|
 Welcome to the new St.Jude’s Justice & Peace groups web page
As well as our continued Nestle boycott (www.babymilkaction.org)
we are also a FAIRTRADE parish
We meet on the 1st Wednesday of the month in St.Jude’s parish hall
All are welcome to come for more information please contact
Sr Patricia Cassidy at st_jude_jp@msn.com
WHY WE DO IT
The Commission's priorities and campaigns are firmly underpinned by Catholic Social Teaching.
News in Brief
Inhumane and oppressive': the final verdict on Britain's asylum policyThe overuse of detention, the scale of destitution and the severity of removals are all areas which need attention before the system can be described as fit for purpose"
The most comprehensive examination of the UK's asylum system ever conducted has found it "marred by inhumanity" and "not yet fit for purpose". The report, published by the Independent Asylum Commission, is a damning indictment of the Home Office's failure to deal fairly with those applying for sanctuary in this country. The commission found that Britain's treatment of asylum-seekers "falls seriously below the standards to be expected of a humane and civilised society". Its interim report will be delivered to the Home Office today by a delegation of asylum-seekers.
Full story: By Emily Dugan, The Independent, Thursday, 27 March 2008
Lord Goldsmith backs "the right to work" for people seeking asylum
In last week's report from Lord Goldsmith, he said that paid employment is essential to allow people seeking asylum to help themselves, British society and the UK economy. Lord Goldsmith, who had been asked to do the review by Gordon Brown, stopped short of saying outright that people refused asylum cannot work. Rather he called for a further "review of the policy in practice". Church Action on Poverty (March 08)
DRC: 'Majority of rapists go unpunished'
- Sexual violence against women is rampant in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but the majority of perpetrators, especially in "no-law" zones, go unpunished, according to a UN independent human rights expert. In South Kivu Province, for example, 14,200 rape cases were registered between 2005 and 2007 but only 287 were taken to court, Titinga Frederic Pacere, the UN Human Rights Council's independent expert on the state of human rights in the DRC, told reporters on 14 March. Full story: (IRIN) Nairobi, 18 March 2008
The latest news about slavery worldwide from Anti Slavery InternationalPolice rescue man trafficked into forced labour in UK; Fruit picked by enslaved farm workers in Florida; Two arrested in Mauritania on slavery related charges; UK pays compensation to victims of trafficking; 820 indigenous Brazilians freed by Government officials;
Bail system 'not set up to get a fair hearing' says Refugee Council. Call for the Home Office to suspend the roll-out of video-link hearings for detainees applying for bail from immigration removal centres. People who are detained under Immigration Act powers, are locked up without time limit and without an automatic independent review of their detention. The right to apply for bail is a vital safeguard against prolonged and unnecessary detention; it is therefore essential the process is fair and accurate. Evidence contained in a joint report by Bail for Immigration Detainees and the Refugee Council shows that this is not the case. A high number of people apply for bail without legal representation, there is failure to comply with rules about how quickly bail hearings must be listed, and frequent delays in the Home Office producing their case for why detention should be maintained. Full story: Refugee Council Online Monday 10th March 2008
Age x-rays breach health rulesPlans by the Home Office to use x-rays to establish the age of young asylum-seekers contravene the government's own guidance and could be classed as "assault", the Royal College of Radiologists has said.
Full article: By Sarah Cooper, Children & Young People Now, 12 March 2008
Squalid priorities
It is a curious paradox that, while our Government is often perfectly happy to pour scorn on repressive regimes abroad, when it comes to offering asylum to the persecuted inhabitants of such countries, all this righteous anger seems to evaporate.
Leader The Independent, Friday, 7 March 2008
Resumption of Removals to Zimbabwe!
Over the past few days many Zimbabwean's recently refused asylum, have received letters from the Boarder and Immigration Agency (BIA), saying that BIA, "is expecting shortly to be able to enforce returns to Zimbabwe". Most of the recipients of these letter are living in the North east/west of England. Also Zimbabweans with refugee status have received letters asking them if they would like to leave the UK voluntarily for a cash incentive. (6 March 08)
Heat or Eat?Women's Experience of Poverty in Scotland 2008
New qualitative research by The Poverty Alliance
For a hard back copy please contact Rachel Jury: rachel.jury@povertyalliance.org
Anti deportation campaign praises Glasgow campaigners (Feb 08)
Poverty: a denial of human rightsA new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation argues that we need tougher human rights laws to challenge the social attitudes that perpetuate poverty. (Jan 08)
Shetlanders force climbdown on Burmese woman's deportationShetlanders' warrior past paint a misleading picture of Britain's northernmost people. For this week they once again showed that they are among the most welcoming of communities - willing to do battle on behalf of those who choose to settle there. Their latest victory came when a Burmese woman, Hazel Minn, and her two sons were told that they would not, after all, be deported. Ms Minn fled Burma's military regime in 2002 but was told in 2004 that her application for political asylum had been turned down.
