Our film night 'Desperately Seeking' at the Cube was a great success.

Over 100 people turned out for the show and Lizzie White Producer /Director. The film showed the lives of refugees fleeing some of the most repressive regimes in the world to come to the Bristol. We are asking Lizzie White if the film can be made available to schools and colleges. If you would like to show it let us know. One of Maria Ikow's friends also spoke at the showing on Maria's behalf We collected £150 for the evening.

On Sunday 13th July BDASC fielded a team for the NUT 'Give SATS the Boot' Five-a-Side Football Tournament

NUT campaign - Kick out SATS The NUT has been in the forefront of defending asylum seekers and campaigning against injustice. SATS places children, teachers and parents under enormous pressure with no educational benefits. The stress on results and league tables often makes head teachers reluctant to admit the children of asylum seekers to their schools in the mistaken belief that they will jeopardise their school's performance and ratings.

BRISTOL ANTI-WAR CONFERENCE

War, Resistance & The Struggle For Human Rights

One hundred thousand marched at demonstration, London - Saturday 12th April Stop the war.. Stop the occupation.. (Report April 12th)

A two minute silence was held to commemorate those killed in the invasion and occupation. Speakers warned that the US now had a colonial base in the region from which to threaten neighbouring countries and highlighted the real threat that Syria will be next. Installing a general to run Iraq who is seen as pro-Zionist is an insult to Arab feeling in the region. And the priorities of the new order - to secure the oil fields but not to secure civilian life.

aljazeera - iraq warns that the Geneva convention lies in tatters as the occupying force fails to maintain the city’s law and order, fails to ensure the lives and property of its citizens, fails to ensure that food, medical services and services to children are available.

This is no accident, the International Health Advocacy group points out Bush spends 62 billion dollars on war and budgets 1/2 billion on relief. They say: "Regionally and globally, people's health, dignity and well being are prerequisites for stability and security, yet they are peripheral concerns in the war against terrorism."

Underlying this remain the urgent health fears reported by http://electroniciraq.net on 4 April 2003 in which the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that without an immediate inflow of money there will be unnecessary deaths of Iraqi children of diarrhoea-related diseases, women would die in childbirth, and there would be a chronic shortage of medicines and supplies in already overstretched hospitals. The WHO director, Nabarro, describes the Iraqis as "much more vulnerable than just about any other population in the world".

The Care International spokesman warned that needs could increase rapidly. "This already is a humanitarian emergency, and the potential for it to become a humanitarian catastrophe is quite serious." ... "There needs to be more and more a focus on the Iraqi people and how this war affects them."

Nabarro said aid resources were needed now and that humanitarian issues of civilians had to be put at the centre of any thinking by those involved in the war. Today the Gurardian warns that as a result of war an estimated 250,000 people are likely to die in the next three months.

30,000 Iraqis have fled to Iran and there remains a significant risk of a refugeee crisis. For other sources news on Iraq:

Lest We Forget' Stephen Lawrence 10 year anniversary lecture - Tuesday 8th April

'RACISM IS THE OTHER SIDE OF IMPERIALISM' Tony Benn's message to the audience of 200 at St.Georges Community School

Paul Stephenson recalled the 1963 challenge to Bristol busses whites only employment policy and linked this to the race relations act, Stephen Lawrence's murder and the ensuing campaign against institutional racism.

The lesson of Bristol busses said Tony Benn is that we have to fight and we can win. His message was overwhelmingly a humanist one: We are our brother's - and our sister's -keeper.

He gave a forceful indictment of the Iraq war: 'Its about invasion, conquest and oil .....we are witnessing the development of the American empire with arms more powerful than the NINE next most armed nations'.

