Weekly Action and News 10/06/2022
Manchester Amnesty Weekly Actions and News
Please do these actions and make a difference
Today we have two URGENT actions from Freedom From Torture, each of which takes about 5 minutes to do. They both relate to the government’s plan to start sending refugees to Rwanda on 14th June, next Tuesday. Please take action today!
Action 1.Send emails to the airlines likely to be involved
Three airlines, Privilege Style, Titan and Iberojet, have already shipped refugees out of the UK for Boris Johnson’s government. Big airlines like TUI have already refused to ship refugees out of the country, after ordinary people came together all over the UK and forced them to back out. So far, these three airlines haven’t said anything. We need to turn up the pressure on them. Freedom From Torture has prepared the text of the emails for you. It will only take you minutes.
Action 2. Leave a message on the airlines’ facebook pages.
Google the Facebook pages of Titan, Iberojet and Privelege Style airlines, then leave a message asking them not to be involved in the government’s actions. Freedom from Torture have provided a suggested message, but you can read what others have put and put your own.
SUGGESTED TEXT: “Profiting from removing refugees to Rwanda on the UK government's behalf would be deeply inhumane and a terrible look for your company. It's not too late to do the right thing - say you won't fly the planes now.”
There is a demonstration in Manchester this coming Sunday, 12th, at 1pm, to protest against the government’s inhumane plans to send refugees to Rwanda.
Human Rights Watch says, “Rwanda has a known track record of extrajudicial killings, suspicious deaths in custody, unlawful or arbitrary detention, torture, and abusive prosecutions, particularly
targeting critics and dissidents. In fact, the UK directly raised its concerns about respect for human rights with Rwanda, and granted asylum to Rwandans who have fled the country, including four just last year.”
June is Refugee month and 20-26th June is Refugee week.
At our June monthly online group meeting,7pm on Monday 13th June, we are focusing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. We are delighted to have the Management Group from the Manchester based charity Women Seeking Asylum Together (WAST) to speak to us. They will tell us about their important work supporting asylum seekers, campaigning for the rights of refugees and providing immigration advice.
All are welcome, including new members. More details and a joining link will be emailed to you before the meeting.
Refugee week events in Manchester
Tuesday 14th June 1-2pm, Bridgewater Hall, M2 3WS. Harmonise Manchester - free performance of original and traditional music by 100+ school children to celebrate and welcome refugees. You can register here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harmonise-manchester-tickets-325848600937.
Last November Manchester welcomed Little Amal, a 3.5-metre puppet of a ten-year-old refugee girl, as she ended a 8,000km journey walking from the Syrian/Turkish border, and raising awareness about refugees on her way. On Sunday 19 June you can see her again as she walks in the iconic Manchester Day Parade starting at 1pm on Deansgate, before travelling across the UK, marking World Refugee Week. More information here. https://manchesterday.co.uk/manchester-day/
Friday 24 June 2022, 11.00am to 12.00pm The People’s History Museum is holding a Refugee Week guided tour to show the stories of those who have sought sanctuary in the UK. Cost: £6 | £4 | FREE.
You can book here. https://phm.org.uk/events_new/refugee-week-guided-tour/friday-24-june-2022-11-00am-12-00pm/
AIUK North West Regional Zoom Meeting
On Wednesday June 22nd at 7pm, AIUK are holding a meeting to bring together members and activists from across the North West. The draft agenda includes 1) groups to introduce themselves to each other and speak about the work they are doing and any help that they need 2) input from AIUK about movement building, activism and forthcoming campaigns, 3) ideas for joint and collaborative working. If you would like to attend this meeting, it is open to all, but please would you let Hazel or Alison know hazelerrey@gmail.com alison.wearden@gmail.com so that we can have a coordinated approach.
Israel’s apartheid against Palestine - events
14th June, 18:30-20:00 BST, AIUK, online, panel discussion entitled “Israel’s apartheid against Palestine: How to dismantle this injustice.” You can read more about the event and register to attend here. Places are limited. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/israels-apartheid-against-palestinians-how-to-dismantle-this-injustice-tickets-340117168607?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Friday 29th – Sunday 31st July, there will be a Big Ride for Palestine. This is a bike ride from Derby to Stoke to Manchester, followed by a ride around Manchester (3 rides on 3 days), to raise show support and solidarity with the people of Palestine and to raise funds for the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a charity which supports children traumatised by living under the occupation. If you are interested in taking part in any or all of the rides, you need to book your place by 24th June. Please also let Mike Reed know as we may be able to get together a Manchester Amnesty contingent. mikewreed101@gmail.com More details available here.
https://www.thebigride4palestine.com/big-ride-summer-2022
Volunteers still needed!
MMU are holding an ‘Action for Sustainability Summer Festival on Friday June 17th and we have a stall featuring environmental Human Rights Defenders. The festival has well-known speakers and lots of activities. Booking details at : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/action-for-sustainability-a-student-community-staff-mid-summer-festival-tickets-292368501057. We could really do with a few extra helpers. If you can spare a couple of hours anytime between 10am to 6pm, please get in touch with Anne Walker anne.walker9@ntlworld.com.
Save the date!
17th July, Liverpool Arab Arts festival. The UAE subgroup are planning to hold a shared stall with the Liverpool and Wirral Amnesty groups on 17th July, the date on which Dr Mohammed Al-Roken is due for release from his ten year sentence in the UAE. Further details of the Amnesty presence will follow, but you can read about the festival, which runs from 7th-17th July, here. https://www.arabartsfestival.com/2022festival/
Other events
18th June, 1-5pm, Manchester Central Library. Trailblazers! Women of Greater Manchester is the group promoting commemoration of other women in Greater Manchester who were on the list for the Womanchester statue. The link is now live to the free event on 18 June, including the first Margaret Ashton Memorial Lecture to be given by Kate Green MP:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trailblazers-women-of-greater-manchester-tickets-334673215597
Manchester Amnesty Subgroups and other work
If you would like to join any of our subgroups, please contact the current convenors for joining details.
UAE – Kathryn Fletcher, bussk@btinternet.com. next meeting TBA, Zoom
Anti-racism – Hazel Errey, hazelerrey@gmail.com, next meeting Monday 27th June, 6.30pm, Zoom
Refugees – Alison Wearden, alison.wearden@gmail.com, next meeting Monday 25th July, 7pm, Zoom
HR in UK – Matthew Sherwood, m.j.sherwood@outlook.com, next meeting TBA, Zoom
Craftivism - Kathryn Fletcher bussk@btinternet.com. next meeting TBA
Other areas of work are led by:
Crisis and Tactical Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen Rebecca Shaw, r.h.shaw.7@gmail.com
Europe/ Turkey, Fatih Segmen, fsegmen@yahoo.com
Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians Mike Reed mikewreed101@gmail.com
Good news
Egypt - Between 29 and 31 May 2022, on the recommendation of the reactivated Presidential Committee for Pardon, the judiciary ordered the release of 11 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, including Abdelrahman Tarek (known as Moka) and Kholoud Saeed, who had been in arbitrary detention for over four and two years
Turkey - On 31 May 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the 14-month arbitrary detention, between 2017 and 2018, of Amnesty International President Taner Kilic violated his rights to freedom and security. In 2020, Kilic was sentenced to six years and three months in prison for "belonging to a terrorist group" and is awaiting an appeal.
Alison Wearden
Communications Secretary
Manchester Group of Amnesty International
Please contact me with items for our Weekly Action and News email, or with ideas for longer articles for the quarterly Manchester Amnesty Group Bulletin.
0 comments