From the message below, it looks like Hassan Juma's oil workers' union has joined the Iraqi Freedom Congress, a campaign set up by the Worker-Communist Party of Iraq. There is no confirmation from the GUOE's website yet. If true, it represents a huge move forward towards working class unity in Iraq.
Letter from Samir Adil to the Leaders of the Southern Oil Trade Unions On the Occasion of Their Affiliation to Iraq Freedom Congress and Being Elected to Its Central Council
Brother Hassan Juma, president of Southern oil trade union
Brother Falih Abood, Secretary General of Southern oil trade union
Brother Abdullah Al-Maliki, Secretary of Basra trade union
Greetings,
On behalf of IFC central council and myself, I would like to express our great feeling of having you joined our organization IFC; also I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate ourselves for electing you to the central council to join the leadership standing.
Dear brothers;
The occupation has destroyed the entire country and converted it into a global battlefield. Moreover it continues the efforts to deliver the deathblow to the rest of the life basic factors. Here it is imposing the International Monetary Fund conditions on people, abolishing rations subsidy at this critical time when the unemployment in its highest rate ever, and opening fire on mass protests at every given opportunity as it did in Kirkuk last January killing 2 people, and the same took place in Samawa and Nassirya earlier.
Iraq Freedom Congress seeks to be a framework of the libertarian movement in the society where the labor movement considered its avant-garde. The modern history of Iraq is always mentioning proudly the great role of the oil workers strike of Gawerbaghi that brought down the pro-British government and convulsed the monarchy in 1946. The workers in Iraq, especially the oil workers may have a great role in the struggle to end the occupation, extirpation of terrorism and building a society where peace and prosperity become prevalent.
Dearest brothers,
We consider your joining IFC as an enormous step and tremendous accomplishment to our movement. Progressive figures and radical leaders taking charge in the central council empower us to secure the achievement of our goals. As the IFC is proud of having leaders like yourselves among its ranks, your choice of joining IFC is also your pride provided that you have chosen to be leaders of the first progressive movement for liberating Iraq and human together.
Long Live Oil Workers
Long Iraq Freedom Congress
Samir Adil
President of
Iraq Freedom Congress
March 36, 2006
Wednesday, April 5
Iraqis still live with “shock and awe”
On the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, Houzan Mahmoud says that women in the country are bearing the brunt as things go from bad to worse.
This article was published by the Tribune on 31 March 2006
On March 20, the Iraqi people have reached the dismal milestone of the third-year point since the United State-led invasion of Iraq. From the shock and awe of the aerial bombardment of 20 March 2003, they are now contemplating a fourth year of continuing terrorism, extreme insecurity, destruction, and the daily violation of women’s rights.
As we know, war in Iraq was sold to the world as a mission to bring about an end to “terrorism”, to plant the seed of “democracy” in this part of the middle east, and to free Iraqis from Saddam’s country-wide torture chamber. And as we equally now know, this has been far from the outcome, with Abu Ghraib’s ghastly porno-torture images, mass imprisonments and the daily bombing and shooting outrages.
Meanwhile, a parliament headed by a Shia majority are currently intent on ruling Iraq according to a version of Islamic law, or Sharia. Apart from the horrors of growing Shia–Sunni sectarianism, a major concern is the effect this is having on women’s rights in Iraq.
Resurgent Islamists are pushing Iraqi women back into a corner. Having enjoyed greater rights compared to women in the region for years, Iraqi women are now being stripped of even their basic rights. The ability to choose their own clothes, to be able to love or marry whom they want to. Life’s simple things are all now under heavy threat.
It has been calculated that in the last three years in excess of 2,000 women and girls in Iraq have been subject to kidnap, rape or even death on the grounds of preserving so-called ‘family honour’. The forced veiling of women has made a comeback. Women are now genuinely frightened of punishment from violent “moral” groups in the streets.
And it gets worse. Representatives of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq recently discovered a jail in al-Kazemiah district of Baghdad holding over 200 women (and some children) in appalling conditions. They were held by the Shia-dominated authorities, some for supposed involvement with the insurgency, some for other reasons. Many had been tortured or raped. I have the names of several victims (which cannot be revealed for reason of safety) and I have passed them to Amnesty International.
