[www.asylumpolicy.info] - 'asylum decisions are an outrage'

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Contents

- UK
- World
- Miscellaneous
- Support of Victims of Torture
- Events

:: UK ::

These asylum decisions are an outrage
"That the Home Office is now clandestinely returning unsuccessful Somali asylum seekers to the failed state of southern Somalia is an outrage
17/6
http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,3604,1240375,00.html


UNHCR objects to forced returns to southern Somalia
"UNHCR has reiterated its position that involuntary return of rejected asylum seekers should not take place to southern Somalia, which includes the capital, Mogadishu. Furthermore, no Somali should be involuntarily returned to an area of the country from which he or she does not originate.
16/6
http://www.unhcr.org.uk/press/press_releases2004/pr16Jun04.htm

and Somalia
At risk: 500,000 people
From: 'Silent witnesses: 20 million civilians lost to the world'
"The innocent are the first casualties of war. Yesterday the UN admitted that it is powerless to help, reports
16/6
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=531942


IAS expresses concern to Minister over Iraqis and Somalis
"UNHCR is quoted as calling this an "unannounced policy change." I should be grateful if you could clarify the situation for us regarding Somali asylum seekers.
Information given by the then Minister Beverley Hughes in response to a Parliamentary Question (2 March 2004) indicates that there might be as many as 34,575 Iraqis, 30,575 Somalis and 14,315 Zimbabweans in this position.
16/6
http://www.iasuk.org/C2B/PressOffice/display.asp?ID=176&Type=2


Control of Rights - the rights of workers and asylum seekers under managed migration
by Lydia Morris
http://www.jcwi.org.uk/publications/controlrightspamph.html


Legal Services Commission annouces new immigration and asylum legal service
"the public body responsible for legal aid, today announced that it will be setting up a new public immigration and asylum service. The team will be headed by a senior solicitor and consist of a senior immigration solicitor, assistant immigration solicitor, senior immigration caseworker, trainee immigration solicitor and trainee immigration caseworker. Recruitment will start on 17 June 2004.
16/6
http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/misl/news/press/press-16-06-04.htm


LSC in competition with itself
"It remains to be seen how many asylum seekers and immigrants will turn to the LSC lawyers and have faith in the advice and representation given by part of the Government when fighting their cause against the Government itself.
16/6
http://www.iasuk.org/C2B/PressOffice/display.asp?ID=177&Type=2


Asylum case lawyers milk legal aid
"The new public immigration and asylum service pilot scheme will be based in Birmingham and open for business this autumn. More than 120 solicitors firms have been overcharging millions of pounds from the legal aid budget for handling asylum cases, the Guardian has learned.
16/6
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1239754,00.html

Some background material:
MPs attack legal aid cuts
http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,7991,1074736,00.html

and
http://www.immigrationandasylumwork.info/


I Am David" Film Puts Human Face on Refugee Crisis
16/6
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0616_040616_iamdavid.html


Plea over asylum family detention
16/6
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3812353.stm

and
From Liverpool's princess to Scotland's prisoner
Updated
http://www.paih.org/liverpoolprincess.htm


Children arriving in Scotland to seek asylum without their parents
16/6
http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.colo.ednet.co.uk/content/defaulttext.asp?page=s1_1_1&newsid=4067


Asylum seekers' trip back in time
"Asylum seekers and refugees living in Newcastle are taking a step back in time to explore the region's history.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3811479.stm


Home Office ignored bogus visa warnings
17/6
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/06/17/nscam17.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/06/17/ixnewstop.html


Crime and immigration
17/6
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,9061,1240603,00.html


Gunmen drive British builders out of Jenin
17/6
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1147808,00.html


:: World ::

Russia: Yukos Trial Starts as Kremlin Curbs Rights
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/16/usdom8773.htm


Russia: The Khodorkovsky Trial - The Broader Human Rights Context
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/16/russia8852.htm


U.S.: Restore Rights Undercut by Post 9-11 Policies
"The U.S. government’s roundup of immigrants after the September 11 attacks was plagued by abuses.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/16/usdom8773.htm


US: 9/11 probe finds no Iraq ties
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3812351.stm


El Salvador: Unconstitutional law should be repealed and new approaches to public security considered
http://news.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR290052004


Africa: Day of the African Child: the unending plight of child soldiers
http://news.amnesty.org/mav/index/ENGAFR010122004


Liberia: Diamonds Without Maps
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=2&ItemID=5720


Kosovo/Serbia: The Multi-Ethnic Dream of Kosovo
http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2004-06/11grubacic.cfm


Kosovo/Serbia and Montenegro: Joint Statement on the Situation of Internally Displaced and Refugee Minorities from Kosovo
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/06/16/serbia8845.htm


Palestinian mass protest halts work on Israel's security wall
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=532284


Sudan: UNICEF study shows dire situation for women, children in southern Sudan
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11066&Cr=africa&Cr1=child


Sudan: no escape from bloodlust
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=688102004


Sudan: 'This crisis seems set to worsen'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sudan/story/0,14658,1240400,00.html


China Repatriates Seven North Koreans -Seoul
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5442807


:: Miscellaneous ::

EU immigration flood fear 'wrong'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3813695.stm


Death List - List of 4591 documented refugee deaths (pdf 144 KB)
"More than 5000 dead refugees at Europe's borders - death by policy" - On 1 May the EU border and ts fatal reality of weekly refugee deaths
shifted eastwards. Will the tragedy at the borders of "Fortress Europe" continue forever?
http://www.united.non-profit.nl/pdfs/listofdeaths.pdf


Embassy staff furious at Home Office over scale of East European visa scandal
http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=688132004


:: Refugee Week ::

14 to 20 June

http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk

http://www.refugeeweekinscotland.org.uk


:: World Refugee Day ::

UN Secretary General, in world refugee day message, notes key role of asylum
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/sgsm9368.doc.htm


:: Support of Victims of Torture ::

Conference to Mark UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=3496&grp=13


Safeguard detainees held by UK forces abroad
http://www.torturecare.org.uk/news/newsIndex.htm


Pentagon's Green Light to Torture
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=15&ItemID=5712


:: Events ::

Refugee Project

John McDonnell MP is hosting the launch of the Refugee Project, a coalition of groups documenting the links between global economics and enforced migration.
Wednesday 16 June 2004, 7.00pm
Grand Committee Room, House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA
http://www.labournet.net/antiracism/0406/irr1.html


The next meeting of the Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers in central London is this coming Monday, 21
June, 6.30pm, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street (opp St Pancras station). The
meeting room will be displayed at Ground Floor reception.

Preliminary agenda:

1) Analysis of election results and implications for campaigns to defend
asylum seekers
2) Implications and status of recent government legislation
3) Unity campaign
4) Respect festival and other forthcoming events
5) AOB

All who wish to contribute are welcome to attend
info@defend-asylum.org
http://www.defend-asylum.org

Thanks

frank.corrigan@asylumpolicy.info