Recent News about Racism and Asylum
> Somali refugees forced to leave UK http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1335003,00.html
> At least one hundred Somali asylum seekers have been deported from the UK in > the first half of 2004, despite warnings that such removals would endanger > lives.
> Lorry driver jailed for racist road-rage attack
> Christopher Potts, 31, has been jailed for three months after pleading
> guilty to racially aggravated common assault on a Chinese driver whom he
> Afghani man seriously hurts in racist attack
> An 18-year-old Afghani man has suffered serious head injuries after being
> racially attacked by a gang of up to ten people; another 16-year-old
> boy also suffered minor injuries in the attack in Gravesend.
> UNHCR - reiterates no Forced Removals to Iraq
> In light of the worsening situation in Iraq UNHCR has reissued it's
> advice to all States not to carry out any forced removals to Iraq, though
> this time the emphasis is much stronger. They are of the opinion that the
> authorities in Iraq are "currently unable to ensure the safety of all
> citizens" and in particular people targeted by non-state agents because
> "their political affiliations, religious beliefs, or other motives , may
> in need of international protection and thus merit the status of
> NCADC would urgently ask the UK government in light of the
> situation in Iraq. To reconsider the claims of the many failed Iraqi
> seekers in the UK at the moment, failing that to grant them some form of
> long/short term temporary protection, enabling them to work.
> Iraq: updated UNHCR advisory strongly discourages forcible return
> Since the start of the hostilities in Iraq early last year, the UN
> refugee agency (UNHCR) has issued regular advice to all States not to
> forcibly return any Iraqis to their homeland until the situation
> Now, because of recent developments both in Iraq and in some host
> an updated UNHCR advisory has been issued to governments strongly
> The advisory notes that the situation in Iraq is still extremely
> unstable and dangerous, characterised by a general lack of law and order
> the erratic provision of basic services. The update, issued to governments
> last week, says no part of Iraq can be considered safe, although it's
> that at any given time, some areas of the country are more stable than
> others and some people continue to return voluntarily. It notes with
> that in the past six months, there has been a growing trend to target
> civilians working for international organisations, as well as people
> associated, or perceived to be associated, with the Interim Iraqi
> Government, including government officials themselves, a number of whom
> been killed. Members of the Iraqi police forces, but also doctors,
> journalists, artists and intellectuals, have all become frequent targets
> both harassment and violence by non-state agents.
> The advisory says that while the security situation in Baghdad is
> widely recognised as volatile, there has been a degradation of the
> situation in many other cities, including Diala, Erbil, Falluja, Kirkuk,
> Mosul and Sulaymaniyah. Fewer NGOs are operating in Iraq and UNHCR has no
> international presence in the country, making it impossible for us to
> monitor possible cases of persecution on the ground. Furthermore, the
> Ministry for Displacement and Migration is still in the process of
> up its own operational capacity. In such circumstances, no parts of Iraq
> be considered definitely safe for return, according to the latest
> With this in mind, the advisory asks States to continue to suspend all
> forcible returns to Iraq and insists that governments should not introduce
> any measures providing an incentive to repatriation -- be it financial
> grants to encourage departure, or punitive rules as a deterrent to stay in
> In the current climate of increasing violence, the advisory also
> requests that States pay particular attention to asylum claims from Iraqi
> nationals. Despite the regime change in Iraq, people targeted by non-state
> agents because of their political affiliations, religious beliefs, or
> motives, may be in need of international protection and thus merit the
> status of refugees. This is particularly so since the authorities in Iraq
> are currently unable to ensure the safety of all Iraqi citizens.
> UNHCR Briefing notes Friday 22nd October 2004