Between the roadside car bombs, hostage-taking and sporadic US “offensives”, we don’t hear much of the lives of ordinary Iraqis. Perhaps because it is not a happy subject. Children are queuing up at hospitals in various cities to sell their blood to raise money to survive. Drug abuse is widespread and many orphans are dependent. Child prostitution is now rife. One untold story is the growing gangsterism surrounding prostitution in general - countless women are being forced into selling their bodies. The lucky ones are fleeing the country in large numbers - chiefly to Jordan and Syria.
The invasion and occupation of Iraq has been an unmitigated disaster. I hold absolutely no brief for Saddam Hussein, whose cruelty was well-known. His regime was often vicious. I am one of its victims and I personally witnessed much brutality under his rule. But the subjugation of women was never a Ba’athist goal. Instead women are now caught between a pincer movement of a heavy-handed (and despised) occupation that cares little for women’s rights in Iraq, and an increasingly reactionary Islamic armed insurrection that aims to imprison women.
But there is still hope. Ask most Iraqis (the vast majority) and they will tell you that the exit of the Multinational Force is an absolutely essential if violence is ever to end in Iraq. And women’s rights need to be brought right up the political agenda. For example, the present Iraqi administration has provided absolutely no financial support for women’s refuges in Iraq. Instead my own organisation provides safe houses and safe rooms in Baghdad and Kirkuk. But we do this on a shoestring, dependent on support from women’s groups in the US and the Netherlands.
But there are signs that people in Iraq are determined to resist the violence of the insurgents, the occupying powers and the Islamists. In a number of districts of Baghdad, for example, committees formed by a new non-religious grouping called the Iraq Freedom Congress have recently formed to defend people’s safety. In Alexandria, Mahmoodya and Husseinya districts of the capital people do simple ‘community watch’ things like warn neighbours of possible impending attacks. It is a basic, homespun activity taking place in the security vacuum enveloping Iraq, but it works.
It is these efforts in Iraq that need international backing, and not divisive religious parties. The US/UK governments’ claim that they have “freed” Iraq has been thoroughly exposed as a lie. Three years on it’s time to start supporting the people of Iraq and their efforts to turn the corner on sectarianism and war.
Houzan Mahmoud is an Iraqi who lives in the UK. She is the UK head of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq and a member of the central council of the Iraq Freedom Congress
This article was published by the Tribune on 31 March 2006
On March 20, the Iraqi people have reached the dismal milestone of the third-year point since the United State-led invasion of Iraq. From the shock and awe of the aerial bombardment of 20 March 2003, they are now contemplating a fourth year of continuing terrorism, extreme insecurity, destruction, and the daily violation of women’s rights.
As we know, war in Iraq was sold to the world as a mission to bring about an end to “terrorism”, to plant the seed of “democracy” in this part of the middle east, and to free Iraqis from Saddam’s country-wide torture chamber. And as we equally now know, this has been far from the outcome, with Abu Ghraib’s ghastly porno-torture images, mass imprisonments and the daily bombing and shooting outrages.
Meanwhile, a parliament headed by a Shia majority are currently intent on ruling Iraq according to a version of Islamic law, or Sharia. Apart from the horrors of growing Shia–Sunni sectarianism, a major concern is the effect this is having on women’s rights in Iraq.
Resurgent Islamists are pushing Iraqi women back into a corner. Having enjoyed greater rights compared to women in the region for years, Iraqi women are now being stripped of even their basic rights. The ability to choose their own clothes, to be able to love or marry whom they want to. Life’s simple things are all now under heavy threat.
It has been calculated that in the last three years in excess of 2,000 women and girls in Iraq have been subject to kidnap, rape or even death on the grounds of preserving so-called ‘family honour’. The forced veiling of women has made a comeback. Women are now genuinely frightened of punishment from violent “moral” groups in the streets.
And it gets worse. Representatives of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq recently discovered a jail in al-Kazemiah district of Baghdad holding over 200 women (and some children) in appalling conditions. They were held by the Shia-dominated authorities, some for supposed involvement with the insurgency, some for other reasons. Many had been tortured or raped. I have the names of several victims (which cannot be revealed for reason of safety) and I have passed them to Amnesty International.
Between the roadside car bombs, hostage-taking and sporadic US “offensives”, we don’t hear much of the lives of ordinary Iraqis. Perhaps because it is not a happy subject. Children are queuing up at hospitals in various cities to sell their blood to raise money to survive. Drug abuse is widespread and many orphans are dependent. Child prostitution is now rife. One untold story is the growing gangsterism surrounding prostitution in general - countless women are being forced into selling their bodies. The lucky ones are fleeing the country in large numbers - chiefly to Jordan and Syria.
