The US experience of detaining asylum seekers and migrants in centres operated by private companies has many parallels with what is happening in the UK. Below we reproduce an article that appeared in the May/June issue of the journal NACLA – Report on the Americas, on the private companies involved in the detention of asylum
Theme: Alternative voices on integration
Landmark fight against police racism in Norway
The campaign for a full, independent inquiry into the death in police custody of a 48-year-old Nigerian man last autumn is proving a watershed in the fight against institutionalised racism in Norway. On 7 September 2006, Eugene Ejike Obiora had much to look forward to. It was his son’s twelfth birthday and he wanted to
The hounding of David Oluwale
An important book investigating one of the first known Black deaths in custody – that of David Oluwale – has been written. Thirty-eight years ago to the day, on 4 May 1969, the body of David Oluwale was pulled from the River Aire in Leeds. Two years later, in November 1971, two police officers –
A passionate campaigner against racism and injustice
Gilly Singh Mundy, who has died suddenly aged 36, managed to cram so much into his own life and touch the lives of many in a positive, life-affirming way. For the last nine years he had been senior caseworker for Inquest, the charity that advises relatives of those who have died in custody. Born to
Community responses to the war on terror
The Institute of Race Relations publishes a briefing paper on the ways in which community organisations are combating the fall-out – in terms of racial violence, Islamophobia, anti-terror policing and human rights abuses – from the war on terror. Since September 11 2001 and, especially since the London attacks of 7/7, community organisations in the
The Independent Asylum Commission
Responding to concern about the UK asylum system, the Independent Asylum Commission is conducting an open investigation with a series of public hearings across the UK. The Independent Asylum Commission is made up of citizens’ groups of local churches, mosques, trade union branches, schools and community groups that are a part of London Citizens and
Teachers – we need your help!
Do you teach citizenship at key stages 3 or 4? The Institute of Race Relations is hoping to develop some teaching materials for the citizenship curriculum based around the themes of identity, the role of media, political participation and campaigning, using its Black history collection. If you are willing to help us by participating in
Roll call of deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, 1989-2010
IRR has, since 1989, been recording the deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants – two of the most vulnerable sections of our society – as a result of attempting to enter the UK, self-harm, denial of medical treatment, destitution, hazardous working conditions or racist attacks. Forced by circumstances beyond their control to seek a
Roll call of deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, 2002-2004
IRR has, since 1989, been recording the deaths of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants – two of the most vulnerable sections of our society – as a result of attempting to enter the UK, self-harm, denial of medical treatment, destitution, hazardous working conditions or racist attacks. Forced by circumstances beyond their control to seek a
Voices from detention
Barbed Wire Britain has produced a second volume of testimonies from immigration detainees, an important tool in the struggle for rights and justice. Amidst the political and media clamour about how many asylum seekers have been or need be deported, the voices of the system’s victims are necessarily stifled. Would-be refugees are mere statistics, objects