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September RJ Update
Welcome to this month’s update.
One item of recent news, carried by most Scottish news outlets, which caught my eyes, was the comment of Labour SMP, Lord George Foulkes, on the SNP nationalist rhetoric. This item of news sparkled strong reactions from SNP, critical comments from political pundits, and an extraordinary activity on websites (there were 1313 comments on one of the stories published on Scotsman website – and the other two stories on Scotsman website generated similar amount of reactions) and blogosphere.
In an article in the Evening News Lord Foulkes warned that irresponsible political discourse from SNP, with strong nationalistic overtone, could inspire fringe extremist elements to racist violence against English people in Scotland, in particular as the ruby world cup is underway. The reactions to Lord Foulkes pronouncements were varied: some people were very upset and were asking for an apology, others ridiculed him, while others were sharing their experience of ‘anti-English sentiments' they faced from Scots.
Leaving aside party politics (and recognising that some people use every opportunity and method for scoring political points), should we pay attention to these comments (that nationalistic rhetoric in Scotland could encourage racism) seriously? Why did this particular story generate so many reactions?
1. Racist incidents in Scotland
Motherwell fans accused of racism
Police are to investigate
claims of racist chanting by Motherwell fans directed at Hearts' Laryea
Kingston during Monday's match at Fir Park.
BBC
Pursued by prejudice
Gypsies. Thieving bastards.
Dirty beggars. Eff off back to where you came from. Appalling language, but
it's the type of racist abuse Mariana Gaziova has suffered since coming to
Scotland. The dark-haired Roma teenager sits on her bed stroking her
two-year-old son's head as he fidgets on her lap. "We had a very nice flat
in Forth Street in Pollokshields, but we had to call the police three times
because our windows got smashed," the 19-year-old says. Her tormentors,
Mariana claims, were Pakistani youths who threw stones at her Glasgow home while
shouting they didn't like Slovaks.
Scotland on Sunday
Man sent hate-mail to his
Polish neighbours
A north-east man sent a tirade
of racial abuse to his Polish neighbours, warning there would be "full-on
war" if they did not leave their community, a court heard. Iain
McClenaghan sent hate mail to his neighbours saying that if they remained in
Aberdeen's Torry area there would be "bloodshed like you haven't seen
since 1939".
Press and Journal
Anti-English racists 'pick
on youngsters in Capital'
Youngsters in the Capital are
being victimised by anti-English racists, an MSP claimed today. Labour's George
Foulkes said the problem had to be "nipped in the bud" before it
escalated.
Scotsman
Man in
Welsh slur tells of hate campaign
A man
became the victim of a hate campaign after being convicted of racially abusing
a Welshman, a court was told. Labour councillor Danny Meikle said he was
targeted after admitting calling Welsh constituent Tecwyn Thomas
"Boyo".
Scotsman
Kidnap
victim admits to racial abuse
A
teenager lashed out at shop workers with a tirade of racial abuse after she was
tortured in a kidnap ordeal, a court heard yesterday. Tammy McGregor, 19,
called Marla Puckey, a shop assistant, a "Paki b******" and shouted
at her to "f*** off back to your own country". McGregor had been
shopping for a SIM card at the Vodafone shop in Aberdeen's Union Street when
she lashed out at staff on 24 March.
Scotsman
From Archives:
English
made to feel like 'outsiders' in Scotland; Study highlights
The
English in Scotland are constantly reminded of being different and face a
difficult task in blending in with the majority population, according to new
research. As the largest immigrant population in Scotland, they face strongly
negative attitudes towards them as a group, while often being welcomed as
individuals, the Stirling University study found. The findings, set to appear
in the journal, Sociology, are summed up by the reports title, quoting one
example of the attitudes towards those in the research: We Hate The English,
But Not You, Because You're Our Pal.
Article
published by Sunday Herald on 29 Feb 2004. Read it all with Findarticles.com
2. Developments, Reports and Investigations
Fury
as Foulkes accuses SNP of stoking racism
One of Scotland's most senior Labour politicians was last night at the centre of a race
row after accusing Alex Salmond and the Scottish National Party of stoking
anti-English prejudice.
Scotsman
Foulkes snubs McLeish's
call to apologise for SNP 'racism' claim
Labour MSP George Foulkes last night refused to apologise for remarks
linking the Scottish National Party to anti-English racism despite a call to do
so from a former first minister. Lord Foulkes, the former UK minister who is
now an MSP, sparked a heated row after he warned the Nationalists over
their disparaging talk of "London Labour".
Scotsman
Staking
a claim against racism
It is
high time the black community used its economic muscle to demand a fairer deal.
Guardian
‘Why do we still believe in
race?’
‘The problem for race realists
today is the very opposite of that nineteenth century racial scientists. Then,
racial scientists “knew” the significance of race but could find no way of
truly defining differences. Today, we can define genetic differences between
populations with some precision. But the significance of such differences no
longer seems clear.’
Catalyst
‘Engaging with diversity’
‘There is nothing new in
plural societies. What is different today is the perception of greater
diversity and the sense that such diversity is a problem because social
differences cannot or should not be overcome. Or to put it another way, the
real problem is not diversity or immigration but the political context in which
we think about such issues – our loss of belief in the possibility of universal
values and a common culture. This inevitably leads to civic disengagement
and a sense of anomie – and why greater diversity leads to greater distrust of
everyone, whatever their ethnic or cultural background.’