The invasion and occupation of Iraq has been an unmitigated disaster. I hold absolutely no brief for Saddam Hussein, whose cruelty was well-known. His regime was often vicious. I am one of its victims and I personally witnessed much brutality under his rule. But the subjugation of women was never a Ba’athist goal. Instead women are now caught between a pincer movement of a heavy-handed (and despised) occupation that cares little for women’s rights in Iraq, and an increasingly reactionary Islamic armed insurrection that aims to imprison women.
But there is still hope. Ask most Iraqis (the vast majority) and they will tell you that the exit of the Multinational Force is an absolutely essential if violence is ever to end in Iraq. And women’s rights need to be brought right up the political agenda. For example, the present Iraqi administration has provided absolutely no financial support for women’s refuges in Iraq. Instead my own organisation provides safe houses and safe rooms in Baghdad and Kirkuk. But we do this on a shoestring, dependent on support from women’s groups in the US and the Netherlands.
But there are signs that people in Iraq are determined to resist the violence of the insurgents, the occupying powers and the Islamists. In a number of districts of Baghdad, for example, committees formed by a new non-religious grouping called the Iraq Freedom Congress have recently formed to defend people’s safety. In Alexandria, Mahmoodya and Husseinya districts of the capital people do simple ‘community watch’ things like warn neighbours of possible impending attacks. It is a basic, homespun activity taking place in the security vacuum enveloping Iraq, but it works.
It is these efforts in Iraq that need international backing, and not divisive religious parties. The US/UK governments’ claim that they have “freed” Iraq has been thoroughly exposed as a lie. Three years on it’s time to start supporting the people of Iraq and their efforts to turn the corner on sectarianism and war.
Houzan Mahmoud is an Iraqi who lives in the UK. She is the UK head of the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq and a member of the central council of the Iraq Freedom Congress
Tuesday, April 4
Minutes of meeting of Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq held at Camden Town
Held at Camden Town Hall on 27 March 2006. (Thanks to Camden Unison, who kindly booked the room in line with their policy of support for asylum seekers and migrants).
NB Minutes are detailed in the hope that this will be useful to those who were unable to attend the meeting.
1. Welcome and Introductions. Apologies received from Sarah Ludford and Estella Schmid.
2. Update on present situation
Dashty Jamal from International Federation of Iraqi Refugees reported on: Problems in Iraq including Kurdistan
Iraqis are facing civil war, dozens of bodies of people who have been executed are found every day, kidnappings and bombings are rife, every sort of torture, honour killings are prevalent, etc etc.Many are killed by the US eg the recent atrocity at Baquba.
N. Iraq is not better, it is controlled by the PUK and KDP, there is no freedom of speech or activity, women are killed with impunity. Protesters are often arrested or even killed, eg students were killed in Kirkuk during a demonstration against high petrol prices recently. Students were shot at during demonstration in Erbil and in Ranya and Khoya recently.
Many writers are having problems, especially since the cartoons. A radical Islamic party issued a fatwa to threaten people who wrote critically of Islam. Dr Qadir, sentenced to 30 years in prison (now reduced to 18 months after a big international campaign) for writing two articles critical of the family of KDP leader Masoud Barzani, is being used to threaten other writers or people who want freedom of speech or political activity.
On 16 March, the anniversary of the chemical attack, there was a demonstration in Halabja by 5 or 6000 local people protesting at lack of services and health care.
PUK police fired on the demonstrators, killing a youth called Kurdo.
Hundreds of youth have been arrested in the last few days since the demonstration, militia are doing raidsto arrest people and to find film footage to identify protesters, Jalal Talabani (leader of PUK and President of Iraq) has threatened to use Baathist laws and apply the death penalty against those who destroyed the Halabja memorial.
A memorial demonstration to mark the destruction of Qala Diza is being planned and the PUK are threatening people they think will go.
On 21 March a student called Bazhdar Ali who was active in Erbil was arrested and beaten very badly by the bodyguards of 2 MPs who were present and did not like his speech on the situation of women. He was later dumped in the street and threatened. This is the reality of the situation in Kurdistan.
No government has yet been agreed since the election. There is a dark scenario in place – division by ethnicity and religion is springing up everywhere, you cannot find any safe place in Iraq.
