The rejection of race discrimination claims brought by a young Nigerian woman who was brought in illegally by her employers, brutalised and denied wages, gives a green light to racism. MH was probably only 14 when her employer brought her from Nigeria to work in the UK as an au pair, promising to send her
Slumming it in India
A critical look at the recent box office hit – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. You can almost hear the film executives: ‘hey you know Slumdog Millionaire was such a success and so was Ladies in Lavender, why don’t we just combine the two – a set of wistful old English people set against an
IRR News 4-10 May 2012
Dear IRR News subscriber, This week we have a report on the death of in Holland earlier this year of Alain Hatungimana, a 36-year-old Burundian facing deportation with his two children, who apparently took his own life in a desperate attempt to prevent their removal. We also have a very long digest of new reports and
Death and deportation in Holland
An asylum seeking father’s suicide in Holland for the sake of his children has highlighted the growing local-national divide over the deportation of children. On 9 April 2012, Alain Hatungimana, a 36-year-old Burundian facing deportation with his two children, took his own life in a desperate attempt to prevent his children’s removal. Fourteen-year-old Abdillah and
IRR News 27 April – 3 May 2012
Dear IRR News subscriber, This week on the News Service, we review a new play on stop and search (it’s still on in Catford, south London) and Saleh Mamon, a regular contributor, reviews the recent report from the Children’s Commissioner inquiry into exclusions. We are also sad to report the death of Gerry German, a
Stark reality of exclusions for BME children
The Children’s Commissioner’s exclusion inquiry reveals entrenched discrimination and ‘illegal’ exclusions. In March, the Children’s Commissioner published the report of her first formal inquiry on schools exclusions after eight months of evidence-gathering by her team supported by a panel of experts. They listened to children and adults alike, as well as taking account of written
Stop and search drama
In a nutshell, Stop Search, plays out the devastating impact that the policy of stop and search can have on a family. This excellent new play shows a black middle-class family whose young teenage son is keeping a secret – his daily interactions with the police and a collection of over thirty records of being
Gerry German, 1928 – 2012
Gerry was a life-long campaigner for children’s education rights and an unwavering supporter of all our struggles. Having been a former headteacher and Principal Education Officer at the Community Relations Commission/Commission for Race Equality, he helped to establish the Working Group Against Racism in Children’s Resources and thirteen years ago invited me and a couple
IRR News 20 April – 26 April 2012
Dear IRR News subscriber, This week on the News Service the IRR comments on the plans by Newham council to move its homeless to Stoke-on-Trent: ‘Learning the lessons of dispersal‘ and Frances Webber reviews a recent legal decision on the detention of mentally ill foreign offenders. In news from across the UK, a BNP supporter has
Judge brands detention irrational, unlawful and degrading
Another High Court judge rebukes the UK Border Agency for its detention of mentally ill foreign offenders. On 17 April, Mr Justice Singh QC ruled that the detention by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) of a Nigerian offender was unlawful[1] after a psychiatrist said the man urgently needed proper assessment in a mental hospital, four