the final step in the government's radical new approach to family returns."<br />
Officials say Cedars has brought a new, softer culture to the process by which families are removed from the country, but in the past few weeks one police investigation has already been opened in response to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/03/police-investigate-nigerian-mother-deportation" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">an allegation that a Nigerian asylum seeker who stayed at Cedars was assaulted</a> in front of her three children, as she was taken on to a plane by the staff paid to escort her out of the country.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
Earlier this year, it began to be obvious that far more children were being detained at the ports than the coalition had anticipated when they promised to end child detention. During an unannounced inspection of a holding facility at Heathrow Terminal 4, prison inspectors witnessed a G4S member of staff, wearing latex gloves, telling a five-year-old French boy: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/06/detention-children-border-agency-heathrow" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">"You're a big boy now so I have to search you."</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote>
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/06/detention-children-border-agency-heathrow" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title=""></a>Elsewhere, charities remain concerned that UKBA staff are mounting dawn raids at families' homes in order to remove them to Cedars.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
At the Barnardo's headquarters, Carrie explains that the decision to work with the government was "painful", and repeatedly stresses that this was the "hardest decision" she has ever had to make. The step has been criticised by asylum charities and she recognises that if things go wrong donors may be less willing in the future to support the charity.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"Is it absolutely perfect that we're in the PDA [pre-departure accommodation]?" she asks. "No. Would I rather the PDA didn't exist? Absolutely. It's difficult for us to be here. It's difficult for us to be criticised, but it's absolutely the right thing to do because there are vulnerable children and families here."</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
Families at Yarl's Wood went on hunger strike to protest at their treatment and the institution was criticised by prison inspectors as well as charities for its prison-like regime.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"What went on at Yarl's Wood was completely unacceptable," Carrie says. Barnado's advised on how to make the new centre feel family friendly, on the best soft play equipment, the best colours for the walls, on creating private spaces where the charity could hold counselling sessions. The centre can hold nine families at once, and up to 44 people.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
All G4S staff working at Cedars are being trained by Barnardo's in child welfare, but Carrie admits to some unease about cooperating with G4S, which has <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/08/g4s-deportees-lethal-risk-warning-mubenga" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #005689; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="">a mixed record on working with asylum seekers</a>.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"I'm not an idiot. I know that there are concerns about them as an organisation," she says. "But we're not there to work for G4S. Their job is to run the facility on behalf of UKBA, they are accountable to UKBA. I'm accountable to the children and families who are in there, and I'm accountable to my wider stakeholders, and to my staff at Barnardo's."</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
Struggling for the best way to describe the place, she says it looks like an "upmarket" holiday resort, perhaps a bit like Center Parcs, before adding: "Let's not pretend it's that, but ... It looks the best facility it can be. It looks family-centred, child-centred …"<span class="inline wide" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; display: block; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><img alt="The 'child-centred' visitors lounge at Cedars. " height="276" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/10/17/1318869198891/The-child-centred-visitor-007.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;" width="460" /></span><span class="inline wide" style="background-color: white; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; display: block; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><span class="caption" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 0.858em; line-height: 1.25; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 460px;">The 'child-centred' visitors lounge at Cedars.</span></span>She dances around the question of whether Cedars is a detention centre, pointing out that residents are, theoretically, free to go to the cinema, shopping or swimming once they have gone through a formal assessment of the risks they pose (although this has yet to happen).<br />
She gives a series of head-spinning digressions instead of a straightforward answer.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"It is the last process in a forced departure," she says. "Regrettably and sadly, forced departure is part of the provision. We are there at the beginning of the immigration policy, all through the process; we should be there for the last 72 hours in this country to make sure that the children and the adults are treated with the dignity and humanity that we would expect."<br />
Is it a detention centre?</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
"It is where children and their families go through enforced departure and where they are detained for the last 72 hours that they are in this country," she says.<br />
So it is a detention centre?</blockquote>
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"I'm saying that enforced removal of families is part of our immigration process and that is a sad and regrettable fact. And I do not agree with the detention of children," she says.<br />
So is it a detention centre?</blockquote>
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"It is the last 72 hours of people being in this country in an enforced departure. And I just don't know what the alternative is," she says.</blockquote>
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She is clearer in response to the question of whether child detention has been ended by the coalition government.</blockquote>
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"You mean in the absolute? No, they haven't if children are being detained for over 72 hours," she says. "Fundamentally, I don't see that there are any alternatives. Regrettably, enforced departure is a reality. Somebody has to be there for children and families."</blockquote>
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Barnardo's position is that if Britain's immigration system is to continue functioning, some families will inevitably be deported; those who refuse to go voluntarily will be forced to leave. Locking children up during the process of deportation might be avoided if families were to be split up and the children sent into foster care while their parents were detained, Carrie says, or if they were taken from their home and despatched straight to the airport and out of the country, but both alternatives are viewed as undesirable by campaigners.</blockquote>
