|
April 2nd European
Day of Action - .
On the 31st of January 2004 demonstrations
and actions were held in more than forty European cities.
It was an important day in the development of networking
among migrants, struggles and activists on a European
level.There is another day of action on the April 2nd
2005. It is centred around the claim for freedom of
movement and the right to stay.
Read the full call to action
here.
But what's happening in Manchester?
Here are the minutes of the last planning
meeting
Decisions taken by the people in the network
on the 28th Feb
* DEMO - ROUTES:
There will be 3 marches:
one from South - assembling at 12.30 at Withworth Park
one from North - assembling at 12 noon at Goldstone
Park
one from the centre - assembling at 1 pm at Sackville
Park
The 3 marches are going to meet in Exchange Sq around
2pm moving together towards Albert Sq in order to be
there around 2.30
Daniel, Kim, Miles, Richard are going to contact the
police to refere about the routes of the march and Kim
is coordinating the group.
* LEAFLETS
A new version of the leaflet was decided
after a long dicussion.
On the front page in the centre there will be DEMO AGAINST
DEPORTATION and at the bottom of the same page RALLY
AGAINST RACISM.
Along both sides there will be EUROPEAN DAY OF ACTION
On the back as big as possible the 3 aims of the protest:
A city united
* against racism
* for freedom of movement
* for the right to stay and work
Signatures of supporters : Antideportation
campaigns in evidence followed by TU and other groups
There will be a leaflet for the third march with all
the informations.
The leaflets will be ready on Saturday and people can
go to the FMH Sat between 1 and 4 pm to collect them
(ask for Virginia and Emma).
* POSTERS
We will print also posters. They will
be like the leaflets and people have to stick 2 together
while flypostering. Difficult ..... but interesting!!!!
* DALLAS COURT
Virginia informed the meeting about the
action supported by
NCADC, Iraqi Solidarity Campaign, No Borders
Tuesday 8th March 12 noon, Dallas court Enforcement
Centre Langworthy Road south Salford
End Arbitary Detention and Deportation
Show your support for people facing deportation.
Stop the unjust siezure and detention of asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers from across greater manchester are required
to sign at Dallas Court Enforcement Centre up to 3 times
a week. Every time they go there they face the prospect
of arbitary detention and deportation. The fear of being
seperated from their family, detained for an indefinite
period and finally deported is a constant source of
stress. The security for the enforcement office is in
the hands of Wackenhut UK Limited (Group 4). Each asylum
seeker forced to sign on at the enforcement centre brings
profit to Wackenhut. Dentention at Dallas court is one
of the first links in the chain to eventual deportation
to unsafe countries.
There will be food for people definately and hopefully
music ( made by people who can play instruments, if
not unmusical people like me will make some ourselves!!).
we are thinking of moving to keep warm so study those
exercise tapes! Dallas Court is a serious business but
we want to make this demo fun. asking people to stand
in the cold is mean. so if you have anything you think
might be fun, for example ( board games like twister,
sandwiches for people, hot soup, an old tape recorder
with seventies/eighties/nineties songs on to dance too,).
basically anything that makes standing outside an enforcement
centre in february bearable....
* Wed 2 March at 9 pm BBC 1
2nd March 9.00pm, BBC 1, Asylum Undercover"
- investigation exposes violence & abuse - 60 mins
documentary
* Next meeting of the 2nd April network
will be Tuesday the 15th of March at 7.30 at the FMH
room 7 (there were no free room on Monday!!) The agenda
will include : Music and dance for the demo of the 2nd
of April
Please, make an effort to contact any
ethnic group you know in order to have all sort of diversity
in the square and let us know if they are ready to perform
in Albert Sq
* Banner making at the Basement, 24 Lever
ST will take place on Monday the 7th and the 21st
Bring your creativity, we are going to
prepare the mobile detention camp and several banners.
Emma bringing painting, Mariangela other materials,
Kay the white fabric we need
* Speakers : as far as we know
Mansoor Hassan son, Farhat Khan, Afzal
Khan, Seid Ahmed, Jeremy Dear from NUJ,
* Money :
We do need donations. Some people volonteered
to ask TUs and different organizations in order to collect
money for materials, banners, leaflets and posters.
We also call for small donations. The account number
will be soon on the list and we already thank you for
your generosity. Checks to MCDAS
* The meeting was informed about the
EPA in Athens and the meeting of the network including
the appeal for the actions on the 2nd of April
* The network was invited by the Manchester Social Forum
to take part in the Third People's Assembly, organizing
the workshop in the morning and being part with stalls
in the Fair of Alternativity in the afternoon.
|