Problems of the 15 who were forcibly returned in November
Hawar is still in Syria. Even on the Home Office’s own criteria he should not have been returned as he was not from one of the three supposedly safe in some cases northern governorates, but from Mosul, where he was not able to go back.
Another one is reported by his family to have severe mental problems because of his return.
Some returnees were interviewed by KDP police at airport, then invited to police station for further interview and asked to sign forms saying they would not leave Iraq again.
Returns via IOM
Home Office say over 1000 have gone back in last 18 months either via IOM or under their own steam. Home Office is still putting a lot of pressure on people to return via IOM. As part of their plan for the occupation the UK government is forcing people back to Iraq. The 15 who were deported were handcuffed and beaten. . NASS is still pushing asylum seekers to agree to voluntary return. They are offering (theoretically) £3000 to people. Last Saturday 83 people were returned to Sulaimanyah. (Previous returns have been to Erbil).
Problems faced by asylum seekers here
People are getting letters from NASS asking them to go back to Iraq, or to move out of London. Vouchers are being reintroduced. Many people are under pressure from their children to go back, even if it is dangerous for them, because the children are so upset at not seeing their fathers for several years.
Detentions.
Of the 36 detained late last year, 34 are released but forced to sign twice a week
There are 3 people in detention now, who are 3rd country cases. IFIR has some clients who have been tagged and are restricted to certain areas.
3. Reports and discussion on current activities:
Statement and contacts
We have got good support so far and will circulate it again soon and hope to get more. We are trying to set up meetings with Simon Hughes MP and with John McDonnell MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP, all of whom are very busy.
Website: should be up and running from 1 April. We will use it for an on-line version of the petition. We will have links to other campaigns. Saman is working on it, including on some graphics to give it a distinctive identity.
Petition
Is being used in Hull,Manchester etc. Asylum seekers are working with the Federation to collect signatures. We used it on the anti-war demonstration, together with a leaflet based on the campaign’s statement.
Local and individual reports:
Gerry Hickey from Asylum Support Appeals Project explained that her organisation does NASS appeals, and that in particular it may be useful for people who believe there is no safe route to return them to Iraq to approach ASAP for help with their accommodation case. She said that a favourable decision on the non-existence of a safe route so that someone could not be returned and therefore should not lose their accommodation could have a knock on effect on actual asylum cases.
ASAP telephone number is 0208 864 5874, email Gerry@asaproject.org.uk.
She also pointed out that in the case of the Zimbabweans a test case had obliged the IAT to make a country case ruling which had resulted in the Home Office being unable to return people to Zimbabwe and that a similar case would be helpful to Iraqis if one could be taken.
Sawsan Salim from Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organisation reported on the work of her organisation. In particular she noted that in her experience when the Home Office is given information about the problems of family violence that many women face in South Kurdistan, the Home Office tend to consult the PUK and KDP about whether such information is true, which enables those parties to deny having any responsibility for tolerating a climate where such problems are so rife. Campaigners should be aware therefore that the Home Office is likely to be “checking” information with parties who may be the source of some people’s reasons for not being able to go back.
She is still fighting cases where the Home Office is refusing to protect women who know they will be subjected to honour killing if they go back; 9000 women have been killed in this way since 1991.
She also pointed out that there are no rights for women in the new Iraqi constitution, which draws extensively on Sharia law; and also commented that the media here never shows the real horror of what is going on in Iraq – for example she has seen the shocking conditions in Baghdad and Nasiriya, but little of the reality is shown on TV here.
Jo Benefield gave detailed report on campaigning in Bristol. Bristol Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers which has been focussing its work on asylum seekers from Iraq as there are many in the Bristol area. The campaign puts out material explaining the situation of these asylum seekers and those from other parts of the world, and helps some people with accommodation problems.She said that trade union support had been central to their campaign, and recommended that the Coalition should do likewise. Dashty noted that we had some support from the T and G and it was agreed that this was an area where we should try to do more. Jo also reported that STAR (Student Action for Refugees) and church organisations have been a strong part of the campaign. The group has worked with the Living Ghosts campaign.
Model Letters for MPs
Still being drafted.
Solidarity Greetings
Dashty sent a solidarity message from the Coalition to the recent Congolese demonstration outside the Home Office
Meeting with Amnesty.
Amnesty will be running a campaign soon around the question of destitute asylum seekers. We were told that Amnesty can sometimes take up individual cases; people need to be referred by their solicitors. They felt that Refugee Legal Centre is probably the organisation best placed to help with legal advice for asylum seekers who have no solicitor.
