IFIR attends rally for Jimmy Mubenga

150 protestors comprising of Angolan, Congolese, Iraqis, a group of British, an Australian, and various others gathered at the Angolan Embassy on 12 November to protest the death of Jimmy Mubenga, who died whilst being forcibly deported back to Angola on board a British Airways flight. Jimmy’s family were amongst the protestors and called for a peaceful protest at his untimely death.  The Angolan Embassy was chosen because of their silence since Jimmy’s untimely death a month ago.  

Despite the embassy’s closure a man from inside the embassy asked a handful of Angolan protestors into the embassy for a chat.  The protestors gave a letter to the man addressed to the ambassador expressing their anger at the embassy’s silence flowing Jimmy’s death but did not enter into discussion with him.    

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Once the letter had been handed into the embassy the protestors made their way to the Home Office Head quarters at 2 Marsham St.  It turned out to be a longer route than was planned following several diversions by the police for the most spurious reasons (one of the reasons given was that they were changing guards at Buckingham Palace). The demonstrators were in fine spirits and despite the long walk banners were waved and the following slogans were shouted ‘No Borders! No Nations! Stop Deportations!’ and ‘What do we want? JUSTICE! Why do we want it? JIMMY MUBENGA!’

There were some excellent speeches at the Home Office including (among others), Jeremy Corbyn MP, Deborah Coles from Inquest, Emma Ginn from Medical Justice, the inspiring Adalberto Rosário de Miranda from the Union of Angolans UK, Ciaron O’Reilly who spoke about being deported from the United States, Ayo Omotade who told a horrific but eventually triumphant tale of his own experience on a BA flight, Dashty Jamal who spoke about the horrors of Iraqi forced deportations. 

Dashty stated that Jimmy is another victim of the forcible deportation policy. It is a shame that the UK a democratic country that is supposed to respect human rights, does not grant refugees’ fleeing from war torn countries asylum. We consider that human rights are universal and can not be limited by factors of geographic territory, gender, culture, religion or race.  

G4S and UKBA are responsible for the death of Jimmy Mubega and must be brought to justice.  Over the last five years the same G4S employees have assaulted and beaten many Iraqi refugees.   Our movement must stand against the barbarism of the policy of forcible deportation and detention.  .  Saidy also gave a brilliant impromptu speech, pointing out the hypocrisies of international politics, international borders and international business, with particular reference to the oil interests that Britain enjoys in Angola, Guy Taylor (who blogged here on the demonstration with some great photos).  Several Angolans, including José Gomes, Oswaldo Muniz and many more gave fantastic speeches.+

Report of 20 November anti racist demonstration organized by Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR)

TCAR campaigns for asylum seekers' rights and against policies which divide the working class by inciting British people to blame immigrants for cuts in services and lack of access to housing instead of blaming the government which is making the cuts and which attacks all the poor in this country, immigrant and native.

 

Approximately 150 people gathered close to Newcastle General Hospital to protest at the Government’s policy of detaining asylum seekers and refugees.  The protestors marched from the hospital in the rain to Newcastle City Centre’s Monument. 

The march was joined by Congolese campaigners from Manchester who sang protest songs in their own language. The demonstrators chanted `together we are stronger` We are with you in Dungaevel, Campsfield, Harmondsworth etc.

A few BNP supporters had set up a stall by the monument as a counter protest to the demonstration by the Monument.   However there were only five of them and TCAR continued to call speakers to address the protesters despite the continuing rain.   Dashty Jamal from the Federation of Iraqi Refugees was invited to speak alongside several anti asylum campaigners.  However the heavy rain continued so the demonstrators were invited to hear the rest of the speakers form a local pub. 

Unfortunately before TCAR’s microphone and other equipment could be packed up English Defence League (EDL) supporters arrived.  However the police steered the EDL supporters away from the TCAR demonstration.

The demonstrators left the square unmolested, and gathered in a nearby pub to hear speakers from the Harmondsworth support campaign and other groups campaigning against detention.