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Welcome to the March 2008 edition of Migrants Rights News
Dear Colleague Welcome to this
edition of Migrants Rights News. There are items here on: (1) a
conference on Immigration at the new borders of Europe, organised
by the Moroccan migrants' rights organisation ABCDS and the MRN,
1st April, London; (1) ABCDS/MRN conference: Migration & Human Rights: The war against migrants at the EU's new borders, London, 1st April 2008, at The Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre The MRN has been pleased to collaborate with the Moroccan migrants' rights organisation, Association Beni Znassen pour la Culture, le Development, et la Solidarite - ABCDS - in the organisation of this event. The conference will discuss the situation created in Morocco in recent years as the European Union has sought to export its borders to the adjacent countries of the Mediterranean. Speakers will include Mr Hicham Baraka, ABCDS President, Dr Hein de Haas, COMPAS, and Sylvie Aboa-Bradwell, co-ordinator of the international office of the Centre for Development and Democracy. As well as hearing reports of the work done with migrants from across Africa currently in Morocco awaiting the opportunity to journey to Europe, the conference will consider ways of building a solidarity network in support of ABCDS, and of focusing its call for the reform of European border policy on the European governments, including the UK. For more information
about the conference, go to: (2) Roundtable Discussion, Wales: "The Next Steps in Immigration Control Policy - Responding to the Green Paper" - Wednesday 9th April 1:30 - 4:30, at The Conference Centre @ Esis, T? Dysgu, Cefn Coed, Nantgarw, Cardiff CF15 7QQ The MRN is organising this event for organisations in Wales interested in following developments in policy on immigration enforcement and the proposals in the new Green Paper (see below). Speakers will be available to talk on: " Immigration
enforcement and the workplace; For further
information, and to book a place, email Cristina at c.andreatta@migrantsrights.org.uk. (3)
Home Office Green Paper: Paths to citizenship demands bigger contributions
from migrants The Home Office
issued a Green Paper setting out its plans for the path to settlement
or citizenship for non-EEA migrants to the UK. The Green Paper can
be downloaded from: The MRN has
produced a briefing paper on the Green Paper, which can be downloaded
from our website at http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/files/briefingpaper/pathtocitizenship.pdf The Green Paper
argues that the path to citizenship will require "migrants
to demonstrate a more visible and more substantial contribution
to Britain as they pass through successive stages." A new "probationary
citizenship" is to be created between the stages of temporary
residence and citizenship will last from 12 months to 5 years. The
status of permanent residence will no longer be granted to people
who complete periods of temporary residence in categories that lead
to settlement. It will instead only be available as an alternative
to full British citizenship for those who do not wish to take out
this status. The acquisition of permanent residence will generally
take longer than that of acquiring British citizenship, and will
involve sitting language and knowledge of British society tests. The MRN has criticised almost every aspect of the Green Paper's proposals. Its briefing paper states that: "[I]t is a matter of concern that the measures advocated in this Green Paper should demand yet more from migrants than they have already provided through their work and enterprise. A Home Office strategy, which has little other rationale than the demand for greater contributions and more visibility in making them, will inevitably be seen as unjust by migrants as well as others at the progressive end of the political spectrum. This is a reason for questioning the most basic presumptions that lie behind the very conception of the Green Paper." The briefing
paper urges detailed consideration of the Green Paper's proposals
on the part of migrant community organisations across the UK, and
other organisations supporting the rights of migrants. A public
consultation is currently underway, with the opportunity to submit
comments to the Home Office extending until 14th May 2008. (4)
Identity cards to be compulsory for non-EEA non-British residents
by the end of 2008 Home Office
plans to make ID cards compulsory for non-EEA, non-British residents
have been set out in a consultation published by the Home Office
in February. Dealing with
the code of practice to be adopted in relation to sanctions against
individuals for not complying with the requirement to hold an ID
card, the consultation paper suggests that a fine of £125
will be levied as a civil penalty against people who have failed
in a 'secondary compliance' obligation, which concerns such matters
as failure to inform the authorities of changes in personal circumstances
recorded on the ID card, or when it has been lost or stolen. The consultation
documents can be accessed at: The closing
date for responses to this consultation is 4th May. (5)
Plans for the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) ,
Manila, October 2008. The second GFMD
is scheduled to take place in Manila, Philippines, on 27-30th October.
Following on from the inaugural meeting in Brussels in July 2007,
the agenda in Manila intends to broaden the discussion by looking
at the human rights of migrants. The Foreign Affairs Under Secretary
of the Philippines, Esteban Conejos, in chairing a preparatory meeting
for the Forum, explained that the theme of the Manila Forum, "Protecting
and Empowering Migrants for Development" reflects a growing
understanding that the developmental benefits of migration are contingent
upon the degree to which migrants are protected and empowered, by
both the host and origin countries. Manila GFMD
2008 will also look at how to open more legal avenues for migration
while addressing the obstacles to regular, protective forms of migration,
such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It will further
consider the need for more reliable migration and development research
and data and continue the debate on policy and institutional coherence
in linking migration and development. Undersecretary Conejos stressed
the need for continuity through implementation of the GFMD Brussels
outcomes, and urged governments to focus actively on these recommendations
and report on results at the Manila GFMD 2008 meeting. The Brussels
Forum meeting consisted of sessions organised for government representatives,
and a parallel civil society event which brought representatives
of migrant rights and development NGOs into the discussion. The
Migrants Rights International, a network of independent organisations
working to support migrants, sponsored a 'Community Forum' at the
conclusion of the official event to allow civil society groups the
opportunity to review proceedings and consider the gains which might
be emerging from the process. The MRI is planning
a similar event for Manila and has issued an invitation to migrant
organisations to travel to the Philippines in October to participate
in the discussions and events which will take place around the Forum. For further
information about the organisation of the official Forum, visit: For information
about the MRI's plans for the Community Forum, go to: (6)
Chinese Immigration Concern Committee formed to monitor effects
of workplace raids on Chinese businesses Monday 3rd March 2008 saw the first mass rally of the Chinese community in Britain, which brought together around 1000 people from different parts of the country. Both Chinese employers and workers were present in large numbers to voice their concern about the detrimental effect of workplace raids on Chinese business. To download
the report of the rally, go to: http://www.ciccuk.org/downloads/information/rrenglish.pdf As part of the
Campaign, the CCIC is encouraging people to sign a petition to ask
the government to: 1. Stop all
BIA raids on Chinese catering businesses To sign the
petition, go to: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ciccpetition/ (7)
News of meetings and events across the UK Here are some
events that we would like to bring to your attention: - As part of
the Borderlines Film Festival (28 March - 13 April ) on the 2nd
of April will be on Migrants Stories, a series of two-minute digital
shorts, in which workers, friends and employers tell their own stories.
- The organisation PICUM (Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants) is organising a workshop on Protection of undocumented children in their basic social rights which will be held in Brussels on the 4th of April 2008. To find out more about this event, go to: http://www.picum.org/ A full list of upcoming events is available on our website at http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/events.htm Don Flynn TOWARDS A PROGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICY - a new collection of essays on the principles which should underpin progressive immigration policies. Edited by Don Flynn and Zoe Williams and published by Compass, the Barrow Cadbury Trust and the Migrants' Rights Network. Copies available, price £5.00, from the MRN, address above (cheques payable to 'MRN'). Or download a free copy from the MRN website - http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/files/progressivepolicy.pdf ^ Top of page ^
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