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The charity has hired 26 members of staff to work at Cedars and is being paid for its services by the UKBA. It has set out seven "red lines", encompassing unacceptable practice. If after a year more than 10% of families who are being returned to the countries they arrived from are being forcibly removed (rather than going voluntarily), the charity will stop working with the government. It also promises to speak out if the level of force used with a family en route to or from the PDA is "disproportionate to the family circumstance".</blockquote>
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Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake, a longstanding campaigner for ending child detention, said Cedars represented a huge improvement.</blockquote>
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"My view is that the government has achieved what is achievable with a framework that ultimately will require some families to be deported. Unfortunately, once a family has exhausted all its appeals, they will have to be deported. Some of them may have to be detained for a very short period to stop them from absconding. We have to ensure that the period of detention is kept to an absolute minimum, because we know the effects of detention on children even for relatively short periods of time can be quite damaging."</blockquote>
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Under the new system, stays at Cedars beyond 72 hours require the authorisation of the minister and no family is to be held there for more than seven days – a big reduction on the length of stay at Yarl's Wood, where families could be held for up to 28 days, before ministerial permission was required.</blockquote>
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Brake later expressed concern at the high numbers of children being detained as they entered the country, at a separate detention centre, Tinsley House. It recently underwent a £1m refurbishment, and now has eight suites for families with 32 beds, a development that has triggered surprise among campaigners.</blockquote>
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Among asylum charities who have a long track record of campaigning for an end to child detention, there is disappointment at the government's failure to deliver fully on its promise and some frustration with Barnardo's.</blockquote>
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Emma Ginn, of Medical Justice, a charity that has documented the damage detention does to children's mental and physical health, says: "We think that the promise to end child detention has been broken. They are still detaining children — it has been rebranded but it is still detention. They are arguing somehow that detention that isn't in a big immigration centre is not actually detention. But you can't deny the English dictionary definition of detention."<br />
She accepts that there are positives in the new approach – citing the reduced numbers of families being detained and a decision to give families a fortnight's notice before they are to be removed – but she warns that the new regime falls far short of the promises made for it by the government. And she questions Barnardo's ability to improve the treatment received by detainees, on their way to and from the centre. "They didn't manage to stop the alleged abuses that the Nigerian family suffered last month. They haven't stopped the scary dawn raids, or excessive use of force.</blockquote>
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"Barnardo's ruined the campaign to end detention of children. The coalition promised to end the detention of children, we were halfway through the fight to make it happen, and then Barnado's jumped in and helped the government find a way of rebranding the detention of children," she says.</blockquote>
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Her organisation's views are echoed by a number of other charities, although some were not willing to go on the record, anxious not to sour relations with Barnardo's.</blockquote>
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Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "While we of course welcome the improved, more family-friendly conditions at Pease Pottage [the village where Cedars is located] and the involvement of Barnardo's, there is no hiding the fact that this is still a family detention unit. We will be keeping a close eye on the new process as there should be no compromising the protection of children."</blockquote>
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In a paper on Cedars, Heaven Crawley, professor of international migration from Swansea University, wrote: "It is important to call a spade a spade. To repackage detention as 'pre-departure accommodation' is disingenuous. Families with children will be taken to the facility against their will. Once there, families will not be allowed to come and go freely."<br />
Among charities active in this sphere, the response to Barnardo's decision to get involved ranges from "gruff acceptance to downright hostility", according to one campaigner who asked not to be named.</blockquote>
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"The general feeling is that the UKBA was under a lot of pressure to end child detention and by negotiating with Barnardo's, the government got cover for continuing to detain children," he says. "Barnardo's ... have become complicit in the process."</blockquote>
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Carrie accepts that she will be criticised for the difficult decision she took. "We want to be open and transparent about the whole of the immigration process and we want to be transparent about our involvement in this," she says.</blockquote>
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The Home Office is less transparent than Barnardo's would like it to be. Despite initial promises to show the new centre to the media, the Home Office decided over the summer that it would not. However, a number of charities that support individuals through the immigration process were given a tour in August. Ginn from Medical Justice was on one.</blockquote>
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"It looks great; they have made it very stylish," she says, but the design doesn't detract from the fundamental purpose of the centre. There is an isolation room, with no furniture, she says, designed to be easily sluiced down, next to a flat designed to accommodate families deemed to be at risk of suicide or self-harm, with large glass observation panels.</blockquote>
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Carrie says she is not surprised at the level of scepticism from <sup style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; bottom: 0.8ex; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: 0px;"></sup>fellow charities, but insists that Barnardo's presence would guarantee that children's welfare was paramount at the new centre.<br />
"I totally understand it because what went on at Yarl's Wood was so utterly terrible and I know how scared they [other charities] are that that's what this is going to become. But we are in there as an independent voice. I have to hold it in my head that I'm not part of the system, I'm there for children and families and nobody was ever allowed in there before. "Trust me, if it isn't like that I'll be the loudest voice on the block," she says."</blockquote>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-20310067290134778452011-10-14T04:23:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:49:55.286-07:00Like To Know What You're Talking About...?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
