DAYS OF ACTION FOR RIGHTS FOR SANS PAPIERS

Saturday 1st October

The international conference of No One Is Illegal in Manchester, UK on 25th June called for an international day of action on Saturday 1st October against immigration controls. 2005 marks the centenary of the introduction of immigration controls in Britain - the Aliens Act (1905) - so it is a good time to highlight that there is nothing natural or inevitable about immigration controls. After the success of the Day of Action on 2 April we are hoping that activities can take place on this day across the world.

Everyday the apparatus of detention and deportation become more brutal - just this week a 19 year old Turkish man killed himself in a UK Removal Center. Each year the rights to benefits, work and vital services for migrants and asylum seekers are reduced. Each year new legislation targets places further restrictions of rights of entry to more people. People are made precarious, and vulnerable for super-exploitation by capital. Everyday sans papiers are subject to a poisonous stream of abuse from politicians and newspapers.

But each day resistance grows. Migrants’ organisations are linking up across Europe and across continents. Some trades unions have realised the importance of organising and representing all workers regardless of their immigration status stating ‘No Worker is illegal’. Voluntary organisations have been persuaded not to collaborate with the Home Office and the Immigration ‘Service’. Campaigns have begun to question the legitimacy of all immigration controls and raising the demands:

No Deportations ! No Detentions !

Equal Rights and Freedom of Movement for All !

Defiance not Compliance with controls !

Organise something in your locality - at enforcement units, detention centres, prisons, courts, newspapers etc. Some actions are being planned where children march from schools in support of their friends under threat of deportation.

Saturday / Sunday 17th + 18th December

18th December was the launch of the International Convention of the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Their Families (New York 1990). The Mediterranean Social Forum has called a day of action to mark this against the laws of politics that victimise migrants and for the freedom of movement and settlement and equality of rights for all. The Manchester Conference called for activities on this weekend taking around these issues. Local campaigns could look at events that reach out to trades unions.

Add your group’s name to the list of supporting organisations !

Contact for further info - Email: info@noii.org.uk / www.noii.org.uk

No One Is Illegal,Bolton Socialist Club,16 Wood Street,Bolton, BL1 1DY.