Bergens Tidende
3. Asylum refugees:
Dungavel Families Forced To Live With Hardened Criminals
Children in Dungavel are being
held alongside hardened criminals as the detention centre is increasingly used
for dangerous foreign prisoners.
Herald
Demand for answers over Dungavel revelations
The
Scottish Government is to demand answers from UK immigration authorities over
revelations in The Herald that the children of failed asylum seekers are being
held alongside hardened criminals at Dungavel detention centre. Stewart
Maxwell, the Communities Minister, told MSPs yesterday he would write to the
Border and Immigration Agency to seek clarification about who exactly is being
held at the secure complex in Lanarkshire.
Herald
Dawn
raid forced me to flee home with my twins
A few
weeks before Christmas, officials carried out a dawn raid on the Glasgow home
of Ugandan woman Mary Semirimu and her three-year-old twins.
Also: Plea to help failed
asylum seekers in city
Evening Times
Asylum Seekers: Holyrood Debate
Read the full debate on the
Scottish Parliament website
Four out of five asylum
seekers 'live in poverty'
Hungry,
destitute and living in overcrowded flats in constant fear of a dawn raid. That
is the reality of life for many of Scotland's asylum seekers, says a report. The
Glasgow charity Positive Action in Housing paints an alarming picture of the
conditions faced by hundreds of families who have come to Scotland to escape
torture and persecution.
Evening Times
The
human scandal of Britain’s asylum system
The United Kingdom’s asylum
system is rigged to fail as many applicants as possible. It is unjust, chaotic
and inhumane. Here I am going to highlight the major concerns and then let some
key witnesses speak for themselves.
Ekklesia
Judge suspends deportations to Congo
The home secretary, Jacqui
Smith, has been ordered by a high court judge to suspend deportations of failed
asylum seekers to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr Justice Collins heard
evidence that some of those returned by the UK had suffered rape and torture by
Congo officials or agents after arriving at Kinshasa by charter plane.
Guardian
Call
for selective amnesty for illegal migrants
The Liberal Democrats will
renew pressure on the government to grant a "selective amnesty" to
many of the estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants living in Britain - providing
they are proving to be good potential citizens.
Guardian
4. Immigration
Migrants like 'modern day
slaves'
Some migrant workers in Scotland are being treated like "modern day
slaves", according to campaigners. Sue Smith, who campaigns for foreign
labourers in Angus, said promises of good accommodation and pay quickly
disappear when they arrive. Two Polish workers told BBC Scotland that after two
weeks of labour they actually owed the farmer money.
BBC
Migrants are good, says
Brussels
European governments should regard immigration as an
"enrichment" not a threat, EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini
told a conference in Lisbon.
BBC
Migrants ‘go home for
medical needs’
The north-east of Scotland is now the
fastest-growing destination in the UK for migrant workers but many return home
for medical treatment because it is quicker and better, according to a new
report. The study reveals that the majority of migrant workers who have
experienced health care systems in Scotland perceive the medical services in
their own countries to be generally of better quality.
Herald
5. Marking the Bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade
Events
Refugees,
Asylum Seekers, Migrants & EU Nationals - Rights, recognition,
responsibilities & action; Date: Wednesday September 26, 2007
Duration: Half-day 9.30 am – 1.00 pm
Venue: Positive Action in Housing, 98 West
George Street, Glasgow. To book a place on this very popular course, simply email zandra@paih.org.
Course Content: There are fast changing
laws/procedures for organisations dealing with EU Nationals (the ‘accession’
countries, refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. Who are they? What is the
legislative background? What are the entitlements? What are the needs? How do
organisations, including housing organisations, respond to these areas: what
should they do?
Seeking Asylum – a Scottish
Perspective
8 October 2007 in Glasgow
(9.30 – 4.20)
Conference to discuss the
issue of asylum seekers in Scotland, debate current and future policy, present
Local Authority experience and produce examples of successful programmes which
have settled people in Scotland and enabled them to integrate into our
communities. Participants will also be provided with the opportunity to have
their views included in the inquiry being conducted by the Independent
Commission on Asylum. For information see Holyrood Magazine
Show
Racism the Red Card's annual Fortnight of Action takes place 16 - 30 October
2007. This period of concerted action encourages participation from all
sections of Scotland's communities to celebrate diversity and tackle racism.
Show Racism the Red Card
6. Publications:
Home Office UK Asylum Statistics: 2nd Quarter April/May/June 2007 (Published 21/08/07) PDF document
Mixedness and Mixing: Papers for the CRE
“e-conference”
This page
lists all papers currently posted to this site. The most recent are shown
first.
Very
useful papers! A mine of resources!
UK
Borders Bill
Download the PDF version
Migrants Rights News, first edition online
From Contents:
Rule changes and
migrants rights; Enforcement policy; Simplification; Migrant health; Migrant
voices, migrant campaigns, 'No One is Illegal' group publishes guide to
anti-deportation campaigning; Churches make case for 'core principles'; International
news; Up coming events and activities; Project updates; Publications; Jobs