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Check out <b>RAP (Refugee Awareness Project), </b>for all the facts and figures on refugees, asylum seekers and public opinion in the UK. </div>
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For over ten years now, RAP have been busting the myths about refugees and asylum seekers across the UK, changing public attitudes through workshops, talks, theatre, music, you name it. Their funding has now ended but there are still plenty of ideas on the website on how you can help to spread the word and make positive change in your communities. Check out the <b>infovault</b> and everyday actions.</div>
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http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/RAP/default.aspx</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UkAcCr5gajhsnFVxZQ0Q6Qiwg1r0X6k5DBk3nnTJcykKtgS4WVqf88hUseu853xhqvxiCMLvw4z2So8UnoyQ3xg3aMCxN9mMRwnLflbyfxUfoy5pIuUr5cRV0xBftjX6VPKb4wrXVoWx/s1600/intropic_home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8UkAcCr5gajhsnFVxZQ0Q6Qiwg1r0X6k5DBk3nnTJcykKtgS4WVqf88hUseu853xhqvxiCMLvw4z2So8UnoyQ3xg3aMCxN9mMRwnLflbyfxUfoy5pIuUr5cRV0xBftjX6VPKb4wrXVoWx/s1600/intropic_home.jpg" /></a></div>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-85915947916324479342011-10-12T02:26:00.000-07:002011-11-04T12:06:40.531-07:00The Right to Live<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is an article about a refugee's life story.....according to the Human Rights Act we all have the right to live (Article 2). Let us know what you think. (Interview by Carole Angier, 18 June 2007, full link at bottom.)</span><br />
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<span class="storyTop " style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-align: left;">"I'll tell you my story, but I won't tell you my name. People say "it's a dog's life". You can call me Dog. I come from Africa. I won't say where. My father left my mother when I was very young. I don't remember him, he never took care of me. My mother did her best. She worked selling fruit in the market, but we were poor. In Africa, if you have no money, you get no schooling, so I never went to school. Sometimes my mother would go away for a long time and would leave me with friends. They didn't treat me well. Sometimes I didn't have enough to eat. I had to beg on the street. I was only five or six years old. Young.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So my life was rough from the start. Maybe God wanted to prepare me. But he prepared me well, because my mother is a good woman. She loved me and taught me good things: work hard, don't steal, trust in God. But one day she didn't come back. I asked and asked her friends, but they didn't tell me what had happened to her for a long time. Finally, they said she had died. I was about 10 years old. I don't even know where she is buried, or who paid for her grave.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I stayed with the friends, but I had to beg to survive. One day on the street a man called me to go and buy something for him. He was a black man, but French, not African - a French businessman. He asked me why I was not at school. I told him my situation. After that he employed me whenever he was in my country. He became a friend.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Two years passed. One day he told me, "You are a smart kid. You should go to school. I can send you to school, or I can take you to Europe." I had nothing in my country, so I went to Europe.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know how he fixed documents for me. I never had any of my own. Maybe he said I was his son. Anyway, we had no problems. We came to France, to Paris. He took me to a friend's house, let's call him Paul. Paul's place was small. I slept on the floor. I only got to sleep in a bed when Paul was away. Every now and then the businessman would come to visit us. I asked when I could start work, when I could go to school, but nothing happened. Maybe he had problems getting papers for me. In Europe you have to have papers for everything.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I took care of Paul's place, like a servant, and he gave me food and clothes, but no money. Sometimes I went into cafés and asked people for money, and sometimes they gave it to me. But I wasn't so smart. Usually I can learn quickly, but I couldn't learn to speak French well. I don't know why, maybe I was scared. French people are very proud of their language - if you don't speak it good, they don't like you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After a few years the businessman stopped coming to see us. Paul didn't want to keep me any more. He told me he was going away and I couldn't come with him. I stayed in his room alone. But then someone came and started asking questions. Who was I? Who did I stay with? I left the room and never went back. I was 16 years old.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For the next few years I slept rough on the streets, in Paris and other cities in Europe. I begged for money and food, I couldn't wash much. I slept in bus shelters, or in discos, which are free to go in after midnight. But I remembered my mother. I never committed a crime. I drank alcohol sometimes - I needed to drink sometimes - but I never touched drugs. I am not that kind of person.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">By now, I was in my twenties. I knew my life might be half over and I could see the way things were going. I didn't want to be on the streets any more. I needed a proper plan for my life. I decided to go to England. I knew the language. I'd liked the English people I'd met, I like the football - the best team in the world is Man United. So I spoke to a friend of mine. He told me that England is not like the Continent, that I needed documents to get there, but once there, there would be good work. He helped me. He gave me a Netherlands ID and a plane ticket.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The ticket took me to Belfast. In Belfast they told me it was not my photograph on the ID card. I told them I wanted to claim asylum, but they told me I couldn't claim asylum in the UK. They put me in prison for four days and then sent me back to Holland.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I told my friend what had happened. He gave me a new ID card and a new ticket, train this time. This time, no problem. The UK immigration officers checked my ID on the train. They said safe journey, I said, thank you. And that was the last time I had a friendly chat with immigration. Hah!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When the train stopped I asked people where we were: London! I was happy. I didn't ask for asylum, because the Belfast man told me they didn't give it. And I didn't want asylum, I wanted work. My mission was not to go back on the streets again, but to support myself, to survive.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I went to an agency and asked for work. And it's true - there's plenty of work in England. And I'm a good worker, everywhere I worked they liked me. So, after a few weeks this company offered me a full-time job. I didn't have to sleep on the chair any more, I rented my own house and slept in my own bed. For the first time in my life, I was living on my own. Everything I had was mine alone. I couldn't believe it, I tell you. And now they were offering me full-time work. If I said no, maybe I'd lose everything. So I took the risk. I gave the job centre my ID card and asked for an NI number. They told me to come back in a week.