The New Londoners autumn 2012

The New Londoners

Autumn 2012

www.thenewlondoners.co.uk People

A day in the life

Comment

1

Luol Deng Team GB Basketball Captain

“My cultural roots and my parents' support helped me to succeed�

The other side of the Games

Community

My Afro Caribbean London

Policy

Tough time to be United

Event

Afghans get Together

page 6

Picture: ENOUGH Project

The other side

of the Games

By Gary Buswell

As we rightfully champion those who contributed to the success of what some are calling the best ever Olympic and Paralympic Games the brilliant and courageous athletes, the diligent and smiling paid and unpaid staff, the millions of spectators who created the atmosphere upon which everything thrived - there exists another group

of ' games makers ' whose stories are less familiar and who didn't feature in any of the closing ceremony thank you speeches.

These are the thousands of factory employees in East Asia who worked in sweatshop conditions making the majority of clothing and merchandise on show at the games.

Amid all the pre-Olympic fanfare and furore, two reports were

published by campaign consortium Play Fair that went largely unnoticed in the general media. Fair Games? and Toying With Workers' Rights documented appalling conditions in overseas factories supplying Olympic mascots and clothing by official sponsors such as adidas and Next.

Research carried out at outlets in China, the Philippines and Sri Lanka C o n ti n u e d o n p a g e 3 > >

www.thenewlondoners.co.uk

2

The New Londoners

Editor-in-Chief: Ros Lucas

Editorial Team:

Julian Cheyne Joanna Haber Richard Rushworth Eva Santis

Production & Communications: Sylvia Velásquez

Assistant Production: Tunde Akinfolajimi

Creative Director & layout: Pablo Monteagudo

Creative Design team: Rhiannon Hughes Álvaro Moliner Eddie Romero

Reporters:

Cina Aissa Helena Argyle Gary Buswell Tania Farias Hasani Hasani Vicky Ilankovan Sarajundi Isar George Knaggs Hamish Ramdharry Cime Serge Carlos Villegas

Contributors:

Nicola Chelotti Julian Cheyne N. N. Dee Charlotte Mathysee Gillian McCormack Rita Nemeh REDRESS Pablo Sanhueza

Letter from Editor-in-Chief Dear Readers, As the summer most definitely comes to a close, we reflect on some of the highs and lows of life in London in this issue. The Olympics and ParaOlympics held during July and August exuded positivity and gave many Londoners a feelgood factor. Team GB was applauded for its successes and it was great to see how many positive related “migrant” stories there were in the press. The Evening Standard even ran an editorial to question whether this was a turning point for migrants and the media. Unfortunately that was not to be the case and soon we saw the usual ill-informed, inflammatory headlines in the red tops as illustrated by the feature on Salvatore Quero on page 11 .

London is a great City, enriched by its diversity, and we have so much to show the rest of the world how it’s possible to live and work in harmony. This and other issues of TNL aim to illustrate this. If you have thoughts on life in London post the Olympics we would love to hear from you.

Enjoy the Autumn!

Ros Lucas MRC Executive Director

Photographers:

Kate Gamble Simon Hammond Vicky Ilankovan George Knaggs Alvaro Moliner Pablo Monteagudo New Voices Eddie Romero Carlos Villegas Mike Wells

Drawing:

Ian Drummond

Comic Strip:

Rhiannon Hughes

Poetry:

Handsen Chikiwore

Produced by:

Migrants Resource Centre 24 Churton Street London SW1 V 2LP 02078342505 www.migrantsresourcecentre.org.uk info@migrants.org.uk With thanks to all the volunteer journalists, contributors and media group members who took part in the production of the magazine

Follow us and join in debate on:

The New Londoners

Special thanks to:

Migrants and Refugee Social Media Group www.thenewlondoners.co.uk

@newlondoners

Supported by:

The New Londoners

The other side of the Games

3

who were stars of these games such as Jessica Ennis, Yohan Blake, Christine Ohuruogu and Andy Murray. Blake makes a point of thanking his "truly wonderful" sponsor on his website.

On its own website, adidas boasts of a Fair Wage project and a commitment to respecting workers' rights. Current evidence paints a different picture.

It might be argued that these are deeper systemic problems within the global marketplace and that it’s foolish to expect the Olympics to be able to neatly sidestep these issues. It should also be acknowledged that progress has been made since Beijing four years ago and that London’s pledge to host the most ethical ever games is true in a sense.

adidas boasts of a Fair Wage project and a commitment to respecting workers' rights.

Current evidence paints a different picture Drawing: Seppo Leinonen < < Con ti n u e d from p a g e 1

found that employees were being forced to work over 60 hours per week for poverty wages in unhealthy and unsafe environments. Workers had little job security and were often prevented from joining unions.

These accounts, a reminder of the grim economic realities that are a hidden part of big money spectacles like Olympic Games, have been conveniently edited from the official Olympic

narrative where sponsors, elite athletes and international sports committees walk hand-in-hand to the tune of universal respect, fairness and equality.

The reports also throw question marks over the London Olympic Committee's promise to source goods according to ethical criteria, as laid out in their Ethical Trading Initiative.

For those enthralled by the magnificence produced by

sportsmen and women this summer, this makes for a bitter pill to swallow.

Sports manufacturer adidas, one of the companies most complicit in the exploitation and the current target of human rights campaigners War On Want, were the official sponsors of the now heroic Team GB and signed a £100 million sponsorship deal for these Olympics. They also sponsor a number of individuals

But, as the authors at Play Fair state, it’s not enough. A properly sustainable Olympics embodying all of its ideals and values needs to have organizers at every level taking a firmer stance against exploitation and abuse that occurs at the margins. It’s no good gathering for a few weeks every four years to celebrate some of the very best attributes in human nature if, away from the world’s eyes, you’re contributing to practices that contradict your ideals and will only add to global displacement.

We can only hope that things will be a little better in Rio in 2016.

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The New Londoners

Game makers' reflections

Volunteers recall their experience at the London Olympics and Paralympics. By Rita Nemeh

Picture by Carlos Villegas

Inspire a generation was the official slogan of the London 2012 Olympic Games. During the Games everyone witnessed a sense of convergence between all nations from all around the world. Everyone was in a joyful Olympic bubble. A day after the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games tens of thousands of people packed London's streets to support Great Britain's athletes during a parade of its ‘greatest team’.

Several volunteers, all of whom played their part in providing a successful London Games, were in attendance and some of them shared their experiences with us.

Zuhur is a third year Journalism student and worked at the Games for three months.

She was born in Eritrea but has lived in the United Kingdom since she was nine years old.

“Working at the Olympics was an amazing experience for me.

The theme of 'inspiring a

generation' not only inspired generations in England or Europe but around the world. Young people across the world now have the confidence to be elite athletes who can also inspire future generations. My family, like other migrant families, were very proud that our country was a part of the most important sports event in the world. I was always a proud supporter of Eritrea, but it wouldn't feel the same without supporting Team GB. The atmosphere of the Olympics was so special because people from around the world were sharing the same excitement and it did not matter which team they were supporting.”

Rose, who is originally from Kenya, thinks that the Olympic Games were a chance for all to come together and support the competitors and the spirit of the Games.

“Working at the Games was a

great opportunity for me to help and witness, interact with the majority of people who were also there for the same thing. I had the chance to see the different sports, some of which I had no idea existed. The whole family was excited as I participated in making history during London 2012. I supported both the team from my country and team GB as some have now become familiar names/faces in the UK media.”

Rita, a Polish volunteer who took part at the Paralympic Games, says that because there were people from all over the world the Paralympics were a rich blend of cultures and had great support for all the competitions.

"In relation to different cultures the Paralympics are on the same level as the Olympics so it is a great mosaic of a multicultural environment with mutual respect and intercultural

communication. Because we are in England it is quite easy to communicate, as most of the people speak English and there is a flow of information and understanding, even though some people could not speak English at all. I have heard many people saying that it's a shame there is not as much media coverage as for the Olympics.* The athletes are incredible with amazing attitude and fantastic skills. I wish the Paras were included in the Olympics and the closing ceremony would be for all of the athletes from the Olympics and the Paralympics after both competitions finish, not separate, as that would give a boost for the Paralympics to get more funds and support. *Editor's note: Channel 4 covered all the events - and the other British channels had the results as headlines

The New Londoners Pictures by Vicky Ilankovan

5

Interview with

the Hunter

Brothers

Mark

by Vicky Ilankovan Ross

I recently sat down with Olympic Gold medallist Mark Hunter and his brother Ross to talk about rowing in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics.

John Cleese said that ‘London is a city that is no longer English.” What do you think of London in the face of the London 2012 Olympics?

Mark: London is very diverse now, but that means it’s growing with the times. When you go back to those areas where we were as kids it’s a completely different place.

Ross: I’m proud that people want to come here from other countries and want to make it a better place. So many of my favourite things in England are from people who aren’t originally “British” but are now accepted as such. I don’t know why people think that you have to be born in Britain to be British. It’s not like that- half the world’s moved around, and it’s better for it.

Rowing is typically an elite sport. Do you think there’s a place for people from different ethnic backgrounds in British rowing?

Mark: Definitely. The Leander club has changed dramatically from when I first came here.

Back then, you had to be invited. Times have changed – now everyone is welcome. This

club has changed massively in the last ten years and that’s the same case with the sport.