Racism he warned is the other side of imperialism - racism against muslims is the new anti-semitism of the 30s. We are, he cautioned, entering dangerous times with the US threatening Iran, Syria and North Korea. But unlike earlier British imperialism we have access to alternative sources of information via the internet. Describing himself as a 'silver surfer' he said he logged in daily to aljazeera

Benn feels the survival of the world is at stake. Whilst admiting to times when he felt depressed Benn counselled against despair. With witty anecdotes he linked anti-imperialism, racism, sexism and working class struggle saying we must link these issues to build a broad movement. He said the lesson to learn from all struggle is that we need to teach, encourge, persuade, organise and realise that we can win.

The father of the Sheshi family asked for support. Benn turned his attention to asylum seekers and said that people who come to our country are seeking safety and fleeing from oppression and war. He welcomed asylum seekers because they add to economic prosperity and cultural diversity of the country - ending the boring 'bangers and mash' and 'ballroom dancing' culture that he was born into. He offered to help the Sheshi family if he could.

In response to questions from students at St.George's he advised always speak the truth as you see it - and don't worry about the opposition.

The lecture was sponsored by the NUT and BDASC and held at St. Georges Community College.

BDASC 1st April Hustings Meeting was a great success. There were over 40 people at our meeting and local candidates standing for the May election spoke

All on the platform pledged support for the aims of our campaign. Mark Barker (Socialist Party) stressed the danger of the right wing attacks on asylum seekers to detract from other issues of housing, etc. This view was echoed the other speakers. Bernie Kennedy said that Socialist Labour Party opposed all racist immigration lasws and that they saw the attacks on asylum seekers as racist. Julie Palmer standing for the Bristolean in Bedminster against the BNP stressed the need for affordable housing and open borders. Dianne Bunyan speaking for the Labour Party admitted to shame at the racist Labour policy but said that as Leader of the Labour council she felt she could make a difference. Anne Lemon for the Socialist Alliance stressed the importance of standing up against racism by defending asylum seekers and said that she was always proud to say this when she was canvassing on the doorstep. The debate that followed was lively and informative.

We must stop the BNP getting into the council house. Get leafletting and support local candidates in wards where they are standing.

Why is the Bristol Evening Post proving second-hand wall to wall coverage of the war and not publishing local news - like this event. Last year they sent a reporter and a photographer.

The exhibition has an excellent write up in this week's venue and in the Times Educational Supplement. You can also read about it on the BBC website Story on BBC west

Please ring St. Georges Community School if you want to know where you can see the exhibition. Tel: 955 3141 * 233

We would like to write a book or make a video about the exhibition and tell the girls stories. Please contact us if you can help.

Above a photograph of the exhibition Far right: Now in Year 10 at St.George community college, the young Iraqi asylum seeker explained that she tore up a newspaper and that the red represents blood and the black oil. She said she was against Saddam but did not want bombs dropped. Story on BBC west

Henrik Dahl, a freelance artist who worked with the pupils, said the photos add 'real depth and narrative. There are stereotypes about asylum-seekers. This shows them as real people with real lives.'

THE YARL'S WOOD TRIAL starts in a month's time.. 13 refugees accused of burning down the detention centre face a stitchup of a kind not attempted since the "Campsfield 9" trial in
1998. .

As then, Group 4 Security is at the centre of the mess (and should be in the dock, along with the Home Office). As then, the charges stink
(with many of the more excessively pungent ones discreetly jettisoned on the way to the court). The 13 have been held in prisons all over the country for over a year, in incredibly awful conditions, and
suffered every kind of abuse. Thanks to a determined campaign, all but one are now free on bail - but all are more or less destitute, and they are scattered all over the country.

They must all be in Harrow for the trial: an estimated 16 weeks. Unless supporters can arrange accommodation for them over that time,
Her Majesty will do so - in the Scrubs for the duration. IT IS VITAL THAT THEY REMAIN FREE, TO STAND ANY CHANCE OF
DEFENDING THEMSELVES.

Their supporters are trying to raise £11,000 to give each man a decent roof over his head during the ordeal, and pay for a modest campaign HQ locally (this trial *has* to be well-coordinated and kept
in the limelight if justice is to be done).

