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Speak Out – detainee newsletter

nobordersnottm — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:23:23 +0000

“Speak Out” a newsletter produced by detainees can be downloaded here . . . .

Speak Out – Detainee Newsletter – Oct 2011

(Update: Sorry, there seems to be a problem with the file upload – while we try and fix it, please just email below to get the newsletter).

This newsletter is an idea of a detainee in UK Border Agency’s detention since 2008 and contains experiences of his own and others ill treatment by UKBA and its private contractors.

For more information or to submit articles for the next issue contact:
Email: Ruhul Anam ruhul_99 [at] live.co.uk
or Email: newsletter [at] gdwg.org.uk

Morton Hall Noise Demo – repeat visit to Lincolnshire detention centre – 29/10/2011

nobordersnottm — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:31:12 +0000

On Saturday 29th October there will be a noise demo outside Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Lincolnshire. This follows two previous demos already held there over the summer http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/1962

We want to continue to express our disgust and anger against the existence of yet another new detention centre. With news of detainees escaping and going on hunger strike in recent months, it seems more important than ever to communicate our solidarity with the struggle of those held inside. We’ll be bringing a sound system, pots and pans and other noise making materials, and it would be great if others can do the same.

We plan to meet at Nottingham train station at 10am to catch the train arriving at Swinderby at 11.10. We will have some funds to cover the cost of travel for people. The detention centre is 10 minutes walk from the station. If others are coming from elsewhere, we suggest meeting at the detention centre at 11.30. The address is Morton Hall IRC, Swinderby,
Lincolnshire, LN6 9PT. We encourage as many people to join us there with banners, placards and noise making materials.

Morton Hall detention centre was formally opened by immigration minister Damien Green on 1st June. Morton Hall was formerly a prison for female foreign national prisoners but has now been converted to an immigration removal centre for male detainees. It is run by HM Prison Service in collaboration with the UK Border Agency. Less than 30 miles from Nottingham it is the only detention centre in the East Midlands.

This demo is a chance for us to show solidarity with those imprisoned and to let them know that there are people out there who oppose the way that they are being treated by our inhuman and racist immigration controls.

There is also a visitors group that has been recently formed to offer support and friendship to those inside. For more info on this, contact mhvg [at] riseup.net

Inspiring article about No Border Camp in Bulgaria

nobordersnottm — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:19:57 +0000

Some months ago Bulgarian anarchists and anti-racists began an ambitious plan to hold a No Borders Bulgaria event close to an immigration detention centre on the border of Bulgaria, Greece & Turkey – on the very edge of the European Union. The camp that took place 25-29 August 2011 was supported by people from Greece and elsewhere in the Balkans and from Western Europe, coming together to oppose a system that sees thousands of people imprisoned in detention centres.

A participant in the No Border camp wrote to Resistance, “The camp was GREAT!!!!!! I have rarely experienced such a solidarity, organizational cooperation and purposeful political work at the same place in the same time [including] discussions around the newly militarized Bulgarian-Turkish-Greek border region starting 4 days before the camp itself, the workshops in the camp, the communication with the village community where the camp took place, the plenaries….to the big demonstrations in front of the headquarters of the border police in Svilengrad, at the two borders and along and in front of the detention center in Lyubimetz! Keeping in mind the small dimension of activism in Bulgaria […] everything exceeded my expectation and even hopes!”

Whilst the media focuses on Europe’s economic woes, the militarisation of the EU’s borders has continued. During the battle for control of Libya over the summer, it is perhaps conveniently forgotten that the Italian state, through an agreement struck with the regime back in 2004, transported over 1,500 migrants and refugees to Libya who had previously been detained in Italy. Libyan immigration detention centres in Al Kufrah and Gharyan (close to Tripoli) and Sebha (in South West Libya) are paid for by the Italian state.

Meanwhile, many people trying to escape repression in Sub-Saharan and East Africa are now in extreme danger, and some have been deported back to these countries from Libya. Others have continued to risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea in small boats. Thousands have died. This is not to mention the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who have fled during the conflict, now either trying to get back to their country of origin or seeking safety elsewhere. In Italy and Tunisia, refugees and asylum seekers have been confined in camps and transit centres for indefinite periods of time, their freedom of movement severely limited.

This makes the work of groups like No Borders Bulgaria all the more important. The EU’s member states are completely tied in with a system that treats people as a problem to be contained, even if this means paying a dictator to lock them up. Bulgarian and Greek anarchists have taken an important step in countering detention on the borders of Europe.

For more on No Borders Bulgaria, and the No Border camp, visit http://noborderbulgaria.org and http://noborderbulgaria.wordpress.com

Article originally published in Resistance, bulletin of the Anarchist Federation, issue 135, October 2011:
http://www.afed.org.uk/publications/resistance-bulletin/263-resistance-bulletin-issue-135-october-2011.html

Hip-Hop Benefit Night for Morton Hall at The Sumac Centre, Nottingham – report

nobordersnottm — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:15:40 +0000

On Monday, Monday October 17th 2011 a Hip-Hop Benefit Night at The Sumac Centre Featuring … Test Their Logik, Louis Cypher and Martin the Livewire took place.

Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2104

The benefit gig was to help support the Morton Hall Detainee Visitors Group.

Test Their Logik brought their empowering and inspirational hip-hop sounds all the way from Southern Ontario, Kanada AKA Turtle Island.