Ross: When I started off it was the first year that they had junior rowers, and they didn’t have any home-grown ones so they asked junior rowers from other areas if they wanted to come and train at Leander. I was probably the only one who wasn’t from a private school and at first, everyone used to laugh at the way I talked, my accent, the phrases I used. But now I’ve definitely noticed it’s changed. Now the young rowers are from all over the country: some from up north, some from London. We have a much wider pool of athletes.

So where are you guys from?

Mark: We are from East Ham, not far from the Olympic site.

We then moved down to Romford. We started at the Docks on the River Thames.

It’s a completely different environment to row in.

You said that you had a stigma attached to you when you started rowing at Leander but what did your school mates think of the fact that you rowed?

Ross: They didn’t know what it was.

Mark: Most of my friends were like, why don’t you come

play football. For me it was just something different, a new challenge that no one else was doing.

How did you get into rowing?

Mark: We were quite lucky.

Dad trained at the club on the Isle of Dogs. As a kid I played many sports and rowing wasn’t one I ever thought I’d do because I never knew it existed. It was probably the last sport I was introduced to; I just got hooked. The summer of 1992 the Olympics were on TV. I remember watching rowers winning gold medals. It made me want to be part of that and my journey really started there.

Ross: I was a bit different. I used to watch my dad and Mark train on the weekend and if I didn’t go with them I’d be at home with mum learning how to bake. If I wanted to get out of the kitchen and spend time with the guys, I’d have to

go down to the boathouse.

Do you know about the London Youth Rowing Charity?

Mark: Rowers are given scholarships to go to school.

When you first start rowing, if you don't come from a wealthy background it’s very expensive.

If you give kids the opportunity to use equipment for free and help them with their education, it can be amazing opportunity for anyone.

Ross: Rowing is a really good sport to get into when you’re young - it gives you a lot of confidence later in life. Some of my friends who didn’t do sport struggled with low confidence later in life and didn’t succeed in the areas they wanted to because they didn’t think they could.

Everyone in sport is considered an equal. In other parts of life, you have a hierarchy. In sport, everyone lines up on the start line and you’re all the same.

Picture by Marianovsky

6

The New Londoners

a chat with Strong Dinka culture, a powerful force of change GB's basketball team captain, winner of three major sportsmanship awards because of his ethical behaviour, fair play, and integrity on the court. A Sudanese refugee who does not forget his root and is working hard to bring education and sports to millions of displaced children in USA, UK and Sudan. TNL exclusive interview with Luol Deng " Chiibak " - Luol Deng welcomes me in his native Dinka language, in a warm soft voice, when we meet for an interview in North London during one of the training sessions of Team GB basketball back in September. It's an introduction to the Sudan-born (now South Sudan) British basketball star's world of languages. Apart from Dinka, he speaks Arabic and English. Now he is learning Massai. " Altius, citius, fortius ", the original motto of the Olympics, encompasses what Deng represents in the basketball court: speed, height and strength.

Add to this, intelligence and durability, and it is what Deng is all about. The 27-year-old NBA Chicago Bulls star is second in playing time in the NBA, an unbelievable feat, sought after by many coaches in the world's most famous basketball league.

Two years ago, he also won the Fair Play Award, the NBA sportsmanship award.

Make no mistake, the name Deng is a symbol to the African continent, followed by presidents, adored by millions of impoverished Africans and respected by his peers. In more familiar surroundings, however, you will find a spark in his eyes, more vivid when cracking a joke. It is a reflection of someone who lives life at the instant, to the full. This is due to his long journey from Sudanese refugee, to adopted British, to basketball star; a journey which has been full of dangers, harrowing experiences and tribulations.

And here we find an explanation of why the simplicity of a family gathering with his parents and siblings brings happiness and harmony to an otherwise convoluted life of a high performance professional athlete.

Luol

Deng

The New Londoners

7

by Carlos Villegas

Fleeing Sudan You were only five when you had to flee what is now South Sudan during the Second Sudanese Civil War. You moved to Egypt with your eight brothers and sisters and were separated from your father for several years. How tough was this experience for you and your family?

It was very tough, being a refugee and not speaking the language made it harder. Not having our father around made us come closer as a family.

Your father Aldo was granted political asylum in the UK in 1993 and you moved with your family to South London, at the age of 10. What are your first memories of the UK? The first thing that impacted me was to see that the country was very clean and there were a lot of glass buildings.

Do you have any special recollections about your time in Brixton?

Brixton at that time was special. I felt it was like a family

From left to right: Luol deng, Dan Clark, Eric Boateng and Nate Reinking. Pictures by Carlos Villegas

set. Everyone was the same, we all had similar problems and everyone was focused in getting better at basketball. It made us realize that we needed to stick closer, work as a team and try harder to improve ourselves.

Keeping his Dinka roots Your family always made an effort to keep the Sudanese culture, and in particular your Dinka tribe culture, in exile. How important was staying closer to your roots to help you succeed in a new land?

Very important. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy for kids to forget their roots, they forget their language and traditions.

We always spoke Dinka at home and it kept us together, closer, we felt that our culture gave us a unique identity, based in our family values, our parent teachings and learning to work harder and smarter in a new school set up.

You became a British citizen in 2006. Was it difficult to integrate yourself in the British culture?

Not at all. I came young and it was easy to learn the language. Being at school I got a lot of friends and they made it easy for me to integrate into the country's culture.

His family How important has been the support of your family to keep you going through the harder times?

My family is very important, we're a close family. My older brother Ajou was always there for me when there were questions, as well as my sisters. We always kept it close and it made things easy for all.

Con ti n u e d ove rl e a f > >

8

The New Londoners From left to right: Ajou (brother), Aldo (father), Martha (mother) and the reporter Carlos Villegas

Only a for oth life wor It seems that your parents have had a strong influence in the way you are. What are the most important values that they instilled in you?

I think it is to be respectful. We have a way in our culture that we respect our elders and they were always worried that someone came home saying we caused trouble in the street or the school, so we were always focused in having a good attitude rather than being only good at basketball. [Having a] good attitude was part of discipline, my parents were always supportive and always believed on me, they always thought that we were going to be successful.

You consider your father one of your biggest inspirations in life, why?

Because I never met anyone who came from tougher background, he came from a small village and he had nothing. Yet he came to be the Minister for Education and Transportation in Sudan.

How are your parents and your siblings doing now?

They're doing well, thank you.

Succeeding in the NBA When you were 14 your parents sent you to the US to take care of your sister, who had won a scholarship to play basketball in the Blair Academy in New Jersey. Did you ever think at the time that you would become an NBA star?

I always believed that I was going to be there! It was only a matter of putting the head down, being humble, working hard and overall listening to older people who gave good advice.

You were drafted into the 2004, you have been playing basketball with the Chicago B your spectacular career?

I think last year for my name shirt under my vest and it w passion to help people, that m where my heart is, it was a wa of potential.

You are 6ft 9in (2.06 m) ta dream was to become a fa prayed not to grow taller?

Yes, that is very true, becau wanted to play football.

Are you still a huge Arsenal Yes, of course.

What do you think about th I think GB has potential to world. Definitely there is a lot improve a lot of young guys good role models.

Picture: ENOUGH Project

life lived hers is a rthwhile

The New Londoners

9

Giving back to Africa and the UK Away from the court, you have done a lot of charity work in South Sudan, Chicago and the UK. You have also set up the Luol Deng Foundation to help those who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been quite so fortunate.

Why are you so passionate about helping others?

Cause I think about what Albert Einstein said: "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile", for me, it is not to be self-centred. I really believe that is very true.

You decided to play for Great Britain in this summer Olympics, despite having an injured wrist and risking putting in danger your ÂŁ45 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. Why was it so important to you to be there for the Games?

I think my wrist was not as seriously injured as everyone made it to be. It is not so often that the Olympics are in your backyard after all, but to me it was very important to represent the country that has offered us so much.

You have become a role model for thousands of kids. They may have talent, but not the opportunities to succeed; some of them may be refugees. What is the best advice that you can give them, whatever they are good at?

I think three things: One, believe in yourself. Two, work hard (include here your life, school and sport). Three, have fun, not letting time pass by, enjoy it, that is how I live my life.

Independence of South Sudan You have always been proud of the country that gave your family asylum, but you have never forgotten the nation of your birth: South Sudan. You were there, on 9 July 2011, when South Sudan became an independent state. What did that day mean for you and your family?

I think it was special because it just says all those people who fought all these years, fought for something worthwhile, those people who gave their lives they gave it for others to have rights and responsibilities, that life is worth living with dignity and aspirations.

NBA when you were only 19. Since g at the highest level of professional Bulls. What is the proudest moment of

e to be called and to have the African twas the best opportunity to show my moment spoke a lot, where I came from, ay for me to show a continent with a lot

all. Is it true that as a teenager your amous football player and you even

use I was really good at football and I

l FC fan?

e future of basketball in Great Britain? be one of the best in Europe and the t of potential and a great opportunity to to become excellent sport people and Picture by Eric Boateng

10

The New Londoners

London Olympics Housing Legacy

by Julian Cheyne

The Clays Lane housing estate in east London used to be home to up to 450 tenants – until it was compulsorily purchased in the summer of 2007 to make way for the site of the 2012 Olympics.

Julian Cheyne, a tenant on the estate since 1991, was vociferously opposed to the eviction said in an interview that the Olympics would actually slow up development as it would take land out of circulation until 2013.

The key question is how much of this housing will be available for local people at affordable rents or prices. Originally a target was set of 50% ‘affordable’ housing for legacy housing. However, affordable means up to 80% of market rents.

