Saturday, August 18, 2018


From: letters@independent.co.uk
As migrant and BAME groups in Britain, we reaffirm our fundamental right to the freedom of expression, and publicly to express our anxieties about the suppression of information on the history and lived experience of our communities.
Many of us arrived in the UK as migrants and as refugees, seeking safety from war and repression, and the effects of racism, persecution and colonialism both past and present. As a result, we know their oppressive impact on our communities, and can identify where many of the current experiences of injustices we face in Britain today are also based on racism and colonialism.
These problems are having a destructive impact on public discussions about race and immigration. It is therefore our responsibility – and also our right-  to relay our direct experiences of human rights abuses suffered here and abroad, as well as their structural and historical causes, to address them. This democratic obligation is recognised in Article 10 of the Human Rights Act, to “receive and impart information”, and provides the basis for a democracy to function. As the Institute for Race Relations recently confirmed, our communities: “have a right to be heard, to make…information public, while others have the right to hear them, and the arguments based on these facts”.
We are deeply worried about current attempts to silence a public discussion of what happened in Palestine and to the Palestinians in 1948, when the majority of its people were forcibly expelled. These facts are well established and accessible, are part of the British historical record, as well as the direct experience of the Palestinian people themselves. The Palestinian community in the UK has raised the disturbing absence of key information about these past and current injustices, and highlighted the racism it exposes then and now. 
Public discussion of these facts, and a description of these injustices, would be prohibited under the IHRA’s guidelines, and therefore withholds vital knowledge from the public. This silencing has already begun. Today we can freely describe the racist policies experienced in the era of British and European colonialism in our countries of origin (indeed it is taught in British schools), but the colonial history of the Palestinians is continually erased. This is a dangerous breach of our own rights, and of the wider British public: we must all hear the full story of the Palestinians in order to make sense of the current discussions about racism and Israel.
We also know of the efforts by organisations – including UK-based fundamentalist groups aligned with the far-right in the US – to deny Palestinians’ basic humanity by suppressing their entire history and current plight. At the same time, hard-line conservative groups in the US, such as the Middle East Forum, are providing funding and support to anti-Muslim extremist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), deliberately increasing hatred, fear, and confusion. These coordinated efforts by right-wing extremists are being actively encouraged by President Trump’s racism and fear-mongering, which is now aimed at dismantling UNRWA, the UN agency that protects Palestinian refugees.
Over this past year, several terrible events have demonstrated the dangers of silencing migrant and BAME communities. The fatal fire at Grenfell Tower and the shameful Windrush scandal have shown the active legacies of British colonialism, where racism forms an integral part of British policies, and renders our communities invisible. This denies our dignity and humanity, and our right to fair treatment under the rule of law: the bedrock of British society.
We urgently remind politicians and public bodies of their responsibilities to uphold the principles of the Human Rights Act for every British citizen and resident in the UK equally, especially the direct victims of colonialism, racism, and discrimination. As migrant and BAME communities we stand as one, united against all attempts to suppress our voices and our calls for justice, freedom and equality.
List of Signatories
1.    African Rainbow Family
2.    The Arab Labour Group
3.    The Arab Refugee Support Group (ARSG)
4.    The Association of the Palestinian Community in the UK
5.    Baraka Youth Association (Somali)
6.    Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts (BARAC)
7.    Black Lives Matter UK
8.    Black Women’s Forum UK
9.    The British Arab Association
10.    British Muslim Initiative (BMI)
11.    The British Palestinian Communications Centre
12.    The British Palestinian Policy Council
13.    The Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC)
14.    Communities Inc, Nottingham
15.    Community Integration Project, London
16.    Congo Great Lakes Initiative
17.    The Cordoba Foundation
18.    Daikon East Asian Women’s Collective
19.    Dar Assalam – Iraqi Association in Britain
20.    Decolonising Our Minds
21.    Deport, Deprive and Extradite Project
22.    Eritrean Elders Welfare Association in UK (EEWA-UK)
23.    Eritrean Parents and Children’s Association
24.    Europal Forum
25.    Facilitate Global
26.    The General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS)
27.    Grenfell Speaks
28.    Ikram United Kingdom and Eire
29.    Indian Matters UK
30.    Indian Workers Association
31.    Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, the United Private Hire Drivers Branch
32.    Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, the University of London Branch
33.    Iraqi Transnational Collective
34.    Iraqi Women’s Organisation: Tadhamun
35.    Jawaab
36.    Justice for Grenfell
37.    Kashmiris for Labour
38.    Kurdish Student’s Union
39.    Kurdish Assembly in the UK
40.    Lebanese Association of Britain
41.    Leeds Unity Centre
42.    Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants
43.    London Latinx
44.    London Race and Criminal Justice Consortium
45.    Media Diversified
46.    Meridian Women’s Association
47.    The Meena Centre, Birmingham
48.    Migrant Media
49.    Migrant Rights Network (MRN)
50.    Migrant Solidarity Manchester
51.    Migrants Organise
52.    Min Quan – Chinatown People Rights Group
53.    Minaret Community Centre
54.    Momentum Black Caucus
55.    The Monitoring Group (TMG)
56.    Movement for Justice
57.    Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland
58.    Muslimahs Resist
59.    Muslim Association of Britain (MAB)
60.    Muslim Worker’s Association
61.    Network of Eritrean Women
62.    Nijjor Manush (Bengali and Bangladeshi Campaigning Group)
63.    North West Peoples’ Voice
64.    Olive – Palestinian Youth Group
65.    Oxford Syria Solidarity Campaign
66.    Pakistani Community Centre Oldham
67.    The Palestine Return Centre (PRC)
68.    The Palestinian Forum in the UK
69.    Pal Med UK
70.    PCS Union National Black Members Committee
71.    Peace in Kurdistan Campaign
72.    Racial Justice Network
73.    Rethink Rebuild Society (Syrian)
74.    Right 2 Work UK
75.    Roj Kurdish Women’s Assembly
76.    Sante Refugee Project
77.    The Society of Black Lawyers
78.    South People’s Project (SOPPRO)
79.    Tunisian Association in Britain
80.    United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC)
81.    Voices for Creative Non Violence UK
82.    West London Moroccan Association – Widadia
83.    Women’s Alliance for Kurdistan, Iraq and Syria
84.    Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO)

