Contact:
Razaw (01752) 434615 or Julie Paget (01752) 224555.

The date of the next meetings is:     Friday, 17^th th April 2009

Top 10 origin countries:  Iraq, Somalia, Russian Federation, Afghanistan, China, Serbia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Eritrea, Mexico.  (Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan are all considered to be 'Failed states').   There were significant increases in people leaving, Afghanistan (up 85 percent), Zimbabwe (up 82 percent), Somalia (up 77 percent), Nigeria (up 71 percent) and Sri Lanka (up 24 percent) in 2008, this was due to seriously deteriorating situations throughout the year, Zimbabwe is also a 'Failed state'.
'Failed states':   Countries which have governments but very little governance, endemic corruption/profiteering by ruling elites, the government cannot / will not protect the population from others or itself, massive internal conflict, forced internal / external displacement, institutionalised political exclusion of significant numbers of the population, progressive deterioration of welfare infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses) not adequate to meet health, needs, progressive economic decline of the country as a whole as measured by per capita income, GNP, debt, child mortality rates, poverty levels, business failures, and other economic measures. (Fund for Peace, failed states index).   The UK removed/deported to all top ten countries in 2008, there were regular charter flights to Iraq / Afghanistan.    http://www.ncadc.org.uk/index.htm

"The increase can partly be attributed to higher numbers of asylum applications by citizens of Afghanistan, Somalia and other countries experiencing turmoil or conflict," UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said in Geneva on Tuesday.   "Although the number of Iraqi asylum seekers declined by 10% in 2008, Iraqis continued to be the largest nationality seeking asylum in the industrialized world," he added.
The provisional UNHCR figures indicate that some 383,000 new asylum applications were submitted last year in 51 industrialized countries, a 12 percent rise compared to 2007, when there were some 341,000 applications.   This is the second consecutive annual increase in the number of asylum seekers since 2006, when the lowest number of asylum applications in 20 years was registered (307,000).
The top country of origin of asylum applicants in 2008 was Iraq (40,500, down 10% from 45,100 in 2007), followed by Somalia (21,800), the Russian Federation (20,500), Afghanistan (18,500) and China (17,400). Of the ten main nationalities claiming asylum last year, some remained stable while others registered significant increases.
Countries of origin recording a significant rise in applications included Afghanistan ( up 85 percent ),     Zimbabwe ( up 82 percent ),     Somalia

•Climate Change
•Sustainable Energy
•Human Rights
•Trade Unionism

During Refugee Week hundreds of events exploring refugee experiences take place ac the UK.  These range from small community and school activities to art exhibitions, political debates, film screenings, conferences, big music festivals, sports events etc.  Anyone can get involved in Refugee Week either by organising or visiting an event or by just spreading the word!

How do these actions happen?

This campaign ultimately depends on all of us doing one small thing to help change the way we perceive refugees.   Here’s how:   Just take a look at the actions on our website.   Think about which ones you’d like to do (or already do everyday).   Do them.   Tell us that you’ve done them and (if you really want to push the boat out) tell someone else to do the same. It’s really simple.


Where do I find more information about the campaign?

Visit   www.simpleacts.org.uk   for  
•Explanations and suggestions for each action
•The Action Counter - check out a running total of how many   actions have been completed across the UK
•Get hold of the gorgeous Simple Acts Journal
•Loads of free resources such as quizzes and tasty recipes
•Toolkits and tips for getting your school or organisation   involved

Be our friend and follow us on
• Twitter - Simple_Acts
• Facebook - Simple Acts Group
• Bebo - SimpleA2

The culture of asylum seekers has been deeply established within British society.   Some say they enhance the colour and vibrancy of the nation, although there are others who believe in the discourse that stigmatise this group.   The ubiquity of television as a source of information, has raised an awareness about AS and those who are voiceless,   particularly children.   There are a vast amount of young AS who come to UK.
A BBC article (  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7933885.stm  ) proposes that more than 7,000 asylum seeking children arrive in this country every year.
According to the recent report from The Refugee and Migrant Justice Charity the issue of ill-treatment of children of asylum seekers has been highlighted.   Major attention has been paid to flouting law in the face of the young and the report also mentions the subject of detention and legal advice these people receive.  The result of this lack of legal help impacts on the growing number of case refusals, which are decided on the basis of credibility.   The report also states that the UK border agency contributes to the mistreatment of children in a negative way.   In fact the mental health of children has become a major concern, as very often youths are mistakenly or rather ignorantly placed in adult detention centres.
The UK Border Agency rejects these claims and a spokesman stated that the “welfare of children [is] a priority.”
Detention centre conditions are extremely shocking, and the treatment of asylum seekers is abusive.   Both of these factors are in contradiction to UN convention on the Rights of the Child.   A further abuse is that children are taken away from their parents, one example being an asthmatic child being removed from her parents, and not provided with correct diet nor medication.
Would you let your children live like this?
Is this an infringement of Human Rights?