NCADC news, 28 January
Daily news round-up from NCADC
today’s top stories:
- Brenda Namigadde: Massive campaign to stop UK government’s removal order/death sentence
- Funeral for murdered Uganda gay rights activist David Kato “La luta continua”
- Spending cuts impact on services for dispersed asylum seekers in UK
MEDIA
Ugandan lesbian awaiting deportation fears for her safety
Guardian, Karen McVeigh, 27 January 2011
Inside Yarl’s Wood detention centre, awaiting deportation to Uganda in less than 24 hours, Brenda Namigadde is desperate.
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Don’t send gays and lesbians back to Uganda, asylum group warns
Pink News, Jessica Green, 27 January 2011
An LGBT asylum group says the murder of Ugandan gay campaigner David Kato is evidence of the threat gays and lesbians face in the country.
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Funeral for murdered Uganda gay rights activist David Kato “La luta continua”
BBC online, 28 January 2011
The funeral has been held for David Kato, a Ugandan gay rights campaigner murdered on Wednesday. Hundreds of people gathered in his home village near the capital, Kampala, for the burial. Many members of the lesbian and gay community wore T-shirts with Mr Kato’s portrait on the front and the words “La luta continua [the struggle continues]” printed on the back.
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British terror suspects banned from returning to UK
Guardian, Diane Taylor, 27 January 2011
Eight people suspected of terrorist links have been banned from returning to Britain under deprivation of citizenship orders, described by a lawyer for some of them as “far more draconian” than control orders.
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Public spending cuts savage dispersal system
IRR News, Jon Burnett, 27 January 2011
Dispersal policies are polarising city councils, with some having their contracts terminated and others abdicating their responsibilities to house asylum seekers.
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Cautioning project: cutting corners?
IRR News, Frances Webber, 27 January 2011
A pilot project to administer police cautions to undocumented and falsely documented passengers could endanger asylum rights.
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Housing benefit cuts to be reviewed
Scottish Refugee Council, 27 January 2011
UK Welfare Minister Lord Freud announced on Monday (January 24, 2011) that proposed cuts to housing benefit – which would hit many refugees – are to be given an independent review.
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Refugee Council services ‘decimated’ by cuts
Civil Society, Tania Mason, 27 January 2011
The Refugee Council is facing sweeping reductions to its budgets for frontline services as a result of Home Office spending cuts.
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INTERNATIONAL
Ugandan gay rights activist murdered weeks after court victory
Guardian, Xan Ric, 27 January 2011
He was known as the “grandfather of the kuchus”, as gay people in Uganda call themselves, a brave and fiercely committed activist who led the struggle for gay rights for more than a decade. David Kato went to jail for his beliefs, and to court, winning his greatest victory three weeks ago against a newspaper that had called for him to be hanged.
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EVENTS
Destitution Benefit gig
Glasgow, Sunday 30 January
Govan & Craigton Integration Network is organising a benefit gig of melodious folk and pop music to raise money for their destitution fund. Every penny raised from the £5 entry fee will go direct to destitute people in Govan & Craigton. Free entry for asylum seekers. See below for details, and the facebook event page
Three bands and a good cause…
The Social Services, Bear Bones and Timbrel
Sunday 30 January
19:30 – 22:30
Nice N Sleazy
421 Sauchiehall Street
What better way to bring the first month of the year to a close than with this musical delight at Nice n’ Sleazy’s. Join Swedish/Scottish(ish) indiecircus popsters The Social Services, island-fired, melodious folk ensemble Bear Bones and the lovely Timbrel for a good cause.
Entry: £5
Asylum seekers free
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The Case for Legal Aid: an inquiry into public funding and access to justice
When: 2 Feb 2011 – 14:00 – 17:00
Where: Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London SW1
Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and Young Legal Aid Lawyers are concerned that significant cuts to the legal aid budget will decimate the provision of publicly funded legal services across the country. A panel of inquiry – consisting of Dr Evan Harris, Canon Nicholas Sagovsky and Diana Holland, Assistant General Secretary Unite the Union – will receive testimony from users of legal aid services and those affected by the cuts. The panel will be assisted by Mike Mansfield QC.
Please email lizdavies@riseup.net to reserve seats. For more info check the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and Young Legal Aid Lawyers
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Asylum Monologues
Sunday 6th February @ 2pm
The Avenue Methodist Church, The Avenue, Linthorpe Middlesbrough TS5 6PA
Scripted by Sonja Linden
Personal testimonies of asylum seekers in the UK
Tickets are free! Arrive early to secure a seat.
“You know before the war in my country, I was not even thinking about coming here. I was happy. I was with my family, everything was OK. Why should I want to go? But things happen.”
Asylum Monologues is an account of the UK’s asylum system, told first hand by the people who have experienced it.
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The need for reinforced protection of rights of migrant women
When: 8 Feb 2011 – 14:00
Where: IOM, 11 Belgrave Road, London SW1V 1RB
Women organizations working with migrants are invited to the upcoming fact-finding visit of Ms Pernille FRAHM, PACE Rapporteur on the protection of migrant women. The visit will be carried out in the context of the preparation of a report on “The need for reinforced protection of rights of migrant women”.
It concentrates on the challenges and difficulties faced by migrant women in the labour market and steps to be taken for their reinforced protection (motion tabled by Mr John Greenway and others, pdf)
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The Health & Well being of Asylum Seekers from Country of Origin to Asylum or Detention
When: 9 Feb 2011 – 18:30 – 20:00
Where: ACAMH Head Office, 39-41 Union Street, London SE1 1SD
The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH) is organising a seminar on how young people suffer trauma and loss at every stage of their often long and dangerous journey to find sanctuary. Speaker Emma Fillmore, Paediatrician at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Their will discuss the issues of emotional and physical scars experienced by asylum seekers. read more
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Becoming British citizens? The Experiences and Opinions of Refugees Living in Scotland
When: 10 Feb 2011 – 13:30 – 16:30
Where: Glasgow Parish Halls, 266 George Street, Glasgow G1 1QX
This seminar will focus on citizenship policy. The event is also the launch of Strathclyde University and Scottish Refugee Council research examining the experiences and opinions of refugees living in Scotland towards the UK citizenship process and their views on becoming British citizens. read more
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