Please help them. SEND YOUR CHEQUE TO:"Stop Arbitrary Detention At Yarl's Wood"
22 Chaucer Road, Bedford, MK40 2AJ

* Please mark the cheque "Trial fund" on the back.

You can email if you have any other ideas for helping, and for more information: yarls wood campaign

... and you can refresh your memory about the incident here: yarlswood

Labour government plans to deport asylum seekers to centres outside the EU while their claims are processed have been put to European Union leaders at the EU Summit by Tony Blair who wants to halve the number of asylum seekers by September. Unsuccessful claimants would be returned to their home countries. The processing centres would be in areas like the Balkans. Blair wants plans approved when the EU meets again in June.

Click here for some facts about asylum seekers in the UK (statistics for 2002)

NOT IN OUR NAME -STOP THE WAR

20th March - war has started. and in Bristol over 3000 protestors stopped the city on the first day of war

Friday 21st March 11am at College Green, Bristol. Hundreds of black balloons will be released at 11am, forming a black cloud over Bristol, as a protest against the war.

Half a million marched in London. Whilst the flowers at Fairford demonstration (photo below) attracted over 3000.

Home office loses section 55 appeal - but campaigners must remain vigilant

The government suffered a devastating defeat of its new asylum policy of denying asylum seekers any access to welfare benefits or even the right to work following a decision by the Court of Appeal on 18th March. Under section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, those who didn't apply for asylum at the earliest possible opportunity were made destitute by the Home Office without a mechanism for appeal.

The appeal followed the High Court ruling that found the government policy of making asylum seekers destitute "removed the law of humanity" and was incompatible with our fundamental human right not to be subject to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

Mr. Blunkett appealed against this decision after expressing fury with the judge because he didn't want Britain to be a 'soft touch'. The government lost and can not now so easily starve people to return to repressive regimes in order to reduce the numbers claiming asylum. But the Appeal Court disagreed with the High Court and said that the law could be operable - so we need to be vigilant and continue to protest. Doubtless there will be more court cases in the future.

Can our local MPs be trusted on this? Local MP, Jean Corston, when challenged on International Women's Day said the interpretation of the law was a 'mistake' even though it obviously was not. Valerie Davey MP wrote to a campaign supporter saying that she is waiting to see how the legislation 'is interpreted' even though government's did not hide its intentions. archives on the new asylum law

Petition: We have collected and sent off to David Blunkett a petition with 500 signatures from local people protesting at the new asylum law. We sent copies to our 5 local MPs.

We still need Section 55 scrapped. Urge your MPS to sign the Early Day Motion against section 55 EDM 461
Lynne Jones, Labour MP for Selly Oak, Birmingham has tabled an Early Day Motion, supporting the above statement. (EDM 461: Withdrawal of Asylum Support for In-Country Applicants.) on Tuesday 7th. January 2003.

Please contact your MP and ask them to add their name. Valerie Davey has replied to our request - she is 'er' going to wait and see!! She has replied to another campaign supporter to say she is happy with the high court outcome.

Diane Bunyan, Leader of Bristol Council has condemned the new legislation against asylum seekers and she has written to one of our members to say that on 9/1/03 she was having a meeting with all the Bristol MPs to raise the issue, and that Bristol is discussing with fellow core cities a possible legal challenge to support the ones already being proposed.

The International Women's Festival - Women and Poverty 8th March 10am - 5pm

The campaign won a £700 grant in partnership with St. George;s Community College to put on a photographic exhibition on 'Women and Poverty' as part of the International Women's Festival. Photographs were by women and girls, some of whom will be refugees and asylum seekers, using disposable cameras. We aimed to show that society is poorer for not recognising the richness that these 50 photographers can make to our society - it aimed to show the contribution they do make and want to make.

