[Imc-birmingham] feature proposal: Birmingham's 2007 Refugee Week(end)

[Shiar]

I'd like to propose the following feature for the central column.

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Title: Birmingham's 2007 Refugee Week(end)

Author: IMC Birmingham

Image: /images/2007/06/374240.jpg

Abstract:

<p>
Apart from the annual high-profile <a
href="http://www.celebrating-sanctuary.org.uk">Celebrating Sanctuary</a>
'festival', this year's <a
href="http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Introduction.htm">Refugee Week</a> in
Birmingham saw a <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2007/06/374238.html">candlelit vigil</a> in
the grounds of St. Philip's Cathedral on Friday, 22 June, organised by the
Birmingham Anti-Racist Campaign (ARC), to remember asylum seekers who took
their own lives and to protest against the government's racist policies
[<a href="/en/regions/birmingham/2007/06/374174.html">call</a>]. This was
followed by African, Kurdish and Iranian live music, then the annual <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2005/06/314230.html">Refugee Sleep-out</a> to
highlight the problem of destitution that many asylum seekers suffer from.
The following day, the end of Refugee Week, saw a <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2007/06/374302.html">rally</a> in Victoria
Square, organised by ARC as well, to highlight the bitter realities
suffered by refugees and asylum seekers in Britain and to protest against
the Home Office's war on them [<a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2007/06/374175.html">call</a>].</p>
</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, <a
href="https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/noborders-brum">Birmingham
NoBorders</a> issued a <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2007/06/374302.html?c=on#c176327">statement</a>
on the much-talked-about asylum amnesty, pointing out that, even when not
based on racist criteria, it is not a long-term solution and often causes
great suffering for those who don't 'fit in' and leads to stricter
immigration controls.</p>
<p>
<strong>Related:</strong> <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2006/06/343010.html">Celebrating Sanctuary?!
What Sanctuary?!</a> | <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2006/06/343137.html">Birmingham NoBorders and
The Angel Group at Celebrating Sanctuary</a> | Refugee Week 2006: <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2006/06/343274.html">ARC vigil</a> | <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2006/06/343898.html">Solihull picket</a> | <a
href="/en/regions/birmingham/2006/07/343971.html">"party without
borders"</a>
</p>

-- 
Shiar