This target has been altered to 35% and now, according to London Citizens, may fall to 28%. This decline was predictable as the intention was always to recover as much money as possible through land sales to pay for the Olympics.

Historically Olympic Games have been accompanied by a rise in rents and house prices resulting in gentrification. In Barcelona 55,000 people were removed to create a new middle class suburb in the Docklands after the 1992 Games.

Eviction and land clearance are common features of Olympics, as is occurring in Sochi and Rio at the moment.

East London remains the capital’s great property development opportunity and the Olympics provided the chance to compulsorily purchase land at knock down prices. That this was the purpose of acquiring the land was made plain by Gareth Blacker, former Head of Development at the London Development Agency, in 2003 when he said the LDA was looking for ‘partners’ in the property industry. London 2012 had the specific objective of clearing out the ‘dirty’ industry and jobs which local people did from the Park and replacing them with new clean creative industry for the incoming population.

The next stage will see the Olympic zone expanded to include areas around the Park.

One such scheme involves the demolition of the Carpenters Road estate, mainly composed of social housing, and its replacement with a campus for University College London (UCL). As this process gathers pace higher rents and house prices will make it harder for local people to live in the area, just as occurred back in the 1980s in Docklands when local people were moved out of the Isle of Dogs and local unemployment went up even as new jobs were being created at Canary Wharf.

Picture by Mike Wells

At the end of 2002 Tony Blair signed a report into hosting the Olympics called Game Plan, which warned the government not to expect economic benefits from the Games. Six months later he was supporting the Bid and talking of the regeneration of East London. However, one of the first things London 2012 did was to demolish two social housing estates for 1000 people, the former Housing Co-operative estate for single people at Clays Lane and the UEL student estate at Park Village.

This loss of housing is usually not mentioned in discussions about housing on the Olympic Park. Neither is the fact that the Athletes’ Village would have been built anyway as part of the Stratford City project, which includes the Westfield Shopping Mall and has nothing to do with the Olympics.

Indeed, the original project would have delivered more housing of a better design at little cost to the public purse. Instead the Village was sold at a loss of £275million.

The key question is how much of this housing will be available for local people at affordable rents or prices London 2012 claims it will deliver a further 11,000 homes. However, it is seldom realised that the Lower Lea Valley would have provided large amounts of housing anyway. The Valley was already undergoing substantial redevelopment with large numbers of flats being built all over the area which is crisscrossed with canals and rivers and many of the blocks are being built close to these waterways. In 2003, Jason Prior, the Olympics Masterplanner,

www.gamesmonitor.org.uk

The New Londoners

11

Media got it

Pictures by Pablo Monteagudo & Slyeone

wrong

" I am not a criminal ", says Italian man lambasted unfairly by anti immigrant media. By Cina Aissa When Salvatore Quero helped distribute bags of fast food to a Bulgarian family outside Westminster Cathedral one day in September he had no idea that he had been snapped by the media.

He was even less aware that his picture would be featured the next day in two articles lambasting immigrants in the tabloids The Sun and The Daily Express. The stories presented Mr Quero as being part of a Bulgarian family, which was accused of “milking” the “soft” British benefits system shortly after having arrived in Britain.

In fact, that day, Mr Quero, a homeless Italian man, was at Westminster Cathedral after spending the night there during which time he first became acquainted with the family.

According to Mr Quero, when a lady appeared with MacDonald’s bags to distribute he just helped her give them out to the children.

Unbeknownst to him, a photographer a few feet away was taking pictures of the scene that would become fodder for the following day's anti-migrants' articles.

The Sun published the story online as well as in print under the tongue in cheek title “Greedy Bulgars”. The Daily Express published Mr Quero’s picture under the front page headline “Migrants make mugs of us all” – They implied he was Bulgarian and the father of a family of seven milking the system when he is a single italian man.

“When I walked into the Jobcentre the following day, I was confronted by staff about

my real nationality,” he told me, speaking in Italian. “I was shown the article and I was told I was a liar because they knew me as being Italian and single.”

Ros Lucas, the MRC’s executive director, said: “After such positive images and articles in the press about migrants at the Olympics and Team GB, it has not taken long for the gutter press to resort to inflammatory, inaccurate reporting on migrant issues.”

Salvatore, head held high, pointed to his chest and said in Italian: “Everybody knows me as Italian Salvatore at the Cathedral, [including] the Immigration Police, but it has disturbed me because this has made me look like a criminal and a thief. And a criminal and a thief I am not.”

MRC has filed a complaint, on Salvatore’s behalf with the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) and has written to both papers asking them to remove the picture and give Mr Quero an apology. The Sun newspaper is withdrawing the article from its website and is publishing an apology.

The Daily Express has refused. Both newspapers have run stories in the past about citizens from Romania and Bulgaria coming to Britain to take advantage of its benefits system, since the countries joined the EU in 2007.

12

The New Londoners

Myth: Immigration into the UK is rising Fact: Estimated total long-term immigration to the UK in the year to December 2011 was 566,000. This compares to 591,000 in the year to December 2010 and has remained broadly at a similar level since 2004.

Furthermore estimated net migration (Net migration rate is the difference of immigrants and emigrants of an area in a period of time, divided (usually) per 1,000 inhabitants) was 216,000 in the year to December 2011.

This is lower, but is not a statistically significant difference, from 252,000 in the year to December 2010.

Migration Statistics Quarterly Report August 2012. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration statistics quarterly report/august 2012/msqr.html)

myt h fact

Changes to t The right to a family life has taken a pounding from the Home Office since the coalition government came to power in May 2010 and has received a huge amount of negative press from some conservative media.

Since January 2011, the Home Office has continuously introduced a string of new measures which make it tougher for non-British people to stay in the UK or bring their husbands or wives. From July 2012 any migrant who wishes to bring a family member to the UK must earn at least £22,000 a year, and for every non-British child they must have an additional £2,400 in savings.

“It is important that we say you should be able to support yourselves and not be reliant on the state,” said Damian Green, the former Minister for Immigration.

The Home Office has announced the removal of the right of appeal for people who are refused family visas, and from October 2013 everyone applying to settle in the UK will need to pass an inter

Myth: Migrants 'take the jobs from young Britons' Fact: A report published on January by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) – which uses data from national insurance numbers, rather than the survey data – finds no link between immigration and unemployment. Their results, which appear robust to different specifications, different levels of geographic aggregation, and to a number of tests, confirm the lack of any impact of migration on unemployment in aggregate.

They find no association between migrant inflows and claimant unemployment. In addition, it seem to confirm the general lack of an aggregate impact of migration on unemployment during periods of low growth or the recent recession. http://www.niesr.ac.uk/pdf/090112_163827.pdf Myth: Asylum seekers come to the UK to claim benefits Fact: Most know nothing about welfare benefits before they arrive and had no expectation that they would receive financial support.

(Refugee Council, Chance or Choice? Understanding why asylum seekers come to the UK, 2010) Myth: Half of all social housing in parts of England goes to people born abroad Daily Mail. Published: 17:42, 15 April 2012.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article 2130095/Calls British people given priority social housing queue revealed foreigners HALF properties.html#ixzz20zAMF3pv Fact: Migrants need to obtain a permanent residency or be a European Economic Area worker in order to be allocated to social housing. This means that most of new migrants, including asylum-seekers, students and work visa holders are not eligible for social housing. Besides, a report from the Equality Human Rights Commission published on 2009 showed that 90% of people living in council homes are UK born and less than 2% are new migrants. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/4_socia l_housing_allocation_and_immigrant_communities.pdf

Tania Farias, Tunde Akinfolajimi & Nicola Chelotti

On 9th July 2012 demonstrators gathered outside the Home Office in opposition to planned changes to family migration law. British citizens, or a person who is settled in UK, are now expected to earn £18,600 pa in order to bring non-EU spouses over to live in the country. They are arguing that the rules put a price on the right to love.

Pictures by Pablo Monteagudo

t

the right

The New Londoners

13

mediate level English language test and pass the “life in the UK” test. There will also be more restrictions on non-EU adults and their elderly dependent relatives.

The period a non-EU migrant on a family visa can apply for indefinite leave to remain will be extended from two to five years.

In addition, Theresa May has called on judges not to stop the deportation of foreign criminals and if they do so she says she will introduce new parliamentary measures that will prevent this.

The right to a family life is enshrined in the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

Article 16 of the Covenant stipulates: “As soon as a person is legally entitled, he or she has the right to marry and have a family. In doing this, neither the colour of your skin, the country you came from nor your region should be impediments.”

The UK is a signatory to the Covenant and the ECHR and the right to a family life was incorporated in UK law through the Human Rights Act of 1998. This right entitles anyone who is settled in the UK to bring their husband, wife or civil partner and wider family, such as grandparents and grandchildren, to the country.

However, this right is not absolute; it has restrictions stipulated by law.

The Home Office has put forward some legitimate arguments to justify the changes, for example, its need to remove foreign criminals from the UK. But the negative impact of the measures significantly overshadows the positive effects. The changes will hit hard working and law abiding immigrants who are mostly employed in the low income pay bracket. It will change the way many immigrants live their life as they will not be able to bring their spouses, dependants and elderly relatives to the UK, just because they do not have enough savings.

