It is time that Black football players take the initiative against racism in the game, says Lord Herman Ouseley, Chairman of Kick It Out, in an interview with IRR News. IRR News: Why do you think the incident with Spanish fans happened at Bernabeu last month? Was it because of Aragones’ earlier comment about Thierry
News Service
Did delay in treatment contribute to the death of a Turkish asylum seeker?
The family of Elmas Ozmico, a Turkish asylum seeker, believe that earlier medical intervention might have saved her life. This is one of the questions the family desperately want answered at the inquest into her death. On 8 July 2003, a Turkish woman, 40-year-old Elmas Ozmico with her two children aged eight and nine and
The grim fate that awaits those deported to Congo
In an interview with IRR News, Congolese human rights activist René Kabala Mushiya alleges that asylum seekers deported to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) face prison and death. The plane lands at Ndjili airport, Kinshasa, in the dead of night – the better to avoid monitoring by journalists and human rights activists. Then the
Church group launches Racial Justice fund
The Churches for Britain and Ireland have rebranded their fund for community projects and rededicated their commitment to racial justice. It may not be unusual for bishops to frequent the old and vaulted rooms of the Houses of Parliament but it is unusual for young black children from a Tottenham estate. But the launch of
Removals to Zimbabwe will put many at risk
The resumption of removals to Zimbabwe reflects a changing political climate in Britain rather than any lessening in the merits of Zimbabwean asylum claims. The government announced on 16 November 2004 that it was lifting the suspension on returns to Zimbabwe. Its spokesman said that ‘we suspended temporarily all enforced returns to Zimbabwe in 2002
The fight for community begins in Leicester
The threatened Council take-over of a Leicester community centre illustrates the contradictions in the government’s ‘community cohesion’ agenda. The withdrawal of funds from the hugely successful Highfields Youth and Community Centre (HYCC), in inner-city Leicester, has become the focus for a strong local campaign aimed at challenging the whole approach of the City Council and
Another asylum seeker dies in detention
Yet another asylum seeker appears to have taken his own life while in detention – bringing to four the number of asylum seekers who have died in self-harm incidents in British prisons or immigration removal centres so far this year. A week ago, on 7 November, Kenny Peter an asylum seeker (from either Liberia or
Dossier reveals failure to investigate complaints of racism at Leeds Prison
Solicitors are urging the Commission for Racial Equality, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) and the Prison Service to take action over allegations of prison officer abuse and racism at Leeds prison, where Shahid Aziz was murdered earlier this year. The murder of Shahid Aziz at HMP Leeds and subsequent allegations of racism that surfaced
A new anti-racist toolkit for youth workers
I Ain’t Racist But… aims to give youth workers the knowledge and tools ‘to respond constructively to racist incidents and deal appropriately with victims and perpetrators’. Written by Mandeep Rupra of the Racial Harassment Action Group Monitoring Project at Leicester Racial Equality Council, the stated intent of the toolkit is to encourage youth workers to
Did undue pressure on an asylum seeker lead to his suicide?
The suicide of an Ethiopian asylum seeker has led refugee support workers to question methods being used by government officials to gain information. Seife Yimene, a 24-year-old Ethiopian man who came to the UK in July 2004, was living in emergency accommodation in Newcastle while his asylum claim was being processed. He became very depressed