Full story: Mark Hughes, The Independent
Doctors rebel over plan to prevent treatment for failed asylum-seekersMinisters face a doctors' rebellion over plans to deny failed asylum-seekers the right to free health care while they are in Britain. In an unprecedented move, 275 GPs have said they will defy any new law by carrying on freely treating refugees, many of whom are torture victims, children and pregnant women.
Full story: Robert Verkaik, The Independent 16 January 2008
Hundreds of seriously ill people deported every yearHundreds of seriously ill foreigners are deported every year, Britain's immigration chief admitted as she defended the removal to Ghana of a woman with terminal cancer.
The Independent: 16 January 2008
Let's speak up to support access to heath care for all migrants !
The Lancet, 15th January 2008
No resumption of removals to ZimbabweThe Britain Zimbabwe Society has opened a petition to the Prime Minister which you can sign on the Number 10 website. Please sign the petition and encourage others to do so
Events Diary
Monday 24 March
Assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero 1980
Monday 7 April
World Health Day
Tuesday 22 April
International Earth Day
Saturday 26 April
Bishop Gerardi murdered in Guatemala 1998
Thursday 1 May
St Joseph the Worker, International Workers Day
Saturday 3 May
World Press Freedom Day
Wednesday 7 May
BAE AGM
Highlighting the significance of 2008, this year's meeting provides a great opportunity to pursue BAE further, especially surrounding February's judicial review over their Saudi arms deals. The day will provide exciting events both inside, with our token shareholders submitting several questions, along with an outside protest. For more information contact Emma Longstaff at emma@caat.org.uk
Tuesday 13 May
International Conscientious Objectors Day
Thursday 15 May
UN International Day of Families
Friday 16 May
World Debt Day
10th Anniversary of Human chain in Birmingham to cancel Third World Debt. See also Jubilee Scotland
Sunday 1- Sunday 8 June
Stop the Arms Trade Week
This is a great opportunity to take coordinated local action to end the arms trade. For more information contact Beccie D'Cunha at beccie@caat.org.uk .
Thursday 5 June
World Environment Day– Focus: Fostering low-carbon economies
Sunday 8 June
Day of Prayer to Stop the Arms Trade
Every year the CAAT Christian Network organises a UK wide Day of Prayer, which is held to end the arms trade. For more information contact Alun Morinan at christian@caat.org.uk
Thursday 12 June
World Day Against Child Labour
Monday 16 - Sunday 22 June
Refugee Week
Tuesday 17 June
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
Friday 20 June
UN World Refugee Day
Priorities
ASYLUM
We believe that we are called to welcome the stranger in our midst. We recognise the human dignity of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants. We believe that we should treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. The Commission recognises that behind statistics and headlines are real stories of broken lives and families. We will work to achieve a warmer welcome for the stranger in our midst and for fair treatment for all who seek asylum.
Removal of asylum seekers to third countries, incompatible with ECHR law
Obstacles toﾠ accountability: challenging the immigration detention of families
New Church guide for understanding and managing migration
House of Lords House of Commons Joint Human Rights Committee report - 30 March - The Treatment of Asylum Seekers
Dungavel Removal CentreFriends of the Refugee Ayrshire
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
A World Free of Nuclear Weapons?
Scottish Parliament says No to Trident
Cardinal and Moderator call on UK to back Nuclear Non-proliferation 30 April 2007
Trident Vote 14 March -how Scottish MPs voted
Trident and Jobs report by CND and STUC see News in Brief
Richard McCready's article publishedﾠin the Scotsman
Scottish Church leaders letter to MPs
Read Bin the Bomb Rallyﾠspeech byﾠCardinal O'BrienStudy pack and leaflet on Trident, see our resource page
Bishopsﾒ condemn Governmentﾒs Trident decision
Trident White Paper
Trident petition handed over on 1st Decemberﾠ
English and Welsh Bishops join Scottish Bishops in calling for an end to British Nuclear deterrent issued 21 Nov, 2006
Scotland's Long Walk for Peace
Cardinal's address to Peace March
Douglas Roche's talk in Edinburgh
Archbishop joins in Long Walk for Peaceﾠ
Carmelites issue statement condemning nuclear weapons
Big jump in public opposition to Trident replacement
Vatican backs Scottish Bishops
Scottish Bishops Statementﾠ
A useful article by Paul Rogers giving political background to the proposals to replace Trident sc
POVERTY IN SCOTLAND
Homelessness Sunday
Poverty and Homelessness Action Week
Sunday 27 January - Sunday 3 February
Scottish Churches Housing Agency
MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM
Justice and Peace Scotland
THANK YOU FOR CARING AND GOD BLESS
|