These new rules seem to target the weak and vulnerable in our society and send the wrong message to the world: that the poor are no longer accepted in the UK. As a champion of democracy and civil society in the world, Britain’s blatant infringement of human rights sets a dangerous example to the rest of the world that we can pick and choose which human rights we will adhere to when our interests are threatened.

by Sime Serge

to a family life

14

Tough time The New Londoners

Il lu stra ti on b y Vivia n D a ll Alb a

to be

I should university t skills, so that to find a job i and contrib

United

Paul Hamo writes about how difficult it is under the present UK law for a family to be united and plan a future Background picture

by Roberto Paci Dalò & Giardini Pensili

Picture by MrOmega

For many people living in developing countries the thought of moving to a developed one is embraced with joy as the opportunity to fulfil a dream. But this dream can easily turn into a nightmare if you move without the right support.

I am a 35-year-old Cameroonian who recently settled in the UK and I still often

question my choice of having to sacrifice my motherland, friends and family in the quest for a better life and my decision to follow the woman I chose to be my wife .

In 2006, I met my wife in London while researching my thesis at the Institute of Advanced Legal studies in London. She was working as a nurse in London. While I was

The New Londoners working as a project administrator for the Clinic De Zolapa in Douala, Cameroon, I became intrigued by the issue of privacy and confidentiality concerning our patients’ records. So I used my time in London to do research on the best privacy practices that would enhance confidentiality without compromising patient care. After finishing my project I moved back to Cameroon and my girlfriend and I stayed in close contact and even visited each other several times.

Five years later we got married in Cameroon and soon I faced the dilemma of whether to leave my job and all that I had achieved with so much hard work to join her in the UK. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. For the stability and safety of my family I decided to move to the UK. The enormously complex process began with the visa screening. Changes in the UK immigration rules meant a huge amount of paperwork was required. I applied for my visa on February 11th 2011 at the British

UK. Once here, I applied for over 150 jobs during the next six months to no avail. Soon my dream of living a happy family life started to evaporate. I realised suddenly how enormous a task it would be to find a decent job like the one I had in Cameroon. I decided to go for any sort of job to make ends meet, but it was still impossible to find one.

My wife and I decided I should go back to university to enhance my skills, so that I might be able to find a job in the long term and contribute to society. While she continues to work as a senior nurse taking care of severely sick children at the Evelina Children’s hospital, I am presently studying management at London South Bank University.

The economic crisis has not helped newly arrived immigrants like me, as the scarcity of jobs had made the environment more hostile for us. Some politicians and conservative media often accuse us of

15

as I will have to apply for permanent leave to remain when my visa expires.

In January 2010, the Home Office introduced new measures to further restrict the right to a family life and made it more difficult for immigrants to bring their family members to the UK. The right to a family life has also received an enormous bashing from some British media. The Telegraph claimed recently that many immigrant offenders are using the right to a family life to avoid deportation to their country of origin.

After seeing the experience of many immigrants from my country who have gone through the family route to settle in the UK, I get a mixed picture of their experiences. Some have had an easy ride and are fully integrated into the system while others have found moving to the developed world has left them destitute and in real pain.

However, I believe my experience of

d go back to to enhance my t I might be able in the long term bute to society High Commission in Yaounde, Cameroon. I had to submit my entire life history to the embassy plus six months of bank statements, a letter of employment and six months of payslips, my property land title, a birth certificate, my passport, my marriage certificate, my wedding photos, a parent acknowledgement letter and my wife’s entire personal/ sponsorship documents.

In addition, I had to take an English test at the British High Commission, which took me two months, one month just to get a test date and another month to get the results.

The lack of visa processing centres in my country, which results in applications being sent to Ghana, entailed further delays and more unwarranted expenditure. Overall, it took for than five months for the visa to be provided.

After finally obtaining my visa on September 5th 2011 I was thrilled with the thought of spending time again with my wife and son after our long separation.

In my job at the clinic in Douala I was involved in the daily running of the medical institution in coordination with the chief medical officer. Douala is a beautiful coastal city and a main economic hub in Cameroon, and I played an active role in my community and was involved in many community and social projects.

With huge expectations and ambitions, on September 25th 2011, I finally arrived in the

Picture by Pablo Monteagudo

taking advantage of the British welfare system. If they only knew how hurtful and unfair these statements feel to me! Since I arrived in London, my family has spent £10,000 in tuition fees; £10,000 in rent; £8,000 in transportation and clothing and £10,000 on food and other needs. All this without me having either a job or any guarantee of my right to stay in the country,

moving to the UK may not have been the worst as I am presently enjoying my family life and studies in the UK while looking forward positively to the future. Moreover, the opportunity of volunteering with the Migrant Resource Centre, whose ethos I share, has helped me to make new friends and broaden my appeal in the British job market, for which I am greatly thankful.

16

The New Londoners

Afghans get

together

For the first time, 2000 Afghans came together in London to celebrate the summer festival and Eid, which marks the end of month long fasting during Ramadan. The capital city is home to the largest number of Afghans in Britain but not until now have the different Afghan communities celebrated together.

Pictures by Simon Hammond

by Sarajuddin Isar The Paiwand Afghan Association, a Colindale-based charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees, and the Afghan Events Worldwide applied in July to Harrow council for permission to hold the Summer Festival at the borough’s athletics stadium. The borough of Harrow is home to one of the largest Afghan communities in London.

“The event aimed to bring the flavour of these [Afghan] traditions to the non-Afghan local residents who have frequently seen Afghanistan as a picture of horror, terror and suicide in the media,” explained Farid Mall, director of the Colindale-based charity.

“We wanted to break this stereotype and show a different picture,” added Mall.

Decades of civil war and instability in Afghanistan have left profound ethnic, religious, economic and political divisions across the country. They have also produced one of the largest groups of refugees and asylum seekers living outside Afghanistan.

Afghans made 24,800 asylum claims in 44 industrialised countries in 2010, according to a report from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The UK was their main destination with 3,500 claims registered in 2009. The Office for National Statistics estimated three years ago that over 56,000 Afghans lived in Britain, the majority of them in London.

The profound divisions created over the years were not evident during the Afghan festival that took place on Saturday, August the 25th , at the Roger Bannister Sports Centre in Harrow, as Afghan families of different ethnic, religious and language

The New Londoners

17

This was a fantastic opportunity to meet Afghans of different origins, backgrounds and ages backgrounds came together to enjoy a full day of Afghan culture.

There was a football competition, as well as kite flying and egg fighting games, which are common during the New Year or Eid festivals in Afghanistan. There were also traditional Tajik Qataghani songs from Northern Afghanistan, Pasthun Atan dances as well as delicious kebabs and Qabulee, a typical Afghan rice with sliced carrots and raisins. Several community organisations also had stalls in the festival.

The event provided Afghan youths who have grown up in the UK an opportunity to learn about the culture of their ancestors which now may seem distant to them.

“They might have read about kite flying in the books but they might have not flown one,” said Mall. “Egg fighting games could

possibly give them a different taste of their cultural legacy”.

Ghulam Farooq, a participant from Blackhorse, Eastern London, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to meet Afghans of different origins, backgrounds and ages. It was particularly interesting to see the young generations who have been brought up in the UK”.

Rafi Fazil, an Afghan community worker, said that it would be positive for the community if similar events were held more often.

“Social gatherings such as this one would support national solidarity and understanding among Afghans,” said Fazil.

“Bringing dispersed Afghans into one big umbrella would support us build our lost unity”.

Nahzley Anvarian, Mentor Coordinator at the Paiwand Afghan Association , Paiwand means “unity” , was impressed to see Afghans united and having fun together. “[I saw] people with push chairs and families calling their relatives to come and attend the event; [they] were so excited,” said Nahzley.

Entry on the door was £10 for adults and £5 for children as the association did not find sufficient funding to cover all the costs.

Even though not all things turned out as planned for the event – for instance, there were only two big tents to accommodate all the presents and fewer volunteers than expected showed up, people seemed to enjoy the event and even suggested that it should be held twice a year: One summer festival and one winter festival.

Social gatherings such as this one would support national solidarity and understanding among Afghans

The New Londoners

In January 2011, the Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato was brutally murdered in Uganda. Less than three months before, the Rolling Stone newspaper in Uganda*** , published a photograph of him with the heading ‘hang them’.

Flagrant displays of homophobia, such as this, are not uncommon and demonstrate the intolerance for gay people in some parts of the world. Laws banning gay sex remain in 74 countries and in 6 countries the death penalty is the punishment for being gay. It is unsurprising therefore, that people want to claim asylum in safer countries, such as the UK. Yet despite the legal protection afforded to asylum seekers, barriers still remain.

In recent years, there have been significant legal advances for lesbian and gay asylum seekers. The most noteworthy is the 2010 UK Supreme Court case HJ (Iran) and HT (Cameroon). The judgement was heralded as a landmark for lesbian and gay equality because it established that discretion was no longer a legitimate reason for refusal.

Prior to this case, gay applicants could be returned if it was ‘reasonably tolerable’ for them to be discreet about their sexuality.

Now, if an applicant can prove they are gay, prove they would be ‘openly’ gay if returned and there is evidence that this would lead to persecution, and then they are entitled to refugee status.

The UKBA have a specific training manual on ‘Sexual Orientation Issues in the Asylum Claim’, which recognises the need for a sensitive approach to sexuality. Yet many lesbian and gay asylum seekers face a barrage of expectations and stereotypes when applying for asylum. Although HJ (Iran) is a landmark case, the emphasis is now placed on the applicant proving that they are gay. Many asylum seekers have found that UKBA case owners are resorting to obsolete stereotypes in order to ‘inform’ their decision making. Often, asylum seekers are asked questions which are over-sexualised and require individuals to vividly recollect and articulate their sexual experiences. Asylum seekers have been denied protection because they have appeared too typically straight and often applicants are expected to act, dress and speak in certain ways which conform to rigid Western notions of sexuality.