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I went back a week later, but nothing. For four months I went back, but they told me they were still investigating my card. I worked every day, overtime, too. I bought good things, quality things, I could enjoy my life for the first time. I paid all my bills - rent, utilities, council tax - everything. The council tax was a big deal for me, but no problem. I was glad to pay it, proud to pay it. I kept all the receipts. I didn't owe a penny to anyone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was worried, but I figured I'm not doing any wrong. Finally, I got an appointment to collect my number. My friends told me not to go, that I might be arrested for working illegally. I didn't believe them. I didn't know that what I was doing was wrong. I didn't run away, I just waited for the appointment day. And then, that morning, the police came and arrested me. They charged me with deception, and said I had committed a crime.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">From that day I became a criminal. But what did I do? I hadn't hurt anyone. I hadn't cheated anyone. I worked hard and paid my way. But they said I'd committed a crime.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Immigration officers came and interviewed me. One officer said I could wait at home for my trial, but I mustn't run away. I stayed at home for six weeks without going to work - lucky for me I paid my landlord a month in advance. When I reported to the officer, he was surprised. "You're a good guy," he said. "I never see people like you. I asked you not to run away and you didn't. You came."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I went to court and they sentenced me: 12 months in prison. It was hard. I don't like prison; prison spoils your record, and I knew myself I'm not a criminal. But I obeyed. I didn't fight, I didn't get into trouble. In the mornings I went to school, and studied English and computer studies. In the afternoons I worked - packing instruments and loading them in cars. When I finished my sentence I had earned £300. I worked so hard. The officers liked me and treated me well. They could see I wasn't a criminal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In prison, a lady came from Croydon and told me to seek asylum. I said, "You won't give it to me, so why are you wasting my time?" She told me that this was the procedure. So I obeyed. I gave more interviews. Always interview, interview, interview. I swear to God I won't give another interview in my life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I served six months; good behaviour. My sentence was done. And so it came to the day of my release. Every time I remember that day I cry. When I reached the gate they told me, "No. The Home Office says you have to go back." I asked them why? They wouldn't tell me, but later I heard it was because there was no room at the detention centre. Whose fault was that, the Home Office's or mine? Who served the extra month in prison? Home Office or me?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After a month they sent me to a detention centre. This was better. You could make phone calls, you could walk outside. But it wasn't all good. I couldn't make money there like in prison, and they took the money I had. A phone card outside cost £3.50, but they took £5. Mobile phones outside cost £15, they took £30, sometimes more. What's the difference between detention and prison? Nothing. People still monitor you, they decide for you, they take everything from you - your photographs, your fingerprints, your DNA, your independence. I had nothing left.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And some of the officers here were worse than in prison. Some were very good, kind and treated me well. But we were all foreigners there, and the British don't like foreigners. Some of the officers talked to us as though we were animals. If you are illegal, you are not a human being in Britain. That is the problem.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I stayed in the detention centre for six months. Every month I got a report from immigration. Wait for the document, wait for the document. All that changed was the date. I went a bit crazy - we all went crazy. In detention you don't know how long it will go on for; maybe you'll die there. You feel you're dying already.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And then came the worst thing. Lawyers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The police had given me a lawyer already for my criminal case. He visited me in prison and I signed for legal aid. He kept saying he would come, but he didn't come. He said he would write to the Home Office for my case, that he would write to the court for bail, but I didn't hear a thing. Finally, I got a date for bail. A week before, he came and said: "I see from your case you will lose. So legal aid won't pay, and I can't represent you." I asked him why he hadn't told me before so that I could find someone else. He said if I paid him, he would represent me. That was his strategy - he told me so late, I had nowhere else to turn.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He asked for £3,000. I said, "You know my situation, how can I get £3,000?" I had a friend, maybe she could get £1,000. But he said, "No." I don't smoke, but that day I smoked nearly three packets of cigarettes. I lost hope. In fact, that day I nearly died.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">When I got to the court, the lawyer didn't come, and he didn't send my friend's address, either. I spoke for myself. I could see the judge wanted to release me but without an address she couldn't. I didn't get bail.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I tried again. On that day I got up early, I showered, I dressed well. But they didn't come and pick me up. I asked them what happened, and they said, the van is gone. The van had gone without me.... Then the court wrote and asked why I hadn't shown up. What! What did they expect me to do? Should I have flown?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After that, the lawyer asked me for money again, but I finished with him. I found a new lawyer - but he was worse than the first! He came and took £200 from me, and then I heard nothing from him for a month. Every time I rang him he would say, "Hey, hey, Mr Dog, I'm a busy man, hang up the phone!" Once, I heard him tell his secretary to say he wasn't there. I could hear him on the phone. People think that if you are from Africa you don't have sense. They treat you like an idiot, but I am not an idiot. Hah!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I got a letter saying we had a court date, and that I needed £500 for a barrister. My friend got me £500, but how could I repay her? I had no choice. And then, when we got to court, no barrister. When she finally arrived she didn't know my case well at all. She spoke real quick, maybe for seven, eight minutes. That's all.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For a long time I heard nothing, and when I did, I wished I hadn't. The judge said my case was nonsense. Nonsense! He said I lived in a council house - not true! I lived privately. He said I had three bank accounts. Not true! I was fitted up. And I couldn't answer. The law abused me. Legal aid lawyers, private lawyers, they were all the same. They took £700 from me and represented me like that. I had another friend in detention, whose lawyer took £1,600 from him and didn't represent him at all. You're in detention, then you're deported, what can you do? Nothing. They know. That's what the Home Office should investigate. That's who the criminals are.