The Morton Hall detention centre was formally opened by immigration minister Damien Green on 1st June. Morton Hall was formerly a prison for female foreign national prisoners but has now been converted to an immigration removal centre for male detainees. It is run by HM Prison Service in collaboration with the UK Border Agency. Less than 30 miles from Nottingham it is the only detention centre in the East Midlands.

Demonstrations there are a chance to show solidarity with those imprisoned and to let them know that there are people out there who oppose the way that they are being treated by our inhuman and racist immigration controls.

Previous article about demonstration in July 2011:
http://www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk/regional-news-and-events/morton-hall-noise-demo-this-saturday/

No Border Bulgaria press releases

nobordersnottm — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:17:13 +0000

No Border Camp 2011 – first demos at the border crossings with Greece and Turkey: http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38013

No Border Camp 2011 – Demonstration in front of the detention center in city of Lyubimetz
http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38019

Photos
Protest in Svilengrad – http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38011

Border protest – http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38012

Detention centre demonstration – http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38020

No-Border-Cats in Svilengrad – http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/article/38015

Camp news page – where more articles are being posted

http://www.noborderbulgaria.org/en/node/49

Blogs

http://a3yo.noblogs.org/post/2011/09/02/nobordercamp-bulgaria-2011-expectations-and-arrival/

http://a3yo.noblogs.org/post/2011/09/02/nobordercamp-bulgaria-2011-actions-in-svilengrad/

Morton Hall Noise Demo this Saturday – 23rd July 2011

nobordersnottm — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:00:02 +0000

This Saturday (23rd July) there will be a noise demo outside Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Lincolnshire to express our disgust and anger against the opening of another new detention centre. We’ll be bringing a sound system, pots and pans and we encourage others to do the same.

We will meet at Nottingham train station at 10am to catch the train arriving at Swinderby at 11.10. The detention centre is 10 minutes walk from the station. If people are coming from elsewhere, we suggest meeting at the detention centre at 11.30. The address is Morton Hall IRC, Swinderby, Lincolnshire, LN6 9PT. We encourage as many people to get themselves down there with banners, placards and noise making materials.

Morton Hall detention centre was formally opened by immigration minister Damien Green on 1st June. The centre holds single men and has 393 bed spaces, there are already men imprisoned inside, and ongoing refurbishment work means that detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished in September. This is a chance for us to show solidarity with those imprisoned and to let them know that there are people who oppose the way in which they have been treated by the UK Border Agency.

Three No Borders activists acquitted in France

nobordersnottm — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:28:12 +0000

Yesterday three of Calais No Borders walked away free from the court in Boulogne, after the judge found no evidence against them on charges of “rebellion” and “illegal occupation” connected with resistance to a police raid on Africa House on 21 April.

Full story: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/07/482249.html

No Borders Bulgaria Initiative with protest camp near Bulgaria/Greece/Turkey border in August

nobordersnottm — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:49:50 +0000

This very important No Borders initiative is operating at the edge of the EU with support from activists across Europe and from outside its expanding borders. Its political demands are detailed here:
http://noborderbulgaria.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/bulgaria-no-borders-camp-2011-political-demands-and-clarifications/.

Beyond Borders – Nottingham’s refugee week publication – help with distribution June 2011

nobordersnottm — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:30:33 +0000

Each year Beyond Borders, Nottingham’s Refugee Week coordinating group, creates a newspaper based on the theme of refuge and migration. The aim of the paper is to increase public understanding of issues relating to this topic and to highlight the positive contributions that refugees make to the economic and cultural life of the city.

The paper is very professionally produced and contains a varied selection of articles, some of them informative, some thought provoking, others moving and others entertaining. A copy of last year’s paper can be found here: http://en.calameo.com/read/0003033661f734f664a13.

15,000 copies will be published, and will be free for people to pick up and take home. We hope to reach a very broad audience, and are therefore requesting the help of groups and individuals to help us distribute the paper. We will be making it available in as many doctors’ surgeries, shops, hairdressers and churches as possible, however any additional assistance would be very much appreciated. If any groups have their own venues and are willing to display the paper please could they let us know and we will arrange for copies to be delivered. We can also arrange for copies to be made available at the Volunteer Centre.

Refugee Week 2011 will be 18th-25th June and will bring together a range of community events and activities, all of which will be listed in the paper. If anyone would like to get involved with distributing the Beyond Borders newspaper or helping with any other aspect of the festival please contact me, Juliet Line on 07903114248 or at juliet@culturebox.org

Protest on the day of Moreton Hall detention centre official opening – June 1st 2011

nobordersnottm — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:15:56 +0000

On Wednesday June 1st 2011 a noisy demonstration was held outside Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Swinderby, Lincolnshire, expressing dismay, disgust and anger against the opening of another new detention centre. No Borders activists from Nottingham were joined by Campaign to Close Campsfield (Oxford).

Morton Hall was officially opened by immigration minister Damian Green. The centre, previously a prison, has space to hold single men with 393 bed spaces. There is ongoing refurbishment work at the centre, so detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished (due to complete in September).

Background:
http://ncadc.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/new-immigration-prison-official-opening-ceremony/
http://www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk/regional-news-and-events/new-detention-centre-announced-at-hmp-morton-hall-in-lincolnshire/