Asylum seekers are encouraged to make a claim as soon as they arrive in the UK. However, there are many factors which may affect an applicant’s

Killed for

being gay Picture by Russell Higgs

18

by Charlotte Mathysse Laws banning gay sex remain in 74 countries and in 6 countries the death penalty is the punishment for being gay ability to disclose their sexuality coherently in a rigid time-frame.

For example, it is likely that the stress of having to constantly repeat (and relive) persecution combined with the possibility of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will affect a claimant’s memory and demeanour. A cultural reluctance to talk about sexuality may also hinder the asylum process. By the nature of the individual’s claim, they are likely to be from a country where

they will have been constantly told that being lesbian or gay is ‘immoral’, and one cannot expect these feelings of internalised shame to disappear once they arrive in the UK. In many countries, sexuality is not discussed, and the prospect of having to tell things you cannot tell your own family, to a uniformed guard inevitably terrifies many people.

Many asylum seekers have also found that the presence of interpreters can sometimes be detrimental to their application.

Often interpreters are from the applicant’s home country, and reflect prevalent homophobic attitudes; there have been instances where interpreters will use abusive language against applicants, or mistranslate their statements. Undoubtedly this is a time of cuts in asylum seeker services, yet this should excuse an unfair interpreting service.

Finally, government cuts to legal aid have also disproportionately affected lesbian and gay asylum seekers. Legal aid law firms now have less time to construct a coherent case to present to the Home Office. Lesbian and gay asylum applications often take longer because the applicant must have ‘come out’ to the solicitor, and be prepared to talk openly about their sexuality in front of a case owner.

The legal protection given to lesbian and gay asylum seekers has vastly improved over recent years. Yet this development has been undermined at the lower levels of decision making, where ignorance and heterosexist biases are resorted to in order to judge cases.

***The US based world famous Rolling Stone Magazine issued the following statement: “A new newspaper out of Uganda bearing the name Rolling Stone has published one of the most vile and hateful anti-gay screeds we have ever read. The article printed the addresses and photos of 100 homosexuals in the country, calling for them to be hanged. Not only are we not affiliated in any way with the Ugandan paper, we have demanded they cease using our name as a title.”

www.uklgig.org.uk http://madikazemi.blogspot.co.uk

The New Londoners

Counselling service offers hope for Tamil Sri Lankan Women

19

Voluntary Projects in London

by Helena Argyle Earlier this year EACH, a voluntarily organisation established in 1991, noticed a need for a specialist counselling service for some of its users. The organisation which works with diverse communities across West London provides specialist services to individuals and families to address their alcohol, drug, mental health and domestic violence concerns. Six months ago it set up the Tamil Sri Lankan Counselling Service, headed by co ordinator Lavanniya Langa.

The New Londoners Magazine met up with Lavanniya at one of their services satellite locations in Wembley to catch up with her on how things have been going.

1. Your counselling service is relatively new. When did it become so apparent that there was a need for a service for Tamil Sri Lankan Women in London?

EACH was involved in a domestic violence project called Pukar, a service mainly directed at Asian women who are refugees and asylum seekers, and that was when it was decided that there was a need for a Tamil speaking counsellor. It was identified that there is a lot of domestic violence involved in the community; some of the women have either been through or witnessed traumatic things that they’ve never discussed. These things include war, rape, imprisonment, terrorism and the loss of loved ones, and can result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects both the emotional and physical well being of an individual. These feelings can be displaced in the form of domestic violence, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, alcohol/drug use. Most of the clients I have at the moment think that what they have been through is normal, or are in denial. There is something very impersonal in having a translator - the term ‘lost in translation’ comes to mind. Having someone who speaks Tamil allows the clients to form a relationship of trust.

2. What methods or approaches do you take when counselling your clients?

Mainly, we use one to one counselling. We also have support groups, but I am still in the process of establishing these. It is very hard to get everyone together because of trust issues. We also have an information and advice service that deals with basic support issues.

3. Given what you have set out to do, how do you feel about your service’s success?

It’s moving slowly, as it has been hard to break through boundaries. We have had a few problems getting GPs to refer clients to us where there may be underlying problems.

We have tried to get around this by sending information out to GPs and making them aware of our service. Little by little we are getting more clients, but it’s happening slowly. We do also get some clients through word of mouth - the Tamil Community Centre in Hounslow, for example, has been very good at getting people to contact us.

4. Now that the ball is rolling, what are the plans for the future of your service?

We are funded for 3 years through the National Lottery. Over that time I would love to have my diary full of clients. I do have 19 clients so I am pretty much reaching full house, which is great. I just want to carry on helping these women and most importantly find them. Find them and let them know they don’t need to suffer in silence. They can find help. We can’t necessarily fix everything, but we can talk them through things and help them understand what they are dealing with. It’s really hard moving from another country, especially a country like Sri Lanka, and creating a life here, especially when you can’t speak English. That’s what I am here for.

Picture by Rakesh JV

www.eachcounselling.org.uk

20

The New Londoners

Zimbabwean activist’s final day leaves many questions unanswered by Hamish Ramdharry

The death of a beloved political activist and community volunteer from Zimbabwe in early July, sent shockwaves through the migrant Zimbabwean community.

Bernard Huwka, a 41-year-old activist, had fled Zimbabwe in 2002 to escape persecution as a member of the political opposition to Dictator Robert Mugabe. He was forced to leave his wife and children behind. Since he arrived in Britain 10 years ago, he had been struggling to get asylum.

In his home country, Huwka had worked as a computer specialist working for the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council and in London he had been volunteering with two charities, teaching computer skills to refugees and asylum seekers like him. He was so committed to his volunteer work that in June 2010, the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers awarded him a Volunteer of the Year award.

“While awaiting the Home Office to decide on my case, I dream that with enough support I can help improve the lives of so many others in our local communities and introduce them to the age of IT and digital technologies,” said Huwka while he received the award back then. In 2011, he ran the British 10K London Run to fundraise for the centre.

Bernard was still active, teaching classes at the Migrants Resource Centre, when his body was recovered from the river Thames in London on July 9.

According to those familiar with the proceedings, Westminster Coroner’s Office ordered a special post-mortem examination.

An open verdict was given by the Coroner on the 5th October. The Coroner was very sensitive to the broader context e.g., seeking asylum, being politically active and in fear of his life here in the UK, and being an inspiration to others in terms of his volunteering contributions. Bernard’s body has already been repatriated to Zimbabwe.

M. Hukwa, Bernard’s cousin, believed that he bowed under the intense disappointment of recently losing a second appeal for asylum in the UK with the Home Office. Bernard had tried to support his family in Zimbabwe throughout all these years, but this had become increasingly difficult because of his status. As an asylum seeker, he couldn’t work.

Bernard’s cousin said that he was a stout family man who moved from his rural village of Buhera, in Zimbabwe, to Harare, the capital, in search for work, and later

moved to Britain when opportunities became scarce and the political situation made his life untenable.

Bernard was also deeply committed to his political activism. He was an active member of several Zimbabwean organisations in London, including the Zimbawe Vigil, the Zimbabwe Association, the Restoration of Human Rights, and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), (Zimbabwe’s main opposition party), where he was Organising Secretary. He regularly attended the protest vigils that Zimbabweans in exile organize outside the Zimbabwean embassy.

“He was part of the Zimbabwe Vigil, and come rain or shine, he would always be at the Zimbabwe embassy staging his protests with others,” said Patricia Chinyoka, Secretary of the MDC in London. “He has played a major role in denouncing the ways of Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe.”

Chinyoka is firmly against the idea that Bernard would take his life over his asylum refusal. He said that in due time the MDC will contact the police and start their own inquiry into Bernard’s death.

“Bernard was the type of person who would tell us when things are bothering him, as he knows we are always here to help,” Chinyoka said. “I’m surprised that at the time he didn’t share his worries as to the extent of

© Zimbabwe Vigil

Bernard Huwka's Story

which the second refusal was hitting him.

Suicide perhaps, but I think there is more to it.”

Others who saw him in recent months say, however, that he looked distressed and very unhappy.

According to his friends “He appeared to have become increasingly withdrawn over recent months as a result of his 10-year struggle in seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom.”

“He felt that he let his family down, and maybe this must have pushed him to the edge,” said his cousin. “He will always be remembered as a determined and inspirational man, and the whole family are still truly hurt with the fact that he is no longer with us.”

After attending the inquest, Pauline Nando from SDC concluded that “Under the circumstances based on what information was available, we think this verdict is a fair one even though it will not bring Bernard back.”

The New Londoners

21

Book review

Nightmares (by Mark Hill) Reality, nightmares, dreams, reality. The novel by Mark Hill tells the story and the experiences of an ex-soldier during the Iran-Iraq war passing through different phases. The dramatic and brutal events of the war live again in the mind of the protagonist who occasionally re-experiences the original trauma(s) through surreal flashbacks or nightmares. Seeking refuge in safe havens, fantasies, or religion becomes thus crucial in order to continue living and surviving. With time, care, a more human environment, nightmares can turn to dreams, and into a

creative path. When back to reality and nightmares again, this time the human being is much stronger and wiser.