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">After my appeal was dismissed I had no hope, no money, nothing. But God was there for me. When I was at the very bottom he sent good people to me. I got a volunteer visitor, and I got BID - Bail for Immigration Detainees. They found a new lawyer for my case, they prepared a new bail application for me. I'll always thank them, and pray for them. I have no family. My friend, my visitor, BID - I take them as my family now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But immigration are wicked - they try to frustrate you, they try to paralyse your life. As soon as you have a bail hearing they give you a removal date. I was nervous. I couldn't stand any more. I went to the immigration manager and told her they should release me. She told me to, "Go to Colnbrook and get a tag." I said, no, she should give me a tag from here. But she wouldn't agree. That day I was really annoyed. I was really worried. Some people were on hunger strike, and I joined them. For one day. And bang - they sent me to Colnbrook. Not for the tag - that's a lie. Because I joined the hunger strike, and they wanted to break us up.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I got to Colnbrook. I don't want to talk much about that. They put me in a wing you're only supposed to stay in for 72 hours max. Thinking about that room makes me cry. I could only go out for 15 minutes. Security watched me all the time. I was only allowed 10-minute phone calls... It was a punishment. But what did I do?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Colnbrook is a prison - no air, nothing. Everybody's frustrated, everybody's crazy. You remember what happened at Harmondsworth? Why you think they burnt that prison? Because of frustration. You think that someone would do that if they were in a good condition? If you put a person in a cage, you spoil his mind.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I stayed in Colnbrook for six weeks. Then came the day I never believed would arrive: I went to court with two sureties, my friend and my visitor. My lawyer sent me a good barrister, and I got released. The guards gave me my stuff in a big plastic bag. It was heavy, and it was made for criminals. But I didn't care. I was free.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">****</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That day was more than eight months ago. For eight months I have tried to keep up my spirits, to count my blessings. My lawyer has worked hard to get my case reviewed. I live with my friend in a nice house, I sleep in a soft bed, not on the street. She helps me a lot, and I help her with her house, with her children. I try to remember that this is good. I do remember. In fact, I take my life now as paradise, compared with before. But sometimes, I tell you - I can't help it, it's hard. I live in someone's house again, like a houseboy. I am not that type of person, but I don't have a choice. I can't work. I can't pay her back. I can't pay anything. I am dependent. Just for a bus ticket, a pint of Guinness - I have to ask her for everything. And she doesn't have much money either, sometimes she gets upset with me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we fight, and she says bad things to me. Then I feel she's like everybody else, she betrays me, too. Sometimes, I swear, I don't trust anyone in Britain any more - not my new lawyer, not you either - why do you want to know all this from me? Maybe you'll put me in problem, too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I go to school, I'm learning English and maths. My teacher says I'm doing very well. But that is once a week, one hour or two. The rest of the time I am in the house. I sleep a lot. And I think about my case, about how to survive, and not to be in this mess. I think and think and think, around and around. I am not in prison any more, but this is prison, too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I say this to the Home Office: "What are you looking for? Still, you are deporting me. Still you don't want me - what have I done? What about the things you did to me? You lied about me in a court of law, you treated me like a criminal - worse than a criminal. You treated me like a terrorist. But I am not a terrorist. I'm a foreigner, that's all. And because I am a foreigner, you can do what you like to me. Hah!"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What about the British lawyers that cheated me? What about the British company that cheated me, too? They still owe me my last salary - £1,200, £1,300. But when I was arrested they said that was not my name, and they took the money back. Who did the work, me or my name?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I say this to Home Office, and to anyone who reads my story: I was an orphan in Africa, and a street boy in France and Holland. The worst things in my life happened here. You came to my country first and took money away. I want to work and leave my money here. You can kill without a knife, without a gun. Sometimes I feel like you have killed me already.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't come here for benefits, I didn't come here for a council house or a bank loan. My mission is to sweat and work and survive. If that is a crime, I've served my time for it, and more. And even now I am out, you punish me. I have to sign at that police station and every time I go I feel shame. Then you send me to sign 40 miles away. How can I get there when I don't work? Huh! Let me work! No benefit, just work. Even if you give me one year, I'll be happy. It would give me a chance. I could pay back my friend, I could be independent, I could hold up my head again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That is the important thing I want to say. Let people work. If don't want criminals, let them work. If you stop them working, you make them criminals. What choice have they got? If you don't treat people like human beings, maybe they can't behave like human beings any more.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">If you don't listen, I swear I don't know what I'll do. I am an honest person, but the way you treat people spoils their minds. If you provoke me, you'll make me do what I don't want to do... I pray hard that it won't happen. I pray hard to keep my conditions, that I won't betray anyone who has trusted me, that I won't run away. I'm prepared to die for my case, I swear. If they detain me again, I won't cooperate any more. Never in my life will I eat. Never in my life will I call anyone - no lawyers, no friends, no one. Let them kill me! But will my life end like this?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">From <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-true-story-of-a-refugee-in-britain-453534.html">The Independent</a>.</span><br />
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<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-32879593031122718662011-10-10T02:01:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:44:25.142-07:00Not Gone, But Forgotten'The urgent need for a more humane asylum system.'<br />