Sad news: Elvis Leka was picked up when he signed on and is now being held at Hardmonsworth Detention Centre for deportation: . he feels alone and we should phone him 0208 283 3850 if we can before Thursday 6th March. We are collecting money to donate to him. Send chequest to Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign and mark the money clearly for the Elvis Leka fund. More on Elvis

High Court restores benefits to destitute asylum seekers

19th February: The High Court ruled the Government is wrongly interpreting the law in denying food and shelter to many destitute asylum seekers and that the Home Office must restore such basic living needs to the asylum seekers involved in the judicial review until an appeal against today's judgement is heard.

Giving his ruling, Mr Justice Collins said the rules as they were applied in the six test cases breached the European Convention on Human Rights. The judge ruled it had been established there was "a real risk" of destitution leading to injury to health. He said "insufficient consideration" had been given to the issue and the decisions made in the case of the six "must be quashed and reconsidered, if that has not already happened."

Criticisms made of the bill by the High Court are similar to that made by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights in its two reports on the Act. The committee concluded:

"…it is difficult to envisage a case where a person could be destitute without there being a threat of a violation of Articles 3 and/or 8 of the ECHR. We reiterate that the Secretary of State has a duty under section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 to avoid that risk." [JCHR Twenty-third Report, para. 15]

But Home Office will appeal
Responding to the judgement Home Secretary David Blunkett said: "We are deeply concerned that the High Court has found against the Home Office and we will be appealing against this decision, with the Attorney General taking the appeal on behalf of the Government. This measure is an important part of our asylum reform programme which is dealing with widespread abuse of the system and reducing unfounded claims. It is simple common sense that asylum seekers should lodge their claim as soon as they arrive if they expect support from the Government. The law that people should claim asylum as soon as is reasonably practicable, and that we cannot provide support unless they do, still stands. We must continue to be able to operate a robust policy and people who try to abuse our asylum system will not find us a soft touch."

He ignores that people have been refused benefit if they delayed claiming for 24 hours and that there was no right to a review. Left on the street homeless and destitute people could not pursue an asylum claim. .

15th February 2003 'Not In Our Name' the slogan of the anti-war march

In London two million demonstrate against war in Iraq .....

BDASC campaign supporters turned out in force for Saturday's anti-war march. Asylum seekers from Iraq marched under our banner saying they were opposed to Saddam Hussein but bombing was not the answer.

..... UN secret report reveals lack of preparation for the 1.5 million refugees if there is war in Iraq

A secret UN report estimates that 1.5 million refugees will be created if there is a three month war in Iraq reported Jonathan Steele in The Guardian (February 15, 2003). 30% of the country's children under five "would be at risk of death from malnutrition". Ten million Iraqis would be "highly food insecure, displaced, or directly affected by military action", according to the World Food Programme.

In spite of requests to the United States, Britain, and other western governments for emergency aid in case of war "no funds have been made available to any agencies to date". As a result, UN agencies have not yet reached "even minimum levels of preparedness", the report says. Whats more in the event of war existing aid schemes would stop, as UN staff would be evacuated.

The war against Iraq, is not as claimed, a humanitarian war of liberation. This report demonstrates that, just as in Afghanistan, the US and Britain will not protect lives and will not engage in a major programme to rebuild Iraq after the war. Iraq will not be a safe place for returning refugees.

.....Tony Blair promises to half the number of refugees coming to Britain by September It is ironic that Iraqis are the single larget group of refugees who are coming to Britain and yet he wants to return them back into the path of bombs. Unfortunately, for Mr. Blair there is a little problem of legality if he wants the UK to halve the number of asylum seekers - and so we must be ready to expect further legislation if he is to reach this target by September.

With this new and boldly regressive measure Britain has undoubtedly entered an era of civil liberties malaise. Home Secretary David Blunkett claims that citizenship will be revoked on the basis of acting against the interests of the UK. This is a purely arbitrary and highly subjective decision. IHRC regards its implementation, especially at this critical time, as a racist measure, which will unduly target and victimize the ethnic minorities, in particular its substantial Muslim component.

