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September 08 Racial Justice Update
A selective digest of news, events and other relevant information from Scotland.
Welcome to September Racial Justice Update.
Last chance to book a place for the Conference on Migration organised by ACTS (Action of Churches Together in Scotland)
The conference takes place on the 8th of October at the Scottish Storytelling Centre Edinburgh
To book a place please go to this page
We welcome contributions to this update. Please contact the editor at the address below.
1. Racist incidents in Scotland:
Driver hunted after city 'racism'
A man who subjected a black driver to racist abuse at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is being hunted by police. The victim was driving a blue Nissan at the hospital's east exit on to Cornhill Road. BBC
Councillor fights back against Kohli ‘racism’ claims
The policeman brother of the television comedians Hardeep Singh Kohli and Sanjeev Kohli has been told to "put up or shut up" after he accused Scotland's largest local authority of waging a "racist" vendetta against his family. The Herald
New MP in racism row over councillor and AK47
Scotland's newest MP yesterday sparked a racism controversy, by speaking out against critics of a councillor who was suspended by the SNP for firing a Kalashnikov while on a trip to Pakistan with his family. Herald
Education: Black Caribbean children held back by institutional racism in schools, says study
Black Caribbean pupils are being subjected to institutional racism in English schools which can dramatically undermine their chances of academic success. Guardian also blog, see letters in response to this article
Race claim police chief suspended
A senior Metropolitan Police officer who claims he suffered racial discrimination at the hands of his bosses in the force has been suspended, a Scotland Yard spokesman said. Tarique Ghaffur has been placed on "authorised leave" because of fears that his statements to the media were affecting the "operational effectiveness" of the force, Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said. Edinburgh News
2. Developments, Reports and Investigations
We all know it's wrong to judge by skin colour ... so why do we do it?
The furore over L'Oréal's ad featuring Beyoncé highlighted the cultural sensitivities around issues of race, beauty and success. So, was that picture of Beyoncé, looking sultry and wide-eyed as she poses for a L'Oréal advert, doctored to make her skin look lighter? The company itself swears blind that it wasn't. Guardian
Maverick dons inspire only those who hate, not think
Britain needs a nuanced language to debate race, class and culture, away from headline-grabbing, superficial provocations. Guardian
Faith schools 'may breed terrorism'
Faith schools that encourage religious segregation are sowing the seeds of terrorism, a leading expert claimed. Professor David Canter came to the conclusion after leading a pioneering study which involved speaking to convicted Islamic terrorists about their lives and beliefs. Evening News
3. Asylum refugees:
Qin and little Jian are back in Glasgow
A Chinese trade union activist she had been detained with her one year old son on September 1st to be removed to Beijing on the eve of the Olympic Games but her lawyer had managed to stop the flight. Unity Centre
Luc Antoine Sambou
Luc’s deportation was halted on Tuesday 16th of September.
See the appeal for supporting Luc
UK Asylum system condemned by Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe
"Improvements must be introduced to strengthen effective respect for the rights of asylum-seekers and immigrants in the United Kingdom. . . . . The UK authorities should consider regulating the so-called 'Detained Fast Track' by introducing special legislation fully in compliance with the standards laid down by the European Convention on Human Rights…. NCADC
4. Immigration
New Statesman published a number of articles on asylum and immigration in UK:
- “The detainees have got pain in their eyes”
In my school report this summer, they said I was an excellent student. I am making a new start and one day I will show everyone what I am capable of. But I will never forget Yarl's Wood - “We are trying to find alternatives"
The immigration minister defends detention for children - A fair deal for children
The government claims to be looking into alternatives to detention for minors - but so far its pilot schemes have been disastrously flawed. There are more humane and effective options, writes Lisa Nandy of the Children's Society - Innocent prisoners
Only Asylum-seekers' children can be locked up without committing a crime. Gillian Slovo visited two families at Yarl's Wood. What she heard made her feel "numb"
UK Government gets tough on immigrant workers not from EU
The UK Government's attempt to dispel the notion that Britain was a "soft touch" on immigration hardened last night with new proposals to ban a range of non-EU workers such as GPs and midwives as the country has no need of them. The Home Office's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) put forward its recommendations on which skills categories from outside Europe were needed to fill shortages and which were not; the proposals did not include EU citizens as they can work in any member state. Herald
Migrant workers ‘are not needed in Scotland’
Scotland does not need large-scale immigration to fill its skills gap, a new cross-party group suggests today as it calls for a substantial cap on the number of migrant workers coming to the UK. In their report, the new group's co-chairmen, Labour's Frank Field, the former welfare reform minister, and the Conservatives' Nicholas Soames, the former shadow defence secretary, call for a policy of "balanced migration", whereby, over time, the number of people coming into Britain is more or less equal to those leaving. Herald
You're welcome to come and live in Scotland, but only if you can …
Scottish firms have almost three times as many vacancies for skilled workers as companies in England, according to a new report. The study also includes a list of jobs, such as ballet dancer and sheep shearer, that need to be filled by immigrants to counter shortages across the UK. Scotsman
Desperate need for migrants to take on key jobs
The Migration Advisory Committee report sets out a list of the jobs where shortages exist and in which it believes UK firms should be entitled to recruit skilled migrant workers. The UK government will respond to its proposals next month and the new rules will come into force in November. Scotsman
Lower wages and remoteness put foreign workers off Scotland
Better pay elsewhere in the UK was highlighted as one of the problems Scottish employers had in keeping foreign workers in jobs north of the border, the report by the Home Office's Migration Advisory Committee found. Herald
5. Publications and Resources:
Fresh Talent:Working in Scotland Scheme an evidence review
Scottish Government PDF document
Migrants Rights News September edition
Events:
Scottish Churches and Contemporary Migration
A conference on Migration organised by ACTS and the Scottish Churches
Wednesday 8th October 2008, 9.30 am – 4.15 pm
at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR
See more details on ACTS website or contact me
Distrusting and fearful society?
Thursday 9 October, 6pm - 9pm
Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW
Event held by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to continue the latest phase in the investigation into the social evils of the 21st Century. In this second in a series of five debates nationwide, key social commentators of our time explore the issues in greater depth and consider possible solutions. If you have any further questions, please contact Anne Richardson in the Marketing and Events Office on 01904 615 957 or at anne.richardson@jrf.org.uk
Migrant Rights and Information Day – Edinburgh
The New Migrants Action Project is working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council and migrant community groups to organise a Migrant Rights and Information Day in the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh on Friday 3rd October 2008 from 10am-6pm. Please fill in the booking form and return it to migrantaction@paih.org, or email migrantaction@paih.org for further information about the event.
Managing Migration: A public sector dialogue on migration to Scotland
14 November 2008
Teacher Building, St Enoch Square, Glasgow
Organised by COSLA
More information from:
Eilean Feeney, Tel 0141 314 3700
eilean@cosla.gov.uk, website
Conference on IOM’s new Return & Rebuild programme,
On 8 October 2008 from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm, at the Teacher Building, 14 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DB
Programme:
9.00 Registration
9.30 Welcome & Presentation: Return & Rebuild and VARRP
10.30 Tea/Coffee break
11.00 Live Video/Telephone Conference
12.00 Questions and Answers/Evaluation
13.00 Lunch
Attendance is free. To register, please contact John Hampsey on 0141 5488114 or email: jhampsey@iom.int
Editor
Nelu Balaj