Nightmares by Mark Hill shows the tragedies of war and explores the nature of mental illness while digging into the man’s inhumanity to man. Mixing more dramatic tones with also some humour, it is surely a fascinating and recommended reading and raises awareness of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Review by Tunde Akinfolajimi & Nicola Chelotti

Reflections

by Hasani Hasani

Picture by Rob Scott

As he walks from Brixton to London Bridge, Peter’s mind is a battleground of conflicting thoughts about his situation. It is midday Monday and the sunny weather which ushered in the new day is getting colder because of the sudden drizzle. The rain only adds to Peter’s woes because at the immigration office where he goes every fortnight to report, there is no shelter for those queuing outside to give cover from the rain.

Peter’s mind takes him back to Zimbabwe where he left his young family. It is only two years ago when he was just an ordinary family man working for a big wholesaler in downtown Harare.

Being an active member of the opposition MDC in the townships of the capital, Peter was a marked man. Several detentions by the partisan police made Peter leave his family fearing for his life. With many opposition activists targeted by the regime this was a wise move to make, so he thought.

Upon arrival in the UK, Peter sought asylum, but his quest for sanctuary hit a brick-wall when the immigration office refused him refugee status citing his “low profile” activism, and that he was not in danger from the despotic regime in Harare. He has been

New Generation Publishing

reporting twice a month for the past two years and as he awaits the outcome of the court challenge to the refusal, he only wonders when he is going to gain status to be regarded as a refugee.

The thought of being detained by the immigration officials brings nightmares to Peter. Failed asylum seekers can be detained when reporting at the immigration offices and deported to their countries of origin. This brings fear to Peter since he knows he might be sent back to Zimbabwe where he might face worse treatment than before by the police.

In Zimbabwe arrests and detentions on trumped up charges of opposition members are rife especially towards election period, and the country is preparing for elections next year. The last general election was the worst experience for the opposition MDC which lost most of its members who were abducted and tortured by gangs aligned to the Mugabe regime. These bitter memories still linger in his mind.

As the three and half mile distance to the reporting centre draws to a close, Peter’s heart sinks when he sees the long winding queue of other asylum seekers.

22

The New Londoners Picture: Thomas Hawk

Students left in the lurch

by N. N. Dee

International Students of the Metropolitan University where left in limbo

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) recently revoked the special status licence of Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS), This permit a university to sponsor visas for students who originate outside the European Union. This situation led to much angst as this left many students in a state of academic and immigration limbo, as their legitimate presence in the UK depends upon enrolment in an institution recognised by the UKBA. The UKBA cited concerns with London Metropolitan University’s inadequate keeping of attendance registers, as well as insufficient evidence of adequate English proficiency levels among some students, as the basis for its draconian action. Further, in defence of its decision to revoke the licence altogether, the UKBA disclosed that among the sample of students investigated there were some who were not authorised to be in the country. The University countered that all of its students possessed proper authorisation and strenuously opposed the UKBA’s approach to the situation, which it claimed

did not allow it the opportunity to rectify any procedures that were not up to standard.

The University subsequently made an application to the High Court and on September 21st was granted permission to file for judicial review of the UKBA’s decision, which the UKBA, unsurprisingly, promised to

so that students with legitimate rights to stay could make alternative arrangements, what are we to make of the disruption and uncertainty caused to the students’ academic lives through no fault of their own?

Certainly, in order to ensure that students’ entry into the UK is not a ruse to work illegally, it

When legitimate students seek matriculation in an overseas educational establishment they have to put their trust in the integrity of such organisation, as can be seen in the considerable sums of money they have to pay in fees and living costs oppose.

Students were given sixty (60) days to arrange alternative course enrolment, on penalty of deportation or removal. While this provided a reprieve of sorts

is imperative that tertiary level institutions who are granted HTS status observe the criteria set out by the UKBA. However, as in all things, it is vital that decisions of this kind are taken

with proper care and only after thorough investigation.

When legitimate students seek matriculation in an overseas educational establishment they have to put their trust in the integrity of such organisation, as can be seen in the considerable sums of money they have to pay in fees and living costs. As all these enrolled students depend entirely upon the sponsorship by the university in question for their visas, why should they be penalized for the alleged administrative short-comings of that institution, over which they have no control?

Since in July of this year London Metropolitan University reportedly had its HTS status suspended, preventing further recruitment of overseas students, this should have been a warning to the University, if any was needed, to get its house in order. However, as the UKBA seeks to implement the Government’s wider vision on immigration control, doesn’t it also have an interest and a duty in ensuring that the rights of legitimate students are upheld?

The New Londoners

23

A Brit Abroad

in France

Kate Gamble moves to France and this is her story As a child Kate spent most of her summer holidays in France and always hoped to live in the south of France with its little coastal towns, hilltop villages, fields of lavender and markets. In other words, she liked the romantic dream of France.

Later, as part of her university degree, she first moved to Paris in 1998 for a year. At the beginning she was not particularly joyful with the city, but quickly fell in love with it and after finishing her degree in 2002 she moved back to Paris where she has now lived for ten years .

As she did not really speak much French, one of the biggest difficulties Kate had to cope with was the language. For the first months she lived in Paris even the simplest task such as opening a bank account, going to the doctor, ordering a drink or finding an apartment were very complicated for her.

Getting used to the bureaucracy in another country was another big issue for her and even after ten years in Paris, she still has the feeling that in the UK the people on the front desk of bureaucratic institutions are in general more “helpful”, and therefore things that are relatively simple in the UK are much more complicated in France.

“I think there are a lot of English people in Paris. I don't know if they get together for special events, but personally I have never been to one. I don't know very many English Pictures by Kate Gamble

people here and the ones I do know are "separate". We are not in a big group of friends; they are just English people I have met through other people” said Kate.

Actually, her first friends in France were other foreign people. Later, when she adapted more to the country, she also spent her time with French friends. However, she confessed that even now sometimes she feels that for French people she will always remain “Kate, l’anglaise” rather than “Kate”.

What she likes the most about France is that she has the impression that there it is possible to have a better work/life balance. For her, in England people dedicate more time working and they only go out during the weekend, whereas in France she feels that there is more of a balance. Besides, when it comes to cultural activities she prefers the city of Paris as she feels that there are more organized events there such as “La fête de la musique”, “La Nuit Blanche” or “La Nuit des musées”.

On the other hand, Kate said that shopping in Paris is now much more expensive than in the UK. For example fruit and vegetables in

particular are very expensive there compared to the UK. Furthermore, looking for an apartment in Paris can easily become a nightmare as they are incredibly expensive and tiny. However, the thing that she dislikes the most occurs in the professional area.

Kate is an English teacher and for her teaching English is badly paid there.

“Unfortunately there is an endless supply of holiday teachers, rather than career teachers that accept lower salaries and generally make the job seem less professional” said Kate. Moreover, in France foreign teaching qualifications are not recognized so it is not possible to work in a school unless you apply and get the proper accreditation.

The image she had of France before going there was very positive, in fact that was the reason she moved there in the first place. Nevertheless after living abroad for so long, she is conscious that living in a country with all the practical annoyances is not the same as going on holiday to a country, but “after many years here, I think I still love France as much as before I came, despite the daily hassles” concluded Kate.

I think I still love France as much as before I came, despite the daily hassles

24

The New Londoners

Picture by James Bridle

Experimental musicals, live music sessions, horrible noises, radio dramas, discussions about community issues, foreign-language programmes, programmes lead by teenagers.

These are only some of the things that you can listen to if you turn on our radio on 104.4 FM in Central London. Welcome to Resonance FM, the award-winning Londonbased non-profit community arts radio where “unexpected” is the key word.

Broadcasting live for around 96 hours per week, with 145 programmes per week, two millions of potentials listeners online and over 200 volunteers, Resonance FM tries to be faithful to its slogan, “The Art of Listening”.

“We use radio for the propagation of arts by using the media artistically,” explains Ed Baxter, Resonance’s programming director.

The station, run by the London’s Musicians Collective, features programmes made by musicians, artists, activists and any contributor who represents the diversity of London’s arts scenes. The station’s material ranges from programmes of experimental music such as The Wire to Calling All Pensioners, a programme which aims to inform the elderly about local events and benefits, to sick notes, a teenager-targeted production exploring London’s underground music scene. Other shows include foreign language programmes aimed at communities in London not served by other broadcasters such as Hogmaal, a programme concerned with Somali culture in the UK and Somalia.

The radio first aired in 1998 as part of the Meltdown festival at the South Bank Centre, and after a four year hiatus, returned in 2002 as part of the Ofcom Access Radio Pilot Scheme from studios on Denmark Street in the Soho area of London's West End. The pilot scheme turned out to be a successful experiment and, since 2005 some 200 community radios, including Resonance, have been licensed by broadcasting regulator Ofxom. They broadcast for audiences who are often

Communities on the waves

by Tania Farias Tune in to Resonance on 104.4 FM www.resonancefm.com overlooked by commercial broadcasters and many focus on topics such as social issues, religious beliefs and demographic interests.

Sometimes they broadcast in other languages other than in English.

The new model of radio arrived late in the UK - in other parts of the world it had been running for ages – but Baxter sees this as an advantage.

“The lack of provision and then the sudden opening of an opportunity meant we could define radio for ourselves,” said Baxter. “We didn’t have to follow other people’s models.”

In 2007, Resonance moved into a new building on Borough Street, Southwark. Its transmission power is lower compared with London’s main radio stations due to the terms of its community radio license (it covers 5 kilometres from the transmitter in London Bridge), but its programmes can also be streamed from the station’s website.