This sends out an ominous message to Britain ethnic minority and Muslim communities - that their presence in this country is conditional and dependent on the goodwill of the powers that be. This seems to be a deliberate ploy to silence any vocal sentiments and criticisms emanating from minority groups, especially Muslims.

IHRC Chairman, Massoud Shadjareh, stated: The right to freedom of speech is now racially conditional; Anglo-Saxon hate mongers, such as Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, can regurgitate his racist bile against non-Whites and Muslims, with relative immunity.

Detention Centres are not places of safety

Two removal centres run by the prison service (Haslar and Lindholme) can not be regarded as "places of safety" says Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons. At both, detainees were strip-searched without explanation, sometimes in front of other detainees.

She called for detainees to be allowed to work and for a seven-day time limit on the detention of children in the centres.

The report said that in all but one of the UK's five detention centres the immigration service was not providing detainees with information about their cases, nor were they properly preparing detainees for their removal from Britain. Some want to leave voluntarily but the immigration service can't help them even to do this due to the pressure of casework. In the meanwhile, unscrupulous lawyers are preying on their vulnerability.

The immigration minister said that a large number of the findings only reflected the comments of the detainees themselves. The chief inspector rejected this and said that this was typical of a department that was not used to scrutiny.

If this can happen here under scrutiny, how much worse than this will things be if Blair's gets away with his outrageous plan to set up processing centres outside of the European Union in places like Albania and the Balkans?

High Court Judge urges asylum rule suspension until he passes judgement He has called on the government to restore the payment of state benefits to asylum seekers until he passes judgement in six test cases on 17th February. Mr Justice Collins urged Home Secretary David Blunkett to "adopt a liberal approach".

Since the decision to only assist refugees who immediately apply for asylum on entering the UK came into force on 8 January, 175 injunctions have been granted to stop the government leaving them destitute. Mr Justice Collins said, if the Home Office failed to act more would "almost inevitably" follow and added that the six test cases alone had cost taxpayers £200,000.

Lawyers in the six test cases say the new rules are being applied in a way that breaches the European Convention on Human Rights - or that the rules are incompatible with the convention, which protects against "inhumane and degrading" treatment.

Neil Garnham QC, defending the home secretary, said the rules were tough - but just because a person was homeless and destitute, it did not mean their rights had been breached. He claimed that none of the six had suffered harm because, within days, members of the public or charities had offered them accommodation.

One man had been offered temporary accommodation by a woman he met after spending a night sleeping rough. And two of the other asylum seekers had also been taken in by members of the public, who had found them crying in despair on the streets. Kier Starmer QC, appearing for five of the asylum seekers, told Mr Justice Collins many of them remained "cold, hungry, scared and sick". He said that a lack of food and shelter was threatening them all with physical and mental deterioration and interfering with their ability to pursue their asylum applications.

See news above for decision of high court ...

The rally in solidarity with the firefighters on February 1st at the Council House, College Green was supported by BDASC

The picture shows our campaign banner at last FBU rally. The FBU sponsored our children's march in November.

Stop the War News

Our thanks to all those who have donated money to support Iraqi asylum seekers to demonstrate against the war. Thanks to NATFHE University of West of England branch for their donation of £25.

Members of our campaign supported the MASS VIGIL on 29th JANUARY.

Racists not welcome in BedminsterThe hysteria about asylum seekers whipped up by the media and politicians , representing refugees as a "serious problem" and associating them with "terrorism" has helped to encourage a racist atmosphere and given confidence to the far right.

The NAZI British National Party won a council seat in Halifax last Thursday, January 23rd.They played on people's bitterness over the years of neglect of our schools, hospitals and houses, and lied about asylum seekers enjoying lives of comparative luxury.