4. Future plans:
Conference
Dashty proposed that the coalition holds a conference to elect steering committee, get more organisations involved, raise money for the campaign, and to build the campaign. We hope to get more MPs supporting the campaign and working as a group to do lobbying on the issue.
After discussion it was agreed to avoid the 29 April as this was just before the local elections, and to go for the first possible Saturday thereafter. Sarah to contact John McDonnell.
Meet Home Office
Sarah proposed that the coalition send a delegation to meet the Home Office to raise the campaign’s demands and concerns. Agreed to try and do this soon.
Meeting in European Parliament
Dashty reported that Jean Lambert has agreed to host a meeting on the problem of returns to Iraq in the European Parliament in Belgium. She is still trying to get a date.
More public meetings
It is planned to hold more public meetings. First one will be in Manchester on 1 April.
Next campaign meeting:
Will be on April 18.
Help with campaign work
Nicola kindly agreed to help out with campaign work.
Thanks to all who attended, especially to the asylum seekers and those who travelled a long way.
NB Minutes are detailed in the hope that this will be useful to those who were unable to attend the meeting.
1. Welcome and Introductions. Apologies received from Sarah Ludford and Estella Schmid.
2. Update on present situation
Dashty Jamal from International Federation of Iraqi Refugees reported on: Problems in Iraq including Kurdistan
Iraqis are facing civil war, dozens of bodies of people who have been executed are found every day, kidnappings and bombings are rife, every sort of torture, honour killings are prevalent, etc etc.Many are killed by the US eg the recent atrocity at Baquba.
N. Iraq is not better, it is controlled by the PUK and KDP, there is no freedom of speech or activity, women are killed with impunity. Protesters are often arrested or even killed, eg students were killed in Kirkuk during a demonstration against high petrol prices recently. Students were shot at during demonstration in Erbil and in Ranya and Khoya recently.
Many writers are having problems, especially since the cartoons. A radical Islamic party issued a fatwa to threaten people who wrote critically of Islam. Dr Qadir, sentenced to 30 years in prison (now reduced to 18 months after a big international campaign) for writing two articles critical of the family of KDP leader Masoud Barzani, is being used to threaten other writers or people who want freedom of speech or political activity.
On 16 March, the anniversary of the chemical attack, there was a demonstration in Halabja by 5 or 6000 local people protesting at lack of services and health care.
PUK police fired on the demonstrators, killing a youth called Kurdo.
Hundreds of youth have been arrested in the last few days since the demonstration, militia are doing raidsto arrest people and to find film footage to identify protesters, Jalal Talabani (leader of PUK and President of Iraq) has threatened to use Baathist laws and apply the death penalty against those who destroyed the Halabja memorial.
A memorial demonstration to mark the destruction of Qala Diza is being planned and the PUK are threatening people they think will go.
On 21 March a student called Bazhdar Ali who was active in Erbil was arrested and beaten very badly by the bodyguards of 2 MPs who were present and did not like his speech on the situation of women. He was later dumped in the street and threatened. This is the reality of the situation in Kurdistan.
No government has yet been agreed since the election. There is a dark scenario in place – division by ethnicity and religion is springing up everywhere, you cannot find any safe place in Iraq.
Problems of the 15 who were forcibly returned in November
Hawar is still in Syria. Even on the Home Office’s own criteria he should not have been returned as he was not from one of the three supposedly safe in some cases northern governorates, but from Mosul, where he was not able to go back.
Another one is reported by his family to have severe mental problems because of his return.
Some returnees were interviewed by KDP police at airport, then invited to police station for further interview and asked to sign forms saying they would not leave Iraq again.
Returns via IOM
Home Office say over 1000 have gone back in last 18 months either via IOM or under their own steam. Home Office is still putting a lot of pressure on people to return via IOM. As part of their plan for the occupation the UK government is forcing people back to Iraq. The 15 who were deported were handcuffed and beaten. . NASS is still pushing asylum seekers to agree to voluntary return. They are offering (theoretically) £3000 to people. Last Saturday 83 people were returned to Sulaimanyah. (Previous returns have been to Erbil).
Problems faced by asylum seekers here
People are getting letters from NASS asking them to go back to Iraq, or to move out of London. Vouchers are being reintroduced. Many people are under pressure from their children to go back, even if it is dangerous for them, because the children are so upset at not seeing their fathers for several years.