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If you have some free time this week, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.redcross.org.uk/~/media/BritishRedCross/Documents/About%20us/Not%20gone%20but%20forgotten%20destitution%20report.ashx">THIS</a> </span>is an interesting article from the Red Cross website:<br />
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More on this <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://rwradio.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/not-gone-but-forgotten-british-red-cross-report/">HERE</a> </span>(and it even comes with some mp3s for you to listen to)<br />
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<a href="http://www.leave2remain.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/notgone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.leave2remain.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/notgone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-17076273161659507002011-10-10T01:56:00.000-07:002011-10-10T01:56:29.980-07:00WRITE FOR US<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sterlingtimes.org/kitchener.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.sterlingtimes.org/kitchener.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For "COUNTRY" read "STAR COMMITTEE"</td></tr>
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<br /><br />Do you have something about refugees or asylum seekers that you would like to share? Are you interested in journalism? Or do you just enjoy writing?<div>
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If the answer is "yes" to any of those questions, then you could try writing for our blog!</div>
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As you can see, content is a bit sparse at the moment, but it would be great if we got several posts up a week. </div>
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If this is something that would interest you, email <a href="mailto:sophia.white@student.manchester.ac.uk">Sophia</a> or <a href="mailto:starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com">starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com</a>. </div>
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Hopefully we'll hear from some of you STARs soon!</div>
STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-58980945759691780842011-10-10T01:52:00.000-07:002011-10-10T01:52:22.657-07:00Words on Asylum and RefugeSome of you may be interested to come to this. Here's the details. (from <a href="http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/22nd-october/words-on-asylum-and-refuge">http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/events/22nd-october/words-on-asylum-and-refuge</a>)<br />
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In support of <a href="http://manchester.amnesty.org.uk/">Amnesty International</a></h3>
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<div class="item" id="inst_87226" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #363636; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="item_subheading" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
<h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
Saturday 22nd October, 12.30 – 2pm</h3>
</div>
</div>
<div class="item" id="inst_87227" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #363636; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="item_subheading" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
<h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL</h3>
</div>
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<div class="item" id="inst_87228" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #363636; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="item_subheading" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
<h3 style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
Tickets: £6/£4 concessions. Book on <span class="skype_pnh_container" dir="ltr" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-position: 0px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;" tabindex="-1"> <span class="skype_pnh_highlighting_inactive_common" dir="ltr" skypeaction="skype_dropdown" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-position: 0px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;" title="Call this phone number in United Kingdom with Skype: +448432080500"><span class="skype_pnh_left_span" skypeaction="skype_dropdown" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_common_inactive_icon_set.gif) !important; background-position: 0px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 6px !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;" title="Skype actions"> </span><span class="skype_pnh_dropart_span" skypeaction="skype_dropdown" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_common_inactive_icon_set.gif) !important; background-position: -11px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 27px !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;" title="Skype actions"><span class="skype_pnh_dropart_flag_span" skypeaction="skype_dropdown" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/flags.gif) !important; background-position: -2001px 1px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 18px !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;"> </span> </span><span class="skype_pnh_textarea_span" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_common_inactive_icon_set.gif) !important; background-position: -125px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;"><span class="skype_pnh_text_span" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_common_inactive_icon_set.gif) !important; background-position: -125px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 5px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: auto !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;">0843 208 0500</span></span><span class="skype_pnh_right_span" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: url(chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_common_inactive_icon_set.gif) !important; background-position: -62px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-collapse: separate !important; border-color: initial !important; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: auto !important; clear: none !important; clip: auto !important; color: rgb(73, 83, 90) !important; cursor: pointer !important; direction: ltr !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important; font-size: 11px !important; font-style: normal !important; font-weight: bold !important; height: 14px !important; left: auto !important; letter-spacing: 0px !important; line-height: 14px !important; list-style-image: none !important; list-style-position: outside !important; list-style-type: disc !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; overflow-x: hidden !important; overflow-y: hidden !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; page-break-after: auto !important; page-break-before: auto !important; page-break-inside: auto !important; position: static !important; right: auto !important; table-layout: auto !important; text-align: left !important; text-decoration: none !important; text-indent: 0px !important; text-transform: none !important; top: auto !important; vertical-align: baseline !important; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 15px !important; word-spacing: normal !important; z-index: 0 !important;"> </span></span> </span> or from <a href="https://www.quaytickets.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=FEDC4B75-7812-4925-A755-323A44FCA819">Quay Tickets</a></h3>
</div>
</div>