The following day. Friday January 24th. the BNP leafletted parts of Bedminster with the same message and referring to repatriation and the "dangers" of multiculturalism. Supporters of our campaign and Anti-Nazi League members went to Bedminster on Saturday 25th January and put out leaflets that told the truth about asylum seekers. On Saturday, February 8th. 25 members of our campaign again leafleted and petitioned in Bedminster. Joining us were members of the Anti Nazi League and Bristol Stop the War Coalition. There was a good turnout again on the 22nd February and we will be continuing to support these activities until the local elections in May.

We received a sympathetic reception from local people and many signatures were collected. But, the racist media hysteria does frighten people and we need to campaign to counter their lies about refugees. We need to show that there is no link between asylum seekers and terrorism - of the thousands of people seeking asylum only 3 have been detained for alleged 'terrorist' offences. We need to show that far from living in luxury many asylum seekers are now living in abject poverty and rather than bringing in diseases they are contracting diseases in this country because of the poverty in whichthey are forced to live. The right wing press and politicians are scapegating desparate and vulnerable people.

There was also a good turn out on Saturday 8th March when Anti Nazi League leafletted in Bedminster supported by members of BDASC

At the moment the majority of refugees coming to this country are from Iraq, Zimbabwe and Somalia.

Campaign against educational apartheid for asylum seekers

BDASC launched a campaign against the new asylum law's segregated education of asylum children and our March for Children in November was a part of this campaign. . A national coalition of unions and charities has formed to condemn the policy and a survey published in October 2002 shows that schools provides a sanctuary for young asylum seekers and are a highlight of their lives. For details of reports and our campaign click

New report on people with disability and asylum support services

"The presence of disabled people in refugee and asylum-seeking communities in Britain is frequently overlooked and information about their particular experiences is rarely available." More details from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation:

Withdrawal of in-country support - contact your MP and join our protests to bring an end to this inhumane law

Already asylum seekers have been refused support under the new Asylum law . Solicitors for two asylum seekers, lodged Judicial Reviews in the High Court on Monday 13th. January 2003, for an Iranian and an Angolan who were sleeping on the streets, having been denied NASS support under section 55. A joint statement has been issued by refugee support and campaigning groups and other organisations such as Shelter and Oxfam. The statement expresses deep concern with the government's decision to deprive in country asylum applicants of the right to food and shelter. See:
www.ncadc.org.uk

On January 18th asylum seekers were granted basic food and shelter pending their high court hearing on January 31st. They had made their claim within 48 hours of arriving in the UK and yet had been refused support by NASS.

'A terrible injustice for the sake of looking tough' (Mona Arshi, a lawyer at Liberty said ...

For archives on the new asylum law

Urge your MPS to sign the Early Day Motion against section 55 EDM 461
Lynne Jones, Labour MP for Selly Oak, Birmingham has tabled an Early Day Motion, supporting the above statement. (EDM 461: Withdrawal of Asylum Support for In-Country Applicants.) on Tuesday 7th. January 2003.
The signatories to this so far (as of 13th. January 2003 ) are the following MPs,- Lynne Jones, Alan Simpson, Jeremy Corbin, Martin Caton, Ian Gibson, Rudi Vis, Terry Davis, Harry Barnes, Neil Garrard, Kevin McNamara, Tom Cox, Harry Cohen.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MP, AND ASK HIM OR HER TO ADD THEIR NAMES TO THE LIST . Valerie Davey has replied to our request - she is 'er' going to wait and see!!

The hated voucher scheme was successfully defeated by an active, determined campaign. We can do the same with these cruel measures.

Diane Bunyan, Leader of Bristol Council has condemned the new legislation against asylum seekers and she has written to one of our members to say that on 9/1/03 she was having a meeting with all the Bristol MPs to raise the issue, and that Bristol is discussing with fellow core cities a possible legal challenge to support the ones already being proposed. Await developments....

Withdrawal of in-country asylum support - Asylum Law Protest On Saturday 4th January we staged a demonstration against the new legislation withdrawing in country asylum support on 8th January.