Detentions.
Of the 36 detained late last year, 34 are released but forced to sign twice a week
There are 3 people in detention now, who are 3rd country cases. IFIR has some clients who have been tagged and are restricted to certain areas.
3. Reports and discussion on current activities:
Statement and contacts
We have got good support so far and will circulate it again soon and hope to get more. We are trying to set up meetings with Simon Hughes MP and with John McDonnell MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP, all of whom are very busy.
Website: should be up and running from 1 April. We will use it for an on-line version of the petition. We will have links to other campaigns. Saman is working on it, including on some graphics to give it a distinctive identity.
Petition
Is being used in Hull,Manchester etc. Asylum seekers are working with the Federation to collect signatures. We used it on the anti-war demonstration, together with a leaflet based on the campaign’s statement.
Local and individual reports:
Gerry Hickey from Asylum Support Appeals Project explained that her organisation does NASS appeals, and that in particular it may be useful for people who believe there is no safe route to return them to Iraq to approach ASAP for help with their accommodation case. She said that a favourable decision on the non-existence of a safe route so that someone could not be returned and therefore should not lose their accommodation could have a knock on effect on actual asylum cases.
ASAP telephone number is 0208 864 5874, email Gerry@asaproject.org.uk.
She also pointed out that in the case of the Zimbabweans a test case had obliged the IAT to make a country case ruling which had resulted in the Home Office being unable to return people to Zimbabwe and that a similar case would be helpful to Iraqis if one could be taken.
Sawsan Salim from Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organisation reported on the work of her organisation. In particular she noted that in her experience when the Home Office is given information about the problems of family violence that many women face in South Kurdistan, the Home Office tend to consult the PUK and KDP about whether such information is true, which enables those parties to deny having any responsibility for tolerating a climate where such problems are so rife. Campaigners should be aware therefore that the Home Office is likely to be “checking” information with parties who may be the source of some people’s reasons for not being able to go back.
She is still fighting cases where the Home Office is refusing to protect women who know they will be subjected to honour killing if they go back; 9000 women have been killed in this way since 1991.
She also pointed out that there are no rights for women in the new Iraqi constitution, which draws extensively on Sharia law; and also commented that the media here never shows the real horror of what is going on in Iraq – for example she has seen the shocking conditions in Baghdad and Nasiriya, but little of the reality is shown on TV here.
Jo Benefield gave detailed report on campaigning in Bristol. Bristol Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers which has been focussing its work on asylum seekers from Iraq as there are many in the Bristol area. The campaign puts out material explaining the situation of these asylum seekers and those from other parts of the world, and helps some people with accommodation problems.She said that trade union support had been central to their campaign, and recommended that the Coalition should do likewise. Dashty noted that we had some support from the T and G and it was agreed that this was an area where we should try to do more. Jo also reported that STAR (Student Action for Refugees) and church organisations have been a strong part of the campaign. The group has worked with the Living Ghosts campaign.
Model Letters for MPs
Still being drafted.
Solidarity Greetings
Dashty sent a solidarity message from the Coalition to the recent Congolese demonstration outside the Home Office
Meeting with Amnesty.
Amnesty will be running a campaign soon around the question of destitute asylum seekers. We were told that Amnesty can sometimes take up individual cases; people need to be referred by their solicitors. They felt that Refugee Legal Centre is probably the organisation best placed to help with legal advice for asylum seekers who have no solicitor.
4. Future plans:
Conference
Dashty proposed that the coalition holds a conference to elect steering committee, get more organisations involved, raise money for the campaign, and to build the campaign. We hope to get more MPs supporting the campaign and working as a group to do lobbying on the issue.
After discussion it was agreed to avoid the 29 April as this was just before the local elections, and to go for the first possible Saturday thereafter. Sarah to contact John McDonnell.
Meet Home Office
Sarah proposed that the coalition send a delegation to meet the Home Office to raise the campaign’s demands and concerns. Agreed to try and do this soon.
Meeting in European Parliament
Dashty reported that Jean Lambert has agreed to host a meeting on the problem of returns to Iraq in the European Parliament in Belgium. She is still trying to get a date.
More public meetings
It is planned to hold more public meetings. First one will be in Manchester on 1 April.
Next campaign meeting:
Will be on April 18.
Help with campaign work
Nicola kindly agreed to help out with campaign work.
Thanks to all who attended, especially to the asylum seekers and those who travelled a long way.
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