<div class="item" id="inst_89406" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #363636; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="item_contentlink" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="item" id="inst_87230" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #363636; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="item_gallery" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 45px; margin-right: 45px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px;">
<div class="item" id="inst_87233" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;">
<div class="item_photo" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: 150px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 150px;">
<a href="http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/photo/mende-nazer/95958" rel="gallery_87230" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="photo alternative text..." src="http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/_image/4Cgp1ETCYw_72505.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: 150px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 150px;" title="Mende Nazer" /></a></div>
</div>
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<div class="item" id="inst_87232" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Amnesty International and the 40th birthday of Amnesty’s local group in Manchester. To celebrate, local and internationally renowned writers and speakers read and speak on the theme of refuge and asylum. Among those appearing will be <a href="http://www.mendenazer.org/en/content/author-mende-nazer">Mende Nazer</a>, human rights activist and author of the international best-selling autobiography Slave which has touched millions of lives, and Caroline Clegg, artistic director of Feelgood Theatre, who adapted Mende’s work for stage. The event will also feature members of Women Asylum Seekers Together, who will read excerpts from Am I Safe Yet?, a collection of stories from women who have sought asylum in Britain. All proceeds from this event will go to Amnesty International. Amnesty will also be running a good-quality used book sale 1 – 4pm.</div>
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STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-32807041310760823352011-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:002011-10-17T13:47:33.799-07:00Meet Our Committee!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's always nice to put a face to a name, or a name to a position, as you probably don't know us yet. So here is a brief profile of our beautiful and interesting committee members. If you see us around campus, do say hi.</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">CHRISTINA LUMSDEN</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PRESIDENT</span></b></div>
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Hello! I am
currently a 3<sup>rd</sup> year student studying Physics and
Philosophy which, before you ask, do work together in an opposites
attract kind of way... I am president of Manchester STAR society this
year and looking forward to an eclectic mix of events which will
fill you with awareness and make a lasting impact.</div>
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I am a keen STAR
and have been since 1<sup>st</sup> year. I got really involved with
this society last year and helped organise the STILL HUMAN STILL HERE <a href="http://www.star-network.org.uk/index.php/news/comments/sleepouts_planned_across_the_country/">sleep out</a>.</div>
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My interest in
refugees and the dire situation faced by some asylum seekers was
sparked whilst on a 6 month voluntary programme. I was based in
Swansea and quickly became an avid member of the local drop in centre
for refugees and asylum seekers. The first time I spoke to refugees I
was struck by the extraordinary struggle they had overcome to arrive here.
One man told me he had escaped Somalia on a ship he snook into, his
destination was unknown to him until he stumbled out onto British
soil. STAR are here to ensure that a welcome awaits every person
stumbling upon this isle.</div>
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All you really
need to know though is that we are a great society hoping to achieve
great things! So get involved!</div>
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Xx Christina x</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>HANNAH ASHMAN </b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">SECRETARY </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">CO-PROJECT MANAGER OF REFUGEE TEACHING</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm presently in my third and final year of a music degree. While this is mildly terrifying, I am feeling good about this year. I have the privilege of living in a little and lovely house behind Sainsbury's with 3 beautiful ladies, and I've already discovered some of Manchester's lesser known club nights - 90s techno (?) in Withington's Indigo on a Saturday night is surely the place to be. I'm also excited to be on the STAR committee this year as secretary and co-project manager of the Refugee Teaching Project (the other project manager is Jane, she's ace). If you want to know more about this project, or STAR in general, feel free to drop me an email at <a href="mailto:starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com">starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com</a> and I'll be happy to fill you in/meet up for a cuppa! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>ANNIE STOREY</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">CAMPAIGNS OFFICER</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello, I am Annie! I study Social Anthropology and am currently in my Third Year. I have just been on a study abroad semester to Copenhagen and absolutely loved it. Whilst I was there I did some fieldwork in a place aimed at making refugees and asylum seekers feel slightly more welcomed and at home in Copenhagen. It was here that I realised many people in society assume refugees are just a homogenous group of people, yet being around many of them, they are far from the same. They come from all over the world, from different cultures, different upbringings, food, religions, geography, cities, countryside etc. The only similarity in most cases is the fact that they have had to flee their native country. I had many interesting and admirable conversations, just listening to individual stories makes you appreciate how much they have been through and how strong their will to survive is. I think many of us living in the Western world would have a lot to learn from people who know what it feels like to experience very real elements of life – pain, suffering, loss, love, survival. So I am proud to say I am campaigns officer for STAR and would be delighted to hear any suggestions from any of you to raise awareness of the situation of refugees and bring it the public light. The campaigns information can be found on the <a href="http://www.star-network.org.uk/index.php/campaigns/campaigns_overview">STAR website</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>PHIL[IPPA] HUGHES</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>FUNDRAISING OFFICER</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My name’s Philippa but everyone (Everyone) calls me Phil and I’m STAR’s fundraising coordinator. I’m a second year Social Anthropology and Linguistics student (culture and language, basically). I like reading, running, Amnesty International, and of course STAR. I’m hoping to throw a few nights, and generally have a good time raising lots of money for STAR this year! I would love to hear your ideas and input, especially if you or your housemate or your goldfish has a talent that you think would help us out with our STAR fundraising. So come over and say hello if you see me, I’m really nice, promise.