campaigns > action matters!
Welcome to the third edition of Action Matters, an online bulletin that will keep you up to date with Refugee Action's campaigns, advocacy and awareness raising work. We want to share with you the diverse ways in which Refugee Action, and its supporters and volunteers, respond to and influence public debate, and work to ensure that refugees' voices are heard. With your help, we do make a difference.
FACT OF THE MONTH
Without refugees, people in the UK 
wouldn’t be tucking into 300 million fish and chip suppers every year. The dish Pescado frito - deep-fried fish - came to England with Jews escaping persecution in Spain and Portugal in the 17th century. They were combined with chipped potatoes – probably from France – in the late 19th century – and a national tradition was born!
Refugee Week 2008
'Inhumane and oppressive', or an open door?
It's festival season!
Campaigners chat online with Home Secretary
Refugee Week 2008
Promising fun, colourful (and mostly free!) events across the country, Refugee Week (16-22 June) will give us all a chance to celebrate the contribution that refugees have made to the UK.
Refugee Action is planning a host of events around the country. We'd love to see you there, so why not make a note in your diary to visit:
- The Celebrating Sanctuary Festival on London’s Southbank, Sunday 15 June
- A performance of Asylum Dialogues in Liverpool, Tuesday 17th June
- An interactive stall with Mini Cooper, quiz and goody bags in the Galleries shopping centre, Bristol, Wednesday 18 June
- Asylum Dialogues, performed in Derby, Friday 20th June at the Dance Theatre
- Salford’s family fun day at the Willowtree Healthy Living Centre on Saturday 21st June
- A stall in Nottingham’s city centre, Saturday 21st June
- Leicester’s football tournament, Saturday 21st June
- Asylum Dialogues at the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn on Sunday 22 June
And that’s just the beginning. We'll be in touch soon to let you know more as soon as other dates our confirmed.
'Inhumane and oppressive', or an open door?
After eighteen months of evidence-gathering, the Independent Asylum Commission reported interim findings at the end of March.
Not surprisingly, the tone of media coverage varied somewhat.
A quick game of “which newspaper said…?” Click to find the full articles - and the answers!
- UK's asylum system 'marred by inhumanity'.
- "Asylum-seekers are given the benefit of the doubt on many points."
- 'Inhumane and oppressive': the final verdict on Britain's asylum policy
- It's all too easy to get into Britain.
- "The Independent Asylum Commission... is led by 12 commissioners, many of whom are associated with liberal causes."
Refugee Action had submitted evidence to the IAC - most significantly at the Manchester hearing on destitution last October. Some of those who gave evidence there are quoted in the interim findings. The report calls the policy of destitution 'indefensible'; we’d have to agree.
What next? Well, the commission will publish recommendations in stages over the summer months. All this could keep humane asylum policy in the public – and even more importantly, the parliamentary -mind. We’ll be campaigning to keep it there. Watch this space for details of how you can be involved.
It's festival season!
We at Refugee Action will be packing our tents and taking to the road this summer to give festival-goers a chance to stand up for refugees.
We’ll be at at least two festivals – Rise, in London on 13 July and Greenbelt in Cheltenham on 22-25 August. If you could spare a few hours to help out at either, email campaigns@refugee-action.org.uk, and we’ll be grateful forever.
Campaigners chat online with Home Secretary
Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, offered to answer questions ‘live’ in a webchat in April.
Refugee Action campaigners were prepared, and two got their questions (about Zimbabwe, and about the humanitarian needs of asylum seekers) answered.
Ms Smith wasn’t giving much away – the replies gave the line we’d expect. But we believe that the fact that she answered the questions shows that she feels these are issues the public are concerned, and want answers about. We need to ensure these matters are kept on her agenda.
Have you taken action by signing up to our letter to Jacqui Smith and David Miliband ? We’ll be handing in our letter soon, so there’s still chance to sign – get your friends involved too!
Don't forget!
Take action today:
- get the Home Office and the Foreign Office talking
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