We held a soup kitchen outside Tony and Cherie's two flats in Park Row, opposite Woodland Road - to point up the fact that this government that should be sympathetic to asylum seekers is pushing horrific legislation that leavs asylum seekers destitute - even before they know whether they have got a good case. Currently no one is living in the flats.Both the local press (the Evening Post) and the national press (Independent on Sunday) covered the story.

On Saturday 25th January we staged another protest in Park Street. Thanks to all supporters for turning out to both these events.

THE MEHMETI FAMILY APPEAL SUCCEEDS - December 2003

THE MEHMETI FAMILY have been given 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' (ILR) under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act (which protects the right to family life, as I understand
it).Prominent among the 'pro' arguments given in the judgement, was the 'huge local support' that the amily have received. The Mehmetis wanted to pass on their heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped their campaign. Thanks to all the people of Bristol who gave their support.

Withdrawal of in-country asylum support

News posted December 2002

From 8 January 2003 asylum applicants who do not immediately apply for asylum with the immigration authorities at a port when they arrive in the U.K., will not be eligible to apply for support to the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).

This change was initially announced by David Blunkett on 7 October 2002 in an article in 'The Times', and is now set out in Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 passed in November 2002.

It seems likely that in practice this will mean that if asylum applicants do not apply for asylum at a port immediately on entry into the U.K., they are unlikely to be able to apply for NASS support.

As we all know, many asylum seekers are unaware of even which country they have arrived in, have fled without having time or opportunity to get together identity documentation, and are unlikely to know the precise immigration rules for a strange country.

They are at serious risk of becoming homeless and destitute if they have no one else to provide food and shelter for them. This is because the NIA Act has also removed other legal avenues through which local authorities were previously able to provide support to destitute asylum applicants. NASS currently estimates that this will affect around 100 asylum cases a day.

This legislation contravenes international agreements on the rights of an individual to claim asylum, of which the U.K. is a signatory. It also clearly undermines the Government's own policies to tackle rough sleeping and social exclusion.

The Act also passed into law Detention Centres for asylum seekers and segregated education of their children. This legislation needs to be repealed.

For more on the story see The Guardian

Information on the changes can be found on:

www.refugeecouncil.org.uk

www.refugees.org

www.unhcr.ch

www.ecre.org

About 6 members of the BDASC attended the Refugee Action Information Day on Tuseday 10th December. It was extremely informative and very worrying. The new Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act will leave two thirds of asylum seekers - those with no children who do not apply at a port of entry -without any support at all whilst they wait for a decision. People can be denied emergency shelter and food under the new laws.

Other measures prevent many asylum seekers appealing against decisions to reject their claims. Particuarly spiteful is the decision to stop giving people who the government accepts cannot return to their own countries the legal right to stay here temporarily. This means that 15,000 people a year will be left with no entitlement to work, and no right to housing benefits, even though the government accepts they can not leave.

Refugee Action is trying to compile a list of places that could be used for temporary, free accommodation. They are working with about 15 community groups for refugees, trying to get a cohesive voice for refugee communities and also helping people to access mainstream services.

Refugee Action has basic information packs that would enable voluntary groups to apply for lottery funding, (there is money available in the S.W. for people working with social exclusion - asylum seekers and refugees will fall into this category). There is also a big need for mental health service providers to take into account cultural / language needs, and there would probably be funding which could be accessed for such work with refugees.

The government has accepted over 1000 Iraqis from Sangatte, and will no doubt use their plight as an example to justify possible war in Iraq if the U.S. wants war. However, these asylum seekers have in fact been classified as economic migrants (and given temporary work permits), not refugees, and this will affect their ability to claim asylum long-term.