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>SOPHIA WHITE</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17px;"><b>TREASURER</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">I'm Sophia (so-fiy-a as opposed to so-fee-ya). I'm a third year History student, which is as fun as it sounds. I'm the treasurer of STAR, so unless you're for some reason having money woes related to STAR, you probably won't need to talk to me too much, haha. I also run the blog (what you're reading right now) and the twitter page (@STARManchester), so if you were interested in writing any articles for us, I'm your girl. Also if you would like any advice on Lettings, I'm there for that too, it's my part-time job. I like reading and writing, which is good as my degree does require a <i>lot </i>of that, and I've also started going to the gym, which is my proudest moment in life to date...I also play the tuba, scuba dive, ski and drive (badly) around Manchester City Centre. So yes, money, writing and also any new ideas you have for the society, just get in touch at either <a href="mailto:starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com">starcommitteemanchester@gmail.com</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/STARManchester">@STARManchester</a>, or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/SophiaWhite">@SophiaWhite</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Isabelle Uren</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17px;"><b>NIGHT SHELTER COORDINATOR</b></span><br />
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Hello! I have just gone into my third year studying
Linguistics and Psychology which has led to a great interest in all things to
do with language and the brain. Also at the risk of sounding like 40s housewife
I really enjoy knitting, sewing and baking!</div>
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<span> </span>This is my first year
being involved with STAR and I have taken on the role of night shelter
coordinator. I love cooking and socialising and thought this would be a great
opportunity to get involved and use some of my talents. I wanted to get
involved with more volunteering work after completing the Manchester Leadership
Programme last year. I enjoy the face to face aspect of volunteering most but I
am also looking forward to getting involved in campaigning with STAR
particularly if it involves paints! </div>
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If you want any more information or want to get involved
with the night shelter drop me an email on <a href="mailto:isabelle.uren@student.manchester.ac.uk">isabelle.uren@student.manchester.ac.uk</a>
and I will get back to you.</div>
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X Izzy x</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-80076141784874929282011-10-03T01:19:00.000-07:002011-10-10T01:44:25.868-07:00Refugee StatisticsMorning All! So on Thursday we had our launch night which went successfully! We managed to recruit some new members for our STAR team and it was great to have people coming up to us and asking questions after. For some general info I thought I would post the guardian article on Refugee figures around the world. Have a read :<br />
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jun/20/refugee-statistics-unhcr-data">http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jun/20/refugee-statistics-unhcr-data </a><br />
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Also an interesting article that has photographed Refugees living in the UK. This was a project done for Refugee Week in the summer.<br />
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/21/refugee-exhibition-recognises-contribution">http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jun/21/refugee-exhibition-recognises-contribution</a><br />
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If you find other interesting articles that you want to share, just post them up! <br />
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If any of your friends want to join us, just send them the link to our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=29431783319">Facebook Group</a> and they can ask any questions if they want to get involved :<br />
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Have a fabulous Monday!<br />
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<br />STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-75824800481251497712011-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:002011-09-28T01:24:51.016-07:00Summary...So Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw us recruiting some (hopefully) eager new members. Dont worry if you didnt get a chance to talk to us because we are having a Launch Night on the 29th of September to give a more comprehensive overview of what STAR has to offer.<br />
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In the meantime hope you enjoyed what our stall had on offer. And sorry if you missed it! STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-8561609997849054462011-09-22T19:37:00.000-07:002011-09-23T07:22:30.861-07:00Welcome Week 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> ESSENTIAL info for anyone wanting to be part of STAR! actually for anyone full stop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A beautiful bowl of free stickers! I think only about 3 people took one over 3 days. Woohoo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christina (chair) at the stall, waiting for the chance to snatch up an unsuspecting victim and convince them that they definitely have a passion for STAR... see you at the Launch Night!</td></tr>
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STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3342230246693261702.post-66758111949958927692011-09-16T08:53:00.000-07:002011-09-16T09:05:29.838-07:00A Little Bit About Ushttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29431783319<br />
http://www.twitter.com/STARManchester<br />
http://www.star-network.org.uk<br />
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S.T.A.R. is a national, student-led organisation which facilitates volunteering opportunities (for both students and refugees/asylum seekers), action and fundraising in aid of those in need of refuge in the UK.<br />
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We are the Manchester branch of S.T.A.R.<br />
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We co-ordinate and are involved in English speaking lessons with refugees on Saturdays and the S.U.<br />
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We cook food and help out with a night shelter in the winter months for destitute asylum seekers at Brunswick Parish Church. Unfortunately only boys can stay the night, but they are badly needed so get in touch!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is says on the tin</td></tr>
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We campaign and fundraise for the national S.T.A.R. organisation. Last year we organised a sleep out on the union steps as part of the STILL HUMAN STILL HERE campaign. Two MPs joined us for the night, showing us that support is there for the cause we are advocating about.<br />
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So get involved!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>STAR Manchesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07516406174819447812noreply@blogger.com0