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Thread: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

  1. #1
    Kevster
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    Default Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    Well, happened to give my own brand of help to a young refugee lady in Sheffield today, which involved going all around the houses to find the job centre. I initially thought i might be able to point in the general direction, then i went a bit soft and decided to help her find it.

    Anyway... it got me thinking about a group in Leeds that i visited a few weeks back called 'No Borders' they are a small grass roots organisation that are affiliated to many others throughout the world....

    http://www.noborder.org/

  2. #2
    perfect RedWellies's Avatar
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    Kevster, that was really sweet of you. I wish more people were as thoughtful. I will read your link properly tomorrow, just had a quick look for now.
    "Do what you can with what you have where you are."
    - Theodore Roosevelt

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    I work with refugees. I'm an adult English teacher. They have some fascinating stories to tell.

  4. #4
    Kevster
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    'Immigration hunger strike denied

    Reports detainees at an immigration centre are on mass hunger strike have been denied by the Home Office.

    A newspaper report suggested more than 100 inmates were on the sixth day of a hunger strike at the Colnbrook removal centre near Heathrow.

    But the Home Office said that while there have been a number of cases of people refusing individuals meals, only one has refused food altogether. [...]'

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4912294.stm

  5. #5
    veganja
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    Here's another report on it http://www.indymedia.org.uk/

  6. #6
    the_red_star's Avatar
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    I also work with refugees and asylum seekers. I help them to learn english and i have really learned alot from the people i have met so far. It really frustrates me the way they are treated like criminals and detained in centre's.
    "Human Freedom, Animal Rights, One Struggle, One Fight!!"

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    In Australia, we lock the kids of asylum seekers up as well.

    I notice you are from the UK, where are most of the people you work with from? Mine are predominately from Afghanistan and Northern African countries.

  8. #8
    the_red_star's Avatar
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    Quote insubordination
    In Australia, we lock the kids of asylum seekers up as well.

    I notice you are from the UK, where are most of the people you work with from? Mine are predominately from Afghanistan and Northern African countries.
    The last lady i worked with was from Iran, but we have alot of aylum seekers coming from.. everywhere really.. alot of places i've never even heard of i'm ashamed to say!! Probably alot of the same places as the people you work with.

    I was meant to be helping a lady from Lebanon but i've had to take a break from it as i have exams coming up and although i love helping, it can be very very time consuming and i'd rather be able to do a good job than half a one. It wouldn't be fair on the person i was helping.
    "Human Freedom, Animal Rights, One Struggle, One Fight!!"

  9. #9
    frugivorous aubergine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    When I used to go to church, we had a family join us who were from Nigeria. The Dad had been shot dead by militia in front of the rest of the family, and they had fled to Europe as a result. Despite this horrific experience they were some of the nicest people you could ask to meet.

    It always upsets me when I hear people ranting about immigrants coming over here to 'sponge'. Right, they've seen things most of us couldn't conjure up in our nighmares and you're being that harsh? Amazing.

    Near me we have quite a few Kosovans and generally they're friendly and hardworking. It's like people search out things to hate about people.

  10. #10
    the_red_star's Avatar
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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    Quote spjessop
    When I used to go to church, we had a family join us who were from Nigeria. The Dad had been shot dead by militia in front of the rest of the family, and they had fled to Europe as a result. Despite this horrific experience they were some of the nicest people you could ask to meet.

    It always upsets me when I hear people ranting about immigrants coming over here to 'sponge'. Right, they've seen things most of us couldn't conjure up in our nighmares and you're being that harsh? Amazing.

    Near me we have quite a few Kosovans and generally they're friendly and hardworking. It's like people search out things to hate about people.
    It is upsetting. Many people don't fully understand why refugees and asylum seekers come over to this country. Others do and are just too ignorant or selfish to understand why it is important for us to help these people.

    The thing i hear alot is "they come and take all our jobs" - this really frustrates me as asylum seekers are not even allowed to work. After a year in the country they are allowed to apply to work (this needs to go through the applicants solicitor etc) butas to how successful these people are, i don't know. I suppose employers may not be too keen on employing them because they could start work one day and be deported the next.

    The housing the asylum seekers are put into are often chosen because nobody would buy them with the intentions of putting the natives of the country in - they are of such poor quality.

    It worries me how people of one contry don't want to help the needy of another - they don't want to investigate the issues, they just want to hate or complain. It's like a bunch of five year olds complaining that one has more than another one.

    Also, as you said, spjessop, "sponging" these people only get 70% of the benefits people in the UK get which is nothing. It might be more than they get at home but if they really knew what people go through to get asylum then i think they would realise that there must be far better reasons than to 'sponge' off of us.

    Another thing - terrorism. This is undenyably an issue. I'm sure we have all heard the stupid stupid comments about "the terrorists being let into the country"! really!!! i argh, ok i'm getting so frustrated i have to shut up.

    sorry for the long rant pointing out everything you all already knew. ugh, what am i like...
    "Human Freedom, Animal Rights, One Struggle, One Fight!!"

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Refugees/Asylum Seekers

    ahhh its so refreshing not to hear refugees being totally demonised for all our country's faults
    I work with a lot of close minded people, and over the last few weeks have heard a lot of blame being put on refugees for getting all the money that should be going to the nhs or housing english (read white!) people.
    I was so taken aback the first couple of times I heard this ignorant stuff that i really couldn't find any words to say what i wanted to - but now I am prepared haha!

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