Monday, June 02, 2014


Wednesday, 10 June 2015

Stop Press. Not sure if you are going? Want more info? Then meet us for a chat this Saturday, June 13 at our stall in Montague St near McDonalds between 10.30 and Noon.


People of Worthing and West Sussex!
Worthing is on the March
Let’s fight austerity, together!


Saturday 20th of June is the People's Assembly national demonstration and festival promoting the "End Austerity Now" message.

Let's show the UK that Worthing isn't just going to sit back and watch members of our community suffer under more devastating cuts to the NHS, education, welfare and public services.

Book your train ticket from Brighton to London via the eventbrite link

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brighton-train-to-june-20th-demo-tickets-17088314609

then meet us at Worthing central station at 9am, where there will be subsidised train tickets from Worthing to Brighton available.This is a family friendly event so do bring the family along :-)

Please let us know if you are meeting us at Worthing Central train station so we can get an idea of how many tickets we will need. Contact details in About Me in the side bar >>>>>>>

If you want to meet us on the Brighton train or in London, that's fine too. We will confirm meeting spots soon :-)

Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday

Notes

 1.   Brighton people's assembly are subsidising travel (through donations and through using group tickets) to get from Brighton to London. This is to help individuals and families on low incomes to still are able to attend the event which would otherwise be cost prohibitive.
Suggested donations are £9+ per ticket (this would normally cost over £16 so I think it's a pay what you can afford sort of deal)
We will also be offering subsidised train travel from Worthing to Brighton for those on low incomes to ensure this event is accessible to everyone.
We are hoping to get some financial support from unions but this isn't finalised yet.
 2.   For those wishing to do there own thing Southern Rail do a Day Save Off-Peak Fare for about £15. A small group of 4, say 2 adults and 2 children, costs about £35. See:

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Thursday, 4 June 2015

The People's Assembly is organising a major national demonstration to tell the new government: END AUSTERITY NOW

Assemble: 12pm, Saturday 20 June 
Bank of England (Queen Victoria Street) 
London (Tube: Bank) 
March to: Parliament Square

With the Tories going it alone in government we know exactly what to expect. More nasty, destructive cuts to the things ordinary people care about- the NHS, the welfare state, education and public services.

