Conference to Defend Asylum Seekers

Manchester, Saturday 23 March 2002

Arming Activists with the Arguments
Building Greater Co-ordination Across Campaigns
Working with Refugees, Migrants and Asylum Seekers

10 - 11.00am: Registration and coffee

11 - 11.30am: Opening rally

Martin Pagel deputy leader Manchester council
Louise Christian civil rights lawyer
Teresa Hayter Close Down Campsfield and Barbed Wire Britain
Emma Ginn Campaign to Stop Arbitrary Detention at Yarl's Wood
Norman Baker MP
Gabriel Nkwelle Cameroonian asylum seeker

11.30am - 1.00pm: Morning workshops

Detention:
Omari Mtiga
Bill McKeith Close Down Campsfield

Deportation
Bayo Omoyiola Nigerian asylum seeker
Tony Openshaw National Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns

Dispersal and organising with asylum seekers
Mark Brown Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
Aamer Anwar Chhokar Family Justice Campaign

Fortress Europe
Teresa Hayter Close Down Campsfield and Barbed Wire Britain
Cojucaru Gheorghe-Marin Hope in Future Foundation, Bucharest, Romania

Challenging the media
Terry Williams PressWise
Kooj Chuhan Virtual Migrants

Organising in the trade unions
Ernesto Ortega Ecuadorean refugee
George Binette Camden Unison, Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers

Asylum: election time bomb
Suresh Grover National Civil Rights Movement
Julie Waterson Anti Nazi League

1.00 - 2.00pm: Lunch

2.00 - 3.30pm: Afternoon workshops

Detention
Emma Ginn Campaign to stop Arbitrary Detention at Yarl's Wood
Plus Kenyan asylum seeker

Deportation
Alfred Koineh Sierra Leonean (granted status)
Florence Okolo Nigerian (granted status)

Dispersal and organising with asylum seekers
Saeed Arman International Federation of Iranian Refugees
Shiela Arthur Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees

Fortress Europe
Alan Gibson Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers
Mustafa Turus Kurdish refugee

Challenging the media
Mary Brodbin Journalist Express & Star (personal capacity)
Gordana Stankovic

Organising in the trade unions
Ger Hicks Amicus/AEEU convenor, Rolls Royce Test Areas Bristol
Michele Emerson CWU executive

Asylum: election time bomb
Hassan Mahamdallie Anti Nazi League

3.30 - 4.00: Tea

4.00 - 5.00: Report back session

5.00 - 6.00: Closing session

Suresh Grover National Civil Rights Movement
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Jean Lambert Green Party MEP
Joyce Lyamuya Tanzanian asylum seeker
Yunus Baksh Unison NEC
Aamer Anwar Chhokar Family Justice Campaign

WORKSHOPS:

ÊÊÊÊÊDetention: One of the central planks of the government's asylum seeker policy entails a major increase in the number of men, women and children incarcerated in detention centres. This workshop will discuss building a national campaign to close them down.

ÊÊÊÊÊDeportation: The second plank of government policy entails a major increase in the number of asylum seekers deported. This workshop will discuss ways of stopping them.

ÊÊÊÊÊDispersal and organising with asylum seekers: Despite the racist tensions dispersal has created, including the murder of a young Kurdish man in Glasgow, Home Secretary David Blunkett plans to continue dumping asylum seekers and their families on run-down estates with little or no specific facilities. This workshop will discuss challenging this policy, and how to organise with asylum seekers and their organisations to resist racism and build links with local communities.

ÊÊÊÊÊFortress Europe: This workshop will discuss the development of government policy and how it colludes with other European states in keeping out the victims of their free market policies across the rest of the world. The workshop will also discuss international actions for free movement, trans-border solidarity and opposition to Fortress Europe in other countries.

ÊÊÊÊÊChallenging the media: This workshop will discuss campaigns against the media's racist scapegoating of asylum seekers, and how to promote positive images of refugees.

ÊÊÊÊÊOrganising in the trade unions: Nearly every trade union has passed motions condemning the government's policies toward asylum seekers. This workshop will look at ways of transforming the words into action, linking trade unions with the building of local groups and campaigning for asylum seekers' right to work.

     Asylum - election timebomb: With the British National Party poised to win its first council seats for almost 10 years, Home Secretary David Blunkett has chosen the time to propose testing all immigrants and asylum seekers for their knowledge of English and "citizenship". This workshop will analyse the implications and repercussions of this policy.

Called by:

Barbed Wire Britain

Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers

Network of Socialist Campaign Groups

National Civil Rights Movement

National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns

Venue

Cross Street Chapel
Unitarian Church
Cross Street
Manchester M2

Times

10.00am-6.00pm
Plus evening social at same venue

Cost (including creche)

Asylum seekers: free
Individuals: £10 (£5 unwaged)
Trade union delegates: £20
Entrance includes an evening social of music and dance

Contact and bookings

Tel: 07941 566183

E-mail: info@defend-asylum.org

Snail mail:
CDAS
BCM Box 4289
London
WC1X 3XX

Cheques payable to Defend Asylum Seekers

Details

Halal lunch with vegetarian option, and tea available
Free accommodation available
Disabled access
Creche

Space is limited, so please book as soon as possible

Name

Trade union branch

Address

Tel nos

E-mail

Payment

Accommodation Friday night Saturday night

Disabled provision
Aversion to pets
Aversion to smoking

Creche (Deadline for booking, 16 March)

Number of children and ages

Remember: rail travel is cheaper if you book in advance