Month: November 2015

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A guide to taking action to prevent British military action on the people of Syria

What you can do: Following terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November, the UK Parliament is preparing to debate a proposal for military action in Syria. This is expected to be early in the week of 30 November, although dates may change.

Quakers in Britain have made a statement, which is online at: www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-responding-to-terrorism. Mass lobbying of MPs was a huge factor in defeating Cameron’s last attempt to bomb Syria in 2013.

If we want to stop the UK bombing Syria, then taking action now is crucial.

Actions that Quakers could take … see here: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/7506c29d95944ba554b4871f8/files/A_guide_to_taking_action_on_Syria_v3.pdf Continue reading “A guide to taking action to prevent British military action on the people of Syria”

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Quakers respond to terrorism

As Parliament prepares to debate next steps in Syria, Quakers in Britain have made this statement: http://www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-events/news/quakers-responding-to-terrorism 

The attacks in Paris on 13 November were deeply shocking and our hearts continue to go out to those killed, injured, bereaved and traumatised.

It is human nature that the closer suffering comes to us, the more acutely we feel the pain and grief. But that experience should sensitise us to the suffering caused repeatedly by acts of war and violent crime in more distant places, including Beirut, Sinai, Bamako and Aleppo. It should strengthen our determination to build a safer world together.

Terrorism is a deliberate attempt to provoke fear, hatred, division and a state of war. War – especially war with the West – is what ISIS/Daesh wants. It confirms the image they project of the West as a colonialist ‘crusader’ power, which acts with impunity to impose its will overseas and especially against Muslims. Continue reading “Quakers respond to terrorism”

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European Quakers Call For An End to the Cycle of Violence

FWCC

FWCC: As Quakers from across Europe, meeting in Belgium in the aftermath of the recent murders in Paris and Beirut, we mourn with those who have lost someone close to them. We also acknowledge the anxiety and fear people are feeling across France, Lebanon and elsewhere. http://www.fwccemes.org/news/european-quakers-call-for-an-end-to-the-cycle-of-violence

No one is secure unless all of us are secure, and that includes the people of Syria and other war-torn countries as well as the people of France and the rest of Europe.

We call upon our respective governments and the European Union to break the endless cycle of violence that has been fuelling war and terror in recent years. We need to move away from expensive, indiscriminate and ineffective military power and stop fuelling war and the spread of arms. Continue reading “European Quakers Call For An End to the Cycle of Violence”

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When the Best is Not Enough

2013 May Still a TravestyNew report: When the Best is Not Enough (November 2015) Fresh-faced, bright-eyed, optimistic law students walk into the Immigration & Asylum FirstTier Tribunal building at Taylor House. They have been trained by Bail Observation Project volunteers on how BOP works, the reputations of different tribunals, and of good and …notorious … judges. They have heard how some judges operate a fair court and turn out balanced decisions, while others pretty much allow the Home Office Presenting Officer to write their judgments for them. What awaits them, therefore, is a lottery.

Read more … https://bailobs.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/ccc-bop-website-report-1-final-1.pdf Continue reading “When the Best is Not Enough”

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8 educational resources to better understand the refugee crisis

AmnestyAmnesty: By Camille Roch, 

The world refugee crisis has led civil society to mobilise, and initiatives calling for greater support to refugees have multiplied across countries. But at the same time, there have been increasing demands, especially from schools on how to work on this issue, asking how to discuss it with young people, or with students.

Based on the recommendations of our global human rights education network, we have compiled a list of educational resources that explain the rights of refugees.

These are great resources for teachers, educators, facilitators or anyone that wishes to learn more about refugees can use these materials produced by Amnesty International and other organisations: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/education/2015/10/8-educational-resources-to-better-understand-the-refugee-crisis/

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Prime Minister David Cameron: Recognise Calais as a humanitarian, not just a border, issue.

2015 Nov 21Why this is important? To all citizens of the United Kingdom, and concerned people the World over: please consider signing here: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Prime_Minister_David_Cameron_Recognise_Calais_as_a_humanitarian_not_a_border_issue/?fQfZLab&pv=0

Six thousand men, women and children find themselves stranded in appalling conditions in no-man’s-land in Calais and, increasingly, at other locations along the French coast.
“Conditions in the Calais camp known as the Jungle are diabolical, with cramped makeshift tents plagued by rats, water sources contaminated by faeces and inhabitants suffering from tuberculosis, scabies and post-traumatic stress..” reports Amelia Gentleman in The Guardian (Link 2, below). Continue reading “Prime Minister David Cameron: Recognise Calais as a humanitarian, not just a border, issue.”
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Quaker Activists

quaker_home_theme1Great gathering of Quaker activists at Friends House today. There are so many people doing so much and with amazing heart for refugees and people seeking asylum, and outrage about the system that leaves them in these dire situations

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Boot mit Bootshaft

Boot mitMore ideas about what you can do with other – make boats and leave messages around the place for others to think about …

Bern O’Donoghue’s paper boat art project has been integrated into an art based inter-cultural multimedia peace workshop in Bad Kreuznach Germany during this autumn half term break. SAY IT LOUD! – taking Picasso’s thinking of artists as individuals with social responsibility and the duty to act and work with moral courage when human rights and humanity are at risk as a starting point. Continue reading “Boot mit Bootshaft”

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More information about the Immigration Bill

freemovement

The Immigration Bill 2015    BY 

The Immigration Bill 2015 was published on 17 September 2015. For now, this post provides links to further reading and resources on the Bill and also some commentary on the appeals sections, which are of the most direct interest to immigration lawyers like myself. I may update and perhaps republish the post if there are significant developments or I get a chance to take a closer look at other parts of the Bill Continue reading “More information about the Immigration Bill”