Student Action for Refugees Society at The University of Manchester
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Another Film Night! Persepolis
WHEN? 14TH MARCH, 6:30PM
WHERE? ROOM 6 STUDENTS UNION
FILM DETAILS?
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 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. Persepolis deals with some of the themes and issues that are prominent within refugee lives, notions of belonging, separated families, integration. |
So come along!
Friday, 10 February 2012
SLEEP OUT and touch faith...
STREET SLEEP-OVER! Everyone is invited...
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…
Manchester Sleep Out
Manchester Uni Student Union steps
7.30pm on Thursday 23rd of Feb till the next day
 |
| Picture from Glasgow uni, but it's the same idea. |
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.
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.
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.
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!
As part of the Still Human Still Here campaign, we are asking the government to:
-
Ensure adequate support for asylum seekers until they are given protection in the UK or returned to their country of origin
-
Make sure that when they introduce annual increases to Income Support in line with inflation, the same happens for asylum support rates too
-
Provide asylum seekers with support rates equivalent to at least 70% of Income Support, paid in cash rather than vouchers
-
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
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.
Find out more on the Facebook event: STAR and Amnesty International Student Sleep Out.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
A few key points highlighted in Chance or Choice?
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 is available online at:
The report
is based on semi-structured interviews with 43 refugees and asylum seekers in
the UK and key findings include the following:
·
Over
two thirds did not choose to come to the UK
·
Most
only discovered they were going to the UK after leaving their country of
origin.
·
The
primary objective for all those interviewed was reaching a place of safety.
·
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.
·
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.
·
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.
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.
The report
also makes a number of recommendations around the following areas:
·
Addressing
the root causes of migration
·
Creating
protection-sensitive border controls
·
Improving
the asylum determination process
·
Providing
access to work and increased benefits
·
Changing
the terms of public and political debates on asylum
·
Addressing
research gaps
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Any Thoughts On This?
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/rights/
Rights and responsibilities
This page explains the rights and responsibilities you have while you are in the United Kingdom as an asylum applicant.
Your rights
As an asylum applicant in the United Kingdom, you have the right to:
Various types of support may be available to you, depending on your circumstances. For more information, see Asylum support and Help and advice. You will not normally be allowed to work while we are considering your asylum application. For more information, see Employment.
Your responsibilities
As an asylum applicant in the United Kingdom, it is your responsibility to:
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