We'll be assembling the demonstration in the heart of the City of London right on the doorstep of the very people who created the crisis in the first place, the banks and their friends in Westminster. We demand that the bankers and elite should pay for the crisis and not the vast majority who had nothing to do with it.

Now is the time to get organizing, to mobilize our communities, to prepare transport and spread the word. We need to do all that we can to make this demonstration bigger and bolder than ever we have done before.

Transport is being arranged from across the country. More details to follow.


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www.thepeoplesassembly.org.uk
UK Ministers scared' to face committee

2 Jun 2014 — Esther McVey, the Conservatives DWP minister, has refused to appear before the Welfare Reform Committee but agreed to a private meeting with members Now McVey has cancelled her planned visit. Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith previously refused to appear at the committee and instead had an informal off the record meeting with MSPs. And Lord Freud, another DWP minister, has also refused requests to attend The Scottish Parliament. Labour and SNP have accused the Tory ministers of being scared to account for the impact their policies have on vulnerable people. Committee Convener Michael McMahon MSP said: "We wanted a public meeting, sooner rather than later. "Instead, we get a private meeting that's eventually cancelled. How insulting to the people. "Ms McVey can run but she can't hide from our committee. She has to account for the impact of her department on the most vulnerable in society." http://t.co/S46fGQuCGM
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk
A UK Government welfare minister has been accused of running scared after she cancelled a meeting with MSPs. Esther McVey, Conservative Department of Work and Pensions minister, had refused an invitation to appear before the Welfare Reform Committee but agreed to a private...



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Esther McVey, the Conservatives DWP minister, has refused to appear before the Welfare Reform Committee but agreed to a private meeting with members Now McVey has cancelled her planned visit. Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith previously refused to appear at the committee and instead had an informal off the...
2 Jun 2014


Inside Whitehall: Iain Duncan Smith has failed on Universal Credit. He must be replaced He has proved himself to be inept at managing its implementation over the past three years - Duly awarded the 'Peter Principle' by Respect For the Unemployed & Benefit Claimants http://t.co/GkKD7kFzpZ
30 May 2014


10 Downing Street’s Major Project Authority gave the Universal Credit UC programme a “red” rating which Iain Duncan Smith and the Department for Work and Pensions - DWP campaigned successfully to turn into a neutral “reset” designation. UC was only given a reset rating after furious protests by Iain Duncan Smith and...
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Sanction happy DWP officials applying 870,793 adverse decisions per year! Nearly 3 million since January 2010 http://t.co/bZs0LBEuGy
29 May 2014


A fascistic government attempts to silence UK newspapers that report on behalf of the people - Newspapers that report news regarding Benefit Claimants will be gagged. The Guardian newspaper should be "blackballed" and prevented from joining the new press regulatory body because "day after day, it gets its facts...

28 May 2014

Monday, July 30, 2012

URGENT MEETING!

Thursday 2nd August 2012 at 7.30pm at the Sidney Walter Centre in Sussex Road to plan a March opposing the government’s austerity measures.

Worthing Solidarity Network very much welcomes the call from the TUC for a mass demonstration against cuts and austerity on October 20th in London, under the banner "A Future That Works".

In Worthing and West Sussex, as across the UK, the cuts are now hitting working people and their families hard. More people than ever before are angry about what the Coalition are doing, and trade unions can give a lead in uniting people fighting cuts, job losses and privatisation of our important public services. 

Around 400 people from the Worthing area attended the great "March for the Alternative" in March 2011, mobilised by local unions and the local anti-cuts group. We believe it should be possible to get even larger numbers from our area to join the protest this time around. To achieve this it will be essential for everyone to join in with local community groups, including those representing young people, pensioners, the disabled and other vulnerable groups hit hardest by austerity. 

