Edward-Kennedy Nasho, BWB committee Delegates representing various human rights campaign organisations and groups from across the United Kingdom (UK) convened in London to fortify an ongoing campaign to end migrant and refugee detention. The one-day strategy conference, organised by Barbed Wire Britain (BWB), an Oxfordbased network advocating the end to refugee and migrant detention, was held on October 14.
Not only was the conference well attended, the deliberations occurred on schedule, a characteristic that many a conference lacks. The morning plenary session heard activists speak strongly on recent successes and lessons learned from the ongoing campaigns. Topical areas included lessons learnt from detainees' struggles, children in detention campaign, and the Action against Detention campaign.
The publishing of the second volume of VOICES Il by BWB, a booklet containing detainees' chronicles of continued torture and persecution, was highlighted; the detainees' rights initiative, including the right to mental health were advocated alongside Medical Justice, the right to appropriate medical treatment of migrants and refugees in immigration
Other topics covered the crucial parliamentary campaign, Dungavel immigration Removal Centre, Bicester initiative, No Borders and Crossroads women
More precision on the action plan was then engaged in at the afternoon workshops sessions that focused on a select subject matter. Among other topics, the workshops deliberated on Building support from interest groups of the likes of trades unions and some professional organisations. One workshop consulted on how to effectively use direct action in the campaign for change.
Another discussed methods of changing the current law and policy that governs immigration detention. Given the negative view portrayed by some sections of the national media, a fourth workshop dealt with making an impact on the media with the campaign.
One speaker at the plenary session was Edoardo Boggio Marzet from the office of the Green United Left/Nordic Green Left group of members of the European Parliament who, among other things underlined cooperation on European campaigns to end migrant detention and their online petition to close 170 detention centres across the EU (see www.no-fortress-europe.eu).
Mindful of the UK Human Rights Act of 2001 and the European Convention on Human Rights from which it descends, BWB pursues an objective attitude towards the implementation of human rights in this country.
The detention of refugees and migrants violates a substantial amount of those rights and the best way to end such is to stop the detention system altogether.
Based on this fundamental principle and additional to the intent to reach out more people and changing attitudes and the law, the thrust of the conference was embedded on establishing a clearly coordinated strategy for the national campaign, which would be derived from shared experiences and unsurpassed practice. From this objective, it was possible for the conference to devise an action plan for the future.
To better achieve this, a national committee was elected to coordinate those plans and accordingly communicate to participants. Half of the committee of 12 are former detainees.
The impelling cause for the conference has been the ongoing treatment of detainees held in various removals, reception and /or holding centres amounting to gross violation of human rights. • For further information see :[email protected]
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