BDASC and National Union of Teachers

March for Children

On Saturday 30th November 150 people supported our march. We assembled at Castle Green and marched through Broadmead to protest over:

• Blunkett's racist educational apartheid for asylum seekers.
• Underfunding of education, school closures and child poverty
• The 125 million children not in school across the world
• Sanctions and war with Iraq

Twelve year-old Elina Mehmeti spoke at the rally and thanked the people of Bristol for their support in their family's fight to remain in Bristol. Other speakers included Sophie North the youngest member of our campaign. Organisers were joined by other unions including Unison, the CWU, the Fire Brigades Union and Amicus. The march aimed to bring together the many issues that relate to children.

The Home Office could appeal against this decision, but informed opinion is that they are unlikely to do that -- they did not send a
representative to the hearing, and that would weaken their position at an appeal.

The Mehmetis are quite overwhelmed at the moment, but wanted to pass on their heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped their campaign.

It has taken a small army of supporters to achieve this result. It has to be said that our local media - press (The Evening Post), TV and radio - have been exemplary. They have been consistently compassionate and adult in their coverage over the months, in stark contrast to whole
sections of the national press.

The Evening Post covered the court hearing and reported the case made for the Mehmetis Paulette North from our campaing spoke of the public support. She said 'People of Bristol have taken the family to their hearts and they have siad they want them in their community'. Thanks to all the people of Bristol - over 3000 - who signed the petition.

Asylum Seekers from Bristol join Peace March

Of the 400,000 people who turned out for the National Demonstration on Saturday 28th September against war on Iraq at least 1200 people were from Bristol. Among the marchers were the Mehmeti family who fled from Kosovo and have been fighting to stay in Britain. Interviewed by the Evening Post(September 30 2002), Diana Mehmeti said: 'The thought of war reminds me of Kosovo, which was a terrible time for us. War is not life, it should not happen. Many more people will suffer and be driven from their homes'. Iraqi asylum seekers were also on the march. Interviewed by the Evening Post Karwan Ibrahim said: 'Nobody in Iraq wants Saddam, he has to go. But people do not want war because everybody suffers.'

The attack took place on Thursday evening the week before. A gang of youths surrounded the hostel in Fishponds, Bristol, where asylum-seekers are staying, throwing stones at the windows, shouting racist slogans, and terrifying the many children inside.

The police are treating the attack as racially motivated. It is horrifying to think that this attack occured against individuals and families fleeing trauma and war. .

Demonstrators leafleted local people, telling the truth about asylum-seekers and over 300 signed cards of sympathy and support to the hostel's residents.

An editorial in the Evening Post condemned this attack and called for the racists who attacked the hostel to be imprisoned.Click here for comment

The demonstration was supported by the Red Notes choir

Standing with Tony Benn BDASC were out in force at the Peace Vigil on Monday 16th September when Tony Benn stood with the Peace Vigil One Year On. Over 300 people were present.Tony Benn addressed the crowd to warn of the dangers of the imminent bombing of women and children if the threat of war is not stopped. . He said that 'This is about oil. This is an imperialist war because like all imperial powers, America needs natural resources.' Tony Benn was more than happy to stand in front of the BDASC banner to show the connection between war and the displacement of people.For pictures

One year on - around 200 people, including supporters of the BDASC attended the one year anniversary of the Peace Vigil on Saturday 14th September. Prior to this BDASC supporters had held a street meeting in support of our campaigns. Thanks to all for turning out.

Ahmadi family lose appeal

Shah Mahmood Amir a severely traumatised young man from Kabul was deported to Austria in August under the iniquitous Dublin Convention

Shiraz Pir BDASC has sent a message of condolence and the contributions from our appeal to the parents of Shiraz Pir the young man who tragically committed suicide.

Bristol 'Refugee Wednesday' was a great success. BDASC had a stall at the event. BDASC also had a stall at the Easton 'Under One Sky Festival'

Supporters of the BDASC attended Marxism Week where Paul Foot highlighted the case against immigration controls. The Ahmadi family also spoke.

Ahmadi family BDASC demonstrated outside Tesco's in Broadmead on Saturday 14th September in support of the Ahmadi family. Many people signed petitions.