“I am the Daughter of a Migrant - who was the Daughter of a Migrant. I Stand Up to Racism.”
Moss Side’s Hideaway Youth Project, Zahra Alijah, Chair
“Manchester’s Stand Up to Racism Group provides a forum for all those working to oppose different aspects of racism in Manchester.”
National Trade Union Congress, Wilf Sullivan, Equality Officer
“This is an immense humanitarian crisis and all the Tories can offer is insult, fences and extra security.”
Salford UNISON, Ameen Hadi, Treasurer
“It is vital that we continue to learn about and challenge the racism that violates our human rights
In Calais.... And Here in the UK.”
RAPAR, Mohamed Al Halengy, Refugee
- 4th October - National TUC backs Manchester’s Anti Racist Bloc on National Demonstration against Austerity as Tory Party Conference opens
- 6th October - Demonstration outside GMEX to signal immediate rejection of Home Secretary’s racist proposals
- 17th October - Manchester Delegation will answer the Refugee’s Call from Calais for Solidarity
National Equality Officer, Wilf Sullivan (pictured 2nd from right of leading SUTR banner at the top of Market Street) has pledged Trade Union Congress (TUC) support for Manchester’s Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) movement that is planning a series of high profile activities in the run up to, during, and beyond the forthcoming Conservative Party Conference being held at GMEX from 4th to 7th October (https://conservativepartyconference.com/index).
In a statement to SUTR Wilf said:
“The TUC supports the formation of the Manchester Stand Up to Racism Group which provides a forum for all those working to oppose different aspects of racism in Manchester. The TUC welcomes its work to highlight support for asylum seekers and opposition to racism by organising an anti racism block at the TUC’s national demonstration at the Conservative Party Conference on Sunday 4th October 2015.”
In specific reference to the refugee crisis, Wilf explained:
“The outrageous disregard for human life shown by European Governments - including our own - in the face of refugees fleeing form war and disaster in the middle east and Eastern Africa demonstrates more than ever why we need to stand up to racism.”
His comments have been amplified by the Chair of the Hideaway Youth Project, one of the cities oldest resources for our young people that stands at the heart of Moss Side. Manchester University lecturer, Zahra Alijah observes:
“It is history that judges us. How do we want to be judged when we look back on the greatest displacement of human beings since the second world war? How do we want to be judged when we mourn the loss of so many innocent children, women and men drowned or suffocated because they wanted to live a life free of torture and conflict? When we struggle to live on an ever more meagre pension and pay for health care because there are not enough people of working age in this country, what will we think?”
At a packed meeting last night in the City Centre, (picture attached), an overwhelmingly young gathering discussed coordination of its future anti-racist work to expose the treatment of refugees here and in Calais, as well as the cuts in general. This includes plans for Manchester’s anti racist feeder march that will move off from Moss Side onto the national demonstration on the 4th.
Listening to a description from one young Mancunian who has recently returned from front line work to aid refugees reaching Turkey, the meeting decided to send a Manchester delegation on the next National Stand Up to Racism Calais trip, scheduled for 17th October (https://www.facebook.com/events/414416915416326/). This call for Solidarity has come from the Calais refugees themselves.
Mohamed Al Halengy is a leading member of RAPAR, the Manchester based human rights organisation already committed to the 17th October delegation to Calais. In 2001, one of its founding members - Abdullah Rahmatullah - who was himself a refugee, reached Britain from Afghanistan on a lorry via Calais. Mohamed, a Sudanese refugee himself says:
“Now we are seeing hundreds and thousands of people like Abdullah, fleeing from everything and everyone they know and love. Their countries are in turmoil because of destructive forces that have been mobilised to protect the interests of the 1%. The push factors that create refugees and economic migrants are essentially the same.”
Ameen Hadi, Convener of Manchester Stand Up to Racism and Treasurer of Salford Unison that has also already committed to the 17th October Calais delegation says:
“This is an immense humanitarian crisis and all the Tories can offer is insult, fences and extra security. If even a fraction of that effort was put to supporting these human beings they would not be dying in leaky boats, suffocating in vans and being treated like criminals at Calais. That is why Stand up to Racism is supporting the TUC protest in Manchester on Sunday 4th October and has called a protest on Tuesday 6th October at 17.30 outside the Tory Party Conference. We will demand that the Government let these people in and stop further racist policies that seek to attack Muslims and migrants. For these reasons we will be supporting the National Day of Solidarity on October 17th.”
ENDS
For further information contact Ameen Hadi on 07557281471, Nahella Ashraf on 07988572976 or Dr Rhetta Moran on 07776264646/[email protected]
See www.standuptoracism.org.uk
Tweet #RefugeesWelcomeHere
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManchesterStandUp?fref=ts