Beyond the experimentation, Resonance is a radio with a social conscience that wants to provide a space for people to express themselves, no matter their age, culture or belief. For this reason, its

team has created an educational programme running all year round.

“We are trying to educate people about the logistic of broadcasting, expressivity or technical skills,” said Baxter, “because that we don’t want to become static. We want to keep [Resonance] fresh.”

Early this year, Resonance also worked with the DIY Radio project, which is a teaching resource supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation that uses radio production techniques to develop students’ speaking and listening skills. As part of this project, Resonance took students for work experience from local secondary schools.

They did a series of sound poetry which was reviewed by The Observer.

Acknowledging that London is a cosmopolitan city, where about three hundred different languages are spoken, Resonance has also opened significant slots for languages such as Somali, Lingala, Taiwanese, Polish, Hindi and Spanish.

“It’s about expressing aspirations and concerns about culture in a proper manner, which is ‘I want to speak to my people in my language’,” said Baxter, who added that he is aware, however, that a lot of communities are still excluded.

Resonance is commencing a programme to train 30 bilingual migrants for two months learning the skills to broadcast on the radio and to produce their own radio proramme.

Baxter explained that Resonance keeps researching for variety and will always have its doors and microphones open for those who have something to say or to share.

“I haven’t been bored in 10 years, because every day there is at least one new person coming into the station,” he said.

The New Londoners

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Victoria Fairman, a Trinidanian British youth worker talks about her search for identity as a mixed race person in Britain, and her work for JusB, a charity supporting young people in the borough of Bromley, south east London. Interview by George Knaggs Mondays and Tuesdays I work from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. My day begins with getting breakfast for my youngest son and hopefully giving him a good start in the morning. My main aim is to provide for my family and be positive for my children. I think that the only way I can do that is to be positive for all children because my children don’t live in isolation.

Once my son is on his way I’ll check my diary and do research on the internet for youth activities. I’ll then come into the office to email and plan. We have a financial month coming up, so I may visit a bank or talk to our fundraisers.

We try to attach ourselves to other agencies and do joint projects. We are doing a project with a boxing club that is deep in the estate and that’s been there since the 1920s. The local Sainsbury’s has made JusB its charity of the year and Migrants Resource Centre is offering a photojournalism course.

(Young Voices) After speaking to the fundraisers I’ll probably talk to some of the young people who work here. I might also call one of our youth volunteer to see if they’re coming in for an evening session. If we’ve got a sexual health session I like to have slightly older people who have received that information before to be around. They are pretty cool and they can say: “Yes, I’m listening.”

If the young people don’t behave well out of here, and some of them don’t – some of them might belong to gangs – I think it is a good thing to always treat them with “positive disregard”, to take each interaction as a first interaction. If you feel you’ve always got to carry with you the s*** you’ve done before it is very difficult to move on.

I would say mixed race is the largest group we deal with. I think there is a rising mixed race population in this area of black Caribbean and white parentage (my background). The sadness I have is that the mixed race community is still on the outside because they are not a strong black community and they’re not a strong white community. I think their lack of identity might be contributing to their lack of attainment at school and to a high proportion of them being unemployed.

I don’t know how I would go about giving them more of an identity as British people, or British people of Caribbean descent. It is difficult. If your mother is a white European you will take your identity from her but you might look different so where is your identity? Take my siblings – we all have the same parents but we look completely different colours and races. Because of my background I tend not ask people where they are from because that can hold you up.

As our population grows I just hope we find our own niche.

My grandparents came from Trinidad and Tobago in the fifties. They were professionals and had property and land. They came looking for a better education for their children. At that time my mother was seven.

Having a West Indian mother meant that my home life was very different to my English friends’ home life. We were the only

black family in Tunbridge Wells.

We had lots of good friends but we had friends who were not allowed to play with us. But things have moved on. When I tell my kids that, they can’t believe it. That was the ‘70s.

It is very interesting to be in Bromley at

this unique time when it is becoming more diverse. In twenty years time I hope that this centre will still be here, offering young people, disenfranchised or not, the opportunity to have experiences without a government agenda. They have got to see experiences as money in the bank.

A Day in the Life Victoria Fairman

Picture by Georgie Knaggs

26

The New Londoners

Photo Story

Notting Hill Carnival

Picture by Eddie Romero

by Tania Farias

Picture by Ă lvaro Moliner

Over the course of two days, the Afro-Caribbean community once again took to the streets of London with its joyful sounds, delightful smells and flavours, and colourful costumes celebrating its traditions.

While I enjoyed the amazing Monday parade with the participation of two samba schools and their beautiful dancers and astonishing floats, the numerous dancing groups representing the Caribbean Isles and of course the iconic steel bands, I had a thought about the origins of the carnival.

In the middle of all this, it seemed very hard to imagine that the festival finds its roots in an extremely sad situation.

According to history, in the summer of 1958, the Notting Hill area was involved in a series of racist riots.

The New Londoners These riots were the result of the tensions created by a racist group who attacked the houses of West Indian people. In May 1959, a young man from Antigua was stabbed to death by a group of young white people.

These two major events reflected a tense situation lived every day by the black community in England since the years following the Second World War. In a response to this tough situation, a Trinidadian journalist, Claudia Jones, who was also a political activist and a black nationalist, brought up the necessity of creating a big event to leave behind all the violence against her community.

Following the strong tradition of carnival in Trinidad - a tradition which was born in 1833 when black people in this Caribbean isle were free and took to the streets to celebrate with music and dance - Claudia Jones proposed a carnival. The first Notting Hill Carnival was an indoor event and took place in the St. Pancras Town Hall in January 1959.

27

Picture by Jim Monk

Picture by Ă lvaro Moliner

The Notting Hill Carnival as we know it today, was realised for the first time in 1964. It was organised by the London Free School and Rhaune Laslett, a local resident who wanted to put on a festival which promoted cultural unity in Notting Hill. They invited a steel band who went on a procession around the neighbourhood.

The steel band who animated this carnival played every weekend in the Earls Court in London and also performed at Claudia Jones' first carnival.

Throughout its history, the Notting Hill Carnival has been surrounded by controversy. It has its origins in violent events and they occurred on several occasions during the festivities.

But even though these terrible events could cloud the party, the energy and the desire of the Caribbean people in London to share their culture and traditions remains intact and doubtless they are ready to continue with the celebration the next year.

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The New Londoners

My African Car

Picture by Bill Clibery - New Voices Project

The New Londoners

29

by Helena Argyle

ribbean London Brixton has become a popular attraction London's rich historical, social and cultural seeds have, over time, grown and blossomed, leaving us with the city as we know it today. The diverse communities and social groups that make their home here are an intricate part of this landscape, and in this edition of The New Londoners, we will focus on one community in particular: the vibrant and colourful AfricanCaribbean Community. The first dramatic post-war influx of African Caribbean settlers can be traced to the Empire Windrush. In 1948, the Windrush docked in Jamaica on its way to London from Australia. It picked up 493 Jamaican passengers, who were responding to a poster advertising work in England. Temporary housing was arranged for the arrivals in south west London, and in the years which

followed they would effectively come to populate various pockets of London, creating the communities we know and enjoy today.

One of London's main African-Caribbean centres is Brixton, in the Borough of Lambeth.

The area's reputation for high crime rates and gangs is often outweighed by its cultural scene; "The Economist" recently commented on the gentrification of the neighbourhood, following years of low house prices for an area so central to London - but prices are starting to go up as the area attracts more middle-class families.

The Afro-Caribbean culture of Brixton has become a popular attraction to crowds of all types - whether the pull of fried plantain and chicken feet stirs up an exotic culinary fancy or whether the delirious rhythm of reggae and calypso takes hold of a tapping foot. What may have seemed alien back in 1948 has now become a fashionable staple of London life. As well as helping to shape London's diverse

scene, the Afro-Caribbean community has also been party to many dramatic social changes.

The people of Brixton and other parts of the city with a high population of Afro-Caribbean have been the victims of years of discrimination and police unfairness which have led to tensions between the black community and the forces which govern them.

The Afro-Caribbean influence in Brixton is a predominant vein in the heartbeat of London, and will remain so for many generations to come. These days, the Brixton Village is a great example of ethnic diversity because under one roof you have together a whole spectrum of different cultures and cuisines.- Many multicultural societies are marginalised, and pockets of people feel alienated from each other due to economic or social factors, but with time, hope and unity, the positive effects of integration begin to shine through.

Top pictures by John Gribben (1 , 2) & Hassan Al-Mousaoy (3) - New Voices Project

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The New Londoners

Picture by Eddie Romero

Restaurant review

Negril

Review by Pablo Sanhueza When you arrive at Negril on Brixton Hill you immediately notice how busy it is. It has a small seating area but is very comfortable.

They also have seating outside so you can sit and enjoy the sun on

Picture by Jon Ward

132 Brixton Hill SW2 1RS Transport Brixton tube/rail/45, 109, 118, 250 bus Telephone 020 8674 8798 Dinner served 5-10.30pm Mon-Fri Meals served 10am-10.30pm Sat, Sun Main courses ÂŁ7.95-ÂŁ9

warm days. The waitress who received us was polite and helpful when pointing out our seats. Water with ice arrived without being asked for which was nice as staff in most restaurants seem to frown when you ask for the dreaded 'tap water'. A quick look at the menu and you see that not only do they have the usual list of Jamaican cuisine, both meat and veggie options, but also breakfast for early starters. A variety of drinks are available, you can bring your own wine if you wish, and dessert cakes are homemade.

