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Syrian refugees – what is happening?

Syria Regional Refugee Response: Inter-agency Information Sharing Portal: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php
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Refugee Council:  Over recent weeks members of the public have been sending a clear message to the UK Government: refugees are welcome here.  We’ve been extremely humbled by all of your offers to support the Refugee Council. There are lots of ways you can help. Here’s how:

http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/latest/news/4431_how_you_can_help_support_refugees Continue reading “Syrian refugees – what is happening?”

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JRF: How to improve support and services for destitute migrants

2015 Aug 12 JRF DestitutionExecutive summary:

Action is urgently needed to help destitute migrants

Many migrants in Britain who find themselves with no support or ability to return home face destitution; they are not allowed to work, have no access to benefits and in only a few cases get emergency help. Many of them have a case to stay in the UK but cannot quickly prove it. All are vulnerable to exploitation or otherwise at risk.

All reports from frontline agencies indicate that the problem is growing much faster than their ability to respond. While many of the issues discussed here apply to migrants from within the European Union, the needs of migrants from outside the EU (more precisely the EEA – European Economic Area) are particularly acute because they usually have more complex immigration issues and cannot readily return home. Providing accommodation and support for them is a huge challenge because of rules about ‘no recourse to public funds’ (NRPF). The report focuses on this group. Continue reading “JRF: How to improve support and services for destitute migrants”

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Zero + One= No Limit @ Musician, Leicester on 30 July 2015

2015 July 30 zero plus one

 

Really looking forward to our Zero + One = No Limit evening on Thursday at the Musician. The draft programme is here:is:

8.30pm Ian Mckie – 51
8.50 – Aunty Rachel Granger Benn – 21
9.10 – Andy Griffiths – 41
9.30 – Judy Hardman – 61
9.50 – Malc Randall‘s break, selling cds, maybe eating cake etc
10.10 – Mike Riley – 31
10.30 – Sheila Mosley – 61
10.50 – Pete Morton – 51 (it’s actually his birthday on Thursday 30 July smile emoticon )

Everyone is welcome, and it’s free to come in. Some people will be selling cds, and others may have a tin to collect donations for their favourite cause, and The Musician would appreciate selling some of their wares too. .

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Why do Western Governments not prioritise speaking with Syrian Kurds – PYD

FCOPersonal comments: I met with the FCO Syria and Turkey desk recently. The mythology seems to be that PYD does not accept the Syrian National Coalition’s position (which is important to them because UK has all its eggs in that basket). I argued that PYD is past of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change and is unlikely to come under SNC because of SNC’s reluctance to take Kurdish issues seriously – because of its own roots. If NCB and SNC were to work together then PYD would clearly be part of that. UK was effectively party to splitting the Kurdish block to disempower them and promote SNC, which is immoral! Continue reading “Why do Western Governments not prioritise speaking with Syrian Kurds – PYD”