It is important to get the ball rolling now on the necessary arrangements and on plans for publicity etc, so this meeting for all interested parties to come together to form an 'O20' committee, on Thursday 2nd August at 7.30pm at the Sidney Walter Centre in Sussex Road.

Amongst those who have initiated the meeting / will be attending, will be Unite, PCS, CWU Worthing Solidarity Network and a concerned public. We hope you can also attend and help make  "A Future That Works".

Saturday, February 25, 2012


8pm, Tuesday, 28th February
Beechwood Hall Hotel, Wykeham Road, Worthing

Join us for news and discussion of anti-cuts and solidarity campaigns. Three main topics this month:

- SAVE OUR NHS: Defeat Lansley's Bill / National Demo 7th March / latest on fight to keep Southlands open.

- END WORKFARE! The government and major employers are on the run after just a few weeks of campaigning against their plans for free labour which undermines pay and conditions and cynically exploits the unemployed.  How can we keep up the pressure locally?

- STRIKE FOR FAIR PENSIONS FOR ALL. Almost one million public sector workers are set to strike again on March 28th against the government's pensions robbery. Come and hear the latest developments and discuss plans for community involvement in and support for the strike - the success or failure of the strikes will have an impact on everyone suffering from austerity.
We'll also look at how rank-and-file electricians have fought and won against a vicious group of construction employers - despite the recession!

See you there? All are very welcome.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

This Saturday, 11 February outside Poundland, Montague Street Worthing , WSN supporters and Occupy Worthing activists will join up to protest against cheap and free labour – why not come and join us!

As most people tighten their belts, Poundland have announced another year of record profits, raking in £31.7m, a whopping increase of 34%, in 2010/11, boasting of their ability to compete in 'turbulent economic conditions'.

It's little wonder that Poundland bosses find themselves in the role of cheerleaders for austerity. As times get harder for the rest of us, they make even more of a fortune out of selling cheap. And they have lots of practice at impoverishing their workers - company records show the average yearly wage in Poundland is an abysmal £10937.03.

The shameless scroungers who run Poundland already rely on the state to top up these miserable wages with tax credits and housing benefit, rather than doing it themselves from their ever-increasing profits. Now they have leapt to gobble up another handout, in the form of free labour from the government's workfare programmes.

Fortunately, there has been a backlash against Poundland's corporate welfare dependency, resulting in a lawsuit from Cait Reilly, a woman from Birmingham who was forced to abandon her volunteer work in a museum in order to stack shelves at Poundland for no pay.

Brighton Benefits Campaign calls on Poundland to stop their reprehensible exploitation of the unemployed and the poor. We will continue to campaign against Poundland until they abandon the use of workfare and instead employ people to do the work they need, on a proper wage.

“Poundland takes on disabled people in a deal with DWP via Mickey Mouse scheme. The claimant only works for 4 weeks including anti-social hours, stacking. The claimant is told at the beginning of the placement that there will be no job. My friend finished his placement and was immediately replaced by another disabled person. This is exploitation.”
(A former Poundland dole slave, speaking to Boycott Workfare)

Friday, February 03, 2012

WSN went to support the public meeting in Shoreham February 3 aimed at defending Southlands Hospital from the going under the knife and losing its Harness Block (which it is rumoured could be sold off to a housing developer). About 150 people attended, so the meeting had to be delayed whole a big enough room was found. There was great public anger at the Trust's proposals. Amid much patronising smoke-and-mirrors from the assembled overpaid NHS bigwigs about "community care", local people, Southlands workers and retired clinic staff got up one after another and demolished the arguments of the *public servants* in front of us, demanding that Southlands remains a local community hospital with much-needed in-patient beds. The issue of stress and low pay for hospital workers was raised too. When a WSN supporter said the cuts were taking place in the context of the Health & Social Welfare Bill and of a piece with the Tories' plans to cut and privatise the NHS, local MP Tim Loughton angrily responded that this was a "load of rubbish" and was "politically-motivated". Lots of people took WSN leaflets and signed up to the meeting organisers' contact list for further action in defence of Southlands.