After two starters, plantain balls and jerk ribs, I shared the curry platter, which includes two curries of your choice - I had the curry goat and braised oxtail - two portion of rice, a roti and a basic mixed salad. The food was well presented and appetising and although it was not spicy it was well flavoured and enjoyable, which is good for those with non spicy palates. This was all washed down with a refreshing tropical juice by the name of 'Caribbean Queen'. After this a warm homemade chocolate cake with cream and a coffee rounded off a pleasant Negril experience.

Negril won't be the cheapest eatery you will visit in Brixton, but it will definitely be one of the best.

The New Londoners

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Jamaican Vegetable Patties Serves 6 30 minutes or fewer The sweet, earthy flavours of carrots and peas temper the kick of Jamaican jerk seasoning in these Caribbean-inspired patties. For even speedier preparation, use pre-grated carrots, available in most supermarkets. To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim and discard crusts from firm, fresh sandwich bread. Tear bread into pieces, and whirl in a food processor or blender until crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/2 cup. The salsa can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Jamaican Vegetable Patties • • • • • • • •

2 cups diced fresh pineapple (about ½ pineapple) ½ cup diced red bell pepper 3/4 cup chopped cilantro or mint ¼ cup chopped green onions (about 4) ¼ cup minced seeded jalapeño chilli ¼ cup fresh lime juice 1 tsp. brown sugar Pinch of salt

1. To make Pineapple Salsa: Combine all ingredients; mix well. If making ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.

2. To make Jamaican Vegetable Patties: Heat 1 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, jerk seasoning and salt; cook, stirring often, 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in carrots. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Stir in peas, and cook 1 minute more. Transfer mixture to large bowl, and fold in breadcrumbs.

3. Put eggs and milk in bowl, and whisk together. Stir into carrot mixture. Form into 12 3/4-inch-thick patties, using generous 1/3 cup mixture for each.

4. Heat 1 Tbs. oil over medium heat in large non-stick skillet. Add half of patties, and cook about 5 minutes on each side until golden.

Transfer patties to plate; keep warm. Repeat, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Serve with salsa. www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/jamaican-vegetable-patties/

Pineapple Salsa • • • • • • • • • •

2 to 3 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 ½ cups chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbs. jerk seasoning ½ tsp. salt 4 cups grated carrots 2 cups frozen peas, thawed 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs 3 large eggs ½ cup nonfat milk

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The New Londoners

What's on

London Events Hayward Gallery. Southbank Centre 25 January 2 December 2012. I'm Going to Where You're Coming From. http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/h ayward-gallery-and-visual-arts/other-art-onsite/tickets/yu-chen-wang-1000327 7 September Sunday 9 December 2012.

Art of Change: New Directions from China. http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/f estivals-series/art-of-change-new-directionsfrom-china

by Tunde Akinfolajimi & Helena Argyle Oval House Tue 20 Nov â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sat 8 Dec, 7:45 pm. I Stand Corrected by Mojisola Adebayo and Mamela Nyamza.

A supernatural story of two black lesbian lovers from two different continents, trying National Theatre to touch each other across a mortal divide.

6 to 29 November 2012. Damned by http://www.ovalhouse.com/whatson/detail/iDespair. stand-corrected http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/da Apollo Cinema mned-by-despair 15th November 23rd November. 3rd Victoria and Albert Museum Annual Iranian Film Festival in London.

13 November 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 April 2013. Light http://www.ukiff.org.uk/ from the Middle East: New Photography http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/ex Film: Odeon and Vue cinemas until hibition-light-from-the-middle-east-new30th November 2012. Untouchable photography/ (Intouchables ) A true story of a wealthy, physically disabled risk taker whose world is turned upside down when he hires a young, good-humoured, black Muslim ex-con as his caretaker. Their bond proves the power and omniscience that love and friendship can hold over all social and economic differences.

C omic S trip R H by

hiannon

ughes

The New Londoners

33

Voices from No Man' s Land

Drawings by Ian Drummond

The Poems, published on this space are by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants living in London Olympics Here, Oppression There The women are terrified to gather and discuss The magic of the fastest man on earth They canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave the house to have a bit of social life They canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even leave the doors open because of repressive regime They are made to suffer right, left and centre They are even scared to report the rape to their husbands They suffer in silence and see the devil the vast hell can hold Olympics here, Oppression there Even the schoolchildren can no longer enjoy walking in groups As their movement is monitored every each of the way Their culture of friendships have been fragmented into foes Even their attitude is no longer admirable As the chains of oppression suffocate their childhood Olympics here, Oppression there The fathers have long been stripped of their dignity As they have proved to be defenseless in front of their families

And their symbols of parenthood have disappeared like dew in the morning Their eyes clearly speak of the chains which have choked their strength The memories of torture are written vividly on their faces As they speculate on dreadful and painful event to strike once more Olympics here, Oppression there The youth are young and yet voiceless They have been terrorized and tortured too They are too afraid to demonstrate for their justice Their once strong student union is now useless Hopelessness has eroded their zeal to change the regime As they know that the forces of persecution is always after them Their lives are completely filled with uncertainty Olympics here, Oppression in Zimbabwe Handsen Chikowore

34

The New Londoners

by Gillian McCormack

Clinical Lead for Immunisations (Westminster)

Health Advice

Vaccinations

© Sanofi Pasteur

1) What exactly does REDRESS do?

REDRESS is an organisation set up by a victim of torture in order to help other survivors of torture to seek justice.

Lawyers meet with them and look at what legal options are available to them. We help people take legal action or apply for compensation if they choose to do so.

2) I am Chilean so to ask for compensation, should I live in the UK or could I live in other countries or in Chile?

You do not need to be based in the UK. We can talk to you on the phone or Skype and/or we may be able to refer you to another organisation in your country that does similar work.

3) Which evidence do I need to bring up a case?

The evidence needed to bring a case depends a lot on what happened. Usually, we take a witness statement from you, and maybe from some of your family members. We also submit medical evidence - any medical records or reports that you have are very useful, but we are also likely to perform a special medical or psychological report - even if the torture was a long time ago. We also submit any documents that are available showing when you were arrested and/or released, and evidence of any financial impact that the torture and other human rights violations have had on you. Your evidence would be submitted in written form. If

My wife is expecting a child and I am worried. My friends have different points of view in relation to vaccination. What are the routine vaccinations offered to children up to 5 years old in the UK? The vaccinations that are offered free of charge from the NHS to all babies and children in the UK are: • Meningitis C + Hib • Measles + Mumps + Rubella • Pneumococcal • Diphtheria + Tetanus + Pertussis + Polio • Measles + Mumps + Rubella Yes but what do they protect against?

They protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib (haemophilus influenza type B), some types of pneumococcal infection, meningitis C (meningococcal type C), haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and meningitis C, measles, mumps and rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio.

At what ages are the routine childhood immunisations given?

The primaries (Diphteria, Tetanus, pertussis, Hib, Polio, Men C, Pneumococcal) are given at 2, 3 and 4 months.

Hib/Men C, Pneumococcal and MMR are given between 12 and 13 months.

Diphteria, tetanus, pertussis, polioand MMR are given as a pre- school booster from three years four months – 5 years.

Why are some parents so against immunisation?

Parents worry about the safety of the vaccine and the concern that the baby will be upset by having the injection.

Before vaccines are used they are thoroughly tested to assess how safe and effective they are, this assessment and monitoring of the vaccine continues after

court proceedings go forward, you can often provide spoken evidence by videolink.

4) How long does the process take?

It can take many years for a case to go through different courts. If the case can be taken to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights it will need to be shown that it was not possible to get justice in Chile. Some cases are settled much more quickly. Some survivors find that even submitting the evidence for their case to the authorities in itself is an important step in their recovery.

5) Should I pay for this legal representation?

REDRESS provides its services free of charge to torture survivors, and will usually have funding to cover the cost of any lawyers if required in Chile, or we can sometimes find lawyers or human rights organisations who can work with us on a voluntary basis.

6) This happened to me more than 30 years ago. What possibilities of success do I have with my case?

Even if those responsible are no longer alive, there is still the chance of being compensated for what happened to you, although success is never guaranteed. It can take many years for a case to go through different courts before getting a final decision.

Picture by Mike Gifford

they have been licensed. All medicines can cause side effects but vaccines are among the very safest. Research from around the world shows that immunisation is the safest way to protect your child’s health. Your baby may cry and be upset for a few minutes after vaccination but they will usually settle down after a cuddle.

Why does a child have to be vaccinated?

In the UK these diseases are kept at bay by high immunisation rates. Around the world more than 15 million people a year die from infectious diseases and more than half of these are children under the age of 5 years old.

Your child will be safe during the first years of his/her life.

Yes, but which complications or side effects should I expect?

No vaccine is free from side-effects but the risk of serious complications from the vaccines is always much lower than the risk from actually having the disease.

Some babies will have side effects which may include: Have redness, swelling or tenderness where they had the injection - this will slowly disappear on its own. May be a bit irritable and fell unwell or have a temperature (fever over 37.5 degrees centigrade) if so a dose of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen liquid may be given.

Where can I find out more?

Your doctor, nurse, health visitor or pharmacist will be able to answer any questions you may have about your child's vaccinations.

There is also helpful information at: http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/vaccinations/Pages/ Aboutvaccinationhub.aspx

Legal Advice REDRESS

www.redress.org