Immigration and Racism in Britain and USA

Scotland gets first Muslim MP

[..] Ahmad [..] was born in India before the partition but lived in Scotland for the past 35 years [..].

He said he was "very proud" to represent the people of Scotland's biggest city. One of his main goals, he said, was to establish a state-funded school for Muslim children. [..]

A record number of 10 Muslim candidates were standing in the elections, with Labour fielding six, but the majority were placed in virtually unwinnable seats. [..]

First ethnic minority AM elected

The [Welsh] assembly has its first ethnic minority member with the election of Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar on the regional list.

Mr Asghar, who was second on the Plaid list, was the fourth and final AM to be elected in South Wales East.

"I'm lost for words at the moment," he admitted after his election was confirmed at about 0600 BST on Friday.

The Commission for Racial Equality said it was "a huge step forward" and part of the way Wales was taking shape.

Mr Asghar said it would be his "great pleasure" to serve in the assembly. [..]

"I will be serving with my heart and soul for the ethnic minorities which are an integral part of the United Kingdom and Wales."

Accountancy course

Plaid MP Adam Price welcomed the election of Mr Asghar, who he said was affectionately known as Oscar in the party.

Mr Asghar was born in Pashawar in 1945 and currently lives in Newport. He attended Pashawar University and completed an accountancy course in Nash College, Newport.

He has stood for Plaid Cymru in previous elections, [..] and is a Plaid regional co-ordinator and member of the National Executive Committee.

'Really good news'

His interests include athletics and badminton, and he is also a keen cricket fan. Mr Asghar also holds a pilot's licence and enjoys flying.

Mr Asghar's political interests include economic development and he feels strongly about combating social exclusion.

His success at the election has been welcomed by director of the Commission for Racial Equality in Wales, Chris Myant.

"I think it's great news, It's all part of the way Wales is taking shape as a nation of diversity on a global stage," he said. [..]

"The assembly sits in Cardiff right beside one of the oldest black communities stretching back a century and a half and that community still faces problems of social exclusion and inequality [..].

"There is still a huge step forward to be made, but this is really good news."

Greater Manchester police investigates claim it has BNP members in ranks

· Off-duty colleagues said to have been at pub event
· Force seizes CCTV footage of St George's Day incident

Vikram Dodd
Tuesday May 8, 2007
The Guardian

One of Britain's biggest police forces is investigating allegations that it has British National party members among its frontline officers, the Guardian has learned.
Greater Manchester police launched the investigation after complaints from its own officers, who say they saw colleagues at a BNP event to mark St George's Day.

The supporters of the extreme rightwing party had gathered outside a pub in Manchester city centre and police were called after complaints that they had turned rowdy.

The allegations are especially embarrassing for Greater Manchester police, (GMP) which was one of the forces whose trainee officers were caught making racist remarks by an undercover television programme. After the revelations in the BBC Secret Policeman documentary the force vowed to stamp out racism in the ranks.
The force says it has seized CCTV footage and its detectives will scour it frame by frame for evidence. The force vowed that any officer found to be a BNP member could be sacked. But the BNP claimed it has members among the force's ranks.

The incident happened at 4.30pm on April 23. Around 120 BNP supporters were reported to be milling around Sinclair's Oyster Bar, and were reported to be chanting abuse at passers by. Some were wearing T-shirts saying "Love Britain or **** off" and shouting BNP slogans.

One officer present claims he saw a fellow officer wearing a BNP badge. Bar managers feared trouble and called police to help them clear away the BNP supporters.

The report that sparked the investigation came from an inspector sent to the scene to help quell the disturbance.

Police sources say the inspector does not claim he saw officers whom he recognised as part of the BNP group. His report relays allegations from other officers that they recognised some of the crowd as off duty policemen.

Senior GMP officers are sceptical of the claims of BNP members in their ranks. The force's initial reaction to the undercover footage obtained by the BBC of their trainee officers being racist, was to arrest the undercover reporter who obtained it.

Police officers are not allowed to be members of the BNP, which is widely seen as being racist and which has members with convictions for violence. The policy was passed by police chiefs three years ago. They say membership of the party is incompatible with officers' duties under race equality laws.

Ali Dizaei of the National Black Police Association, who is a chief superintendent in the Metropolitan police, called for an independent investigation: "It beggars belief that in today's police service we appear to have serving police officers who are members of the BNP."

He added: "These allegations must be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Police should now carry out an investigation of all police forces to find the extent of the problem which, if not addressed, will have significant impact on legitimacy of policing in the UK."

Chief Superintendent Terry Sweeney, head of the GMP's professional standards branch, said: "There is absolutely no evidence at this time to suggest that any GMP employees took part in the disturbance.

"GMP's professional standards branch received a report on May 2 from an officer who was present on April 23 and was concerned there may have been off-duty police employees in the vicinity.

"The officer did not see any GMP employees involved in the disturbance himself, but has rightly brought to our attention the information he received from other people. We will investigate this thoroughly to establish if any off-duty officers or staff were involved. If it emerges that any staff were part of the disturbance, we will take the strongest possible action. As part of the investigation, we have taken CCTV from the city centre and will be looking at it frame by frame.

"The chief constable has made it clear that BNP members are not welcome in the GMP. No police officer or member of police staff may be in the BNP and anyone found to be a member is likely to be dismissed."

Asked if there were serving police officers who were also BNP members, Phil Edwards, a spokesman for the extremist organisation, said: "I believe there are."

Minister's homes priority plan angers fellow MPs

The Guardian
May 21, 2007

British industry minister Margaret Hodge has provoked furious reactions by proposing that local British-born families should get priority for scarce social housing over newly arrived immigrants. Hodge represents a formerly white working class constituency in east London that has been targeted by the British National party, where council housing is sparse after most of it was sold under the right to buy.

Hodge wrote: "We should look at policies where the legitimate sense of entitlement felt by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by the new migrants."

The Liberal Democrat spokesman said: "There are one-and-a-half million families on the council housing waiting list and the Labour government keeps selling houses off. The first thing to do is start building social housing again, not to blame immigrants for the catastrophic government failure to tackle the issue."

The Conservative spokesman said: "Margaret Hodge is admitting the long-term failure of this government to control immigration. This is why Conservatives are calling for an explicit annual limit on the numbers coming here from outside the EU so that we can avoid exactly the sort of problems she is talking about."

Flight of middle class Muslims

2007-04-24
BBC News

Many British Muslims, fed up with what they see as Islamophobia, are upping sticks and heading for the Middle East.

Mrs al-Sibassi, just one of a growing number of middle class Muslims who are leaving, was born in Britain and worked as a senior hospital manager, but is now moving with her family to the United Arab Emirates.

"Living here is not how it was," she says, "incidents .. over the past 3-4 years have marred life for decent Muslims living here." She adds, "bringing up children in an environment where the messages in the media are anti-Islamic, it just puts added pressure on them as they grow up."

Britain's loss is the Gulf's gain. The booming economies there are actively recruiting skilled British Muslim professionals. "I feel more comfortable here," says Meiraj Hussein in Dubai, "which is sad really because Britain is my home."

But it's people like Meiraj that are the role models for the younger generation of British Muslims. The Muslim middle class in Britain is very small - and "if the very few of us who are making it to the higher positions .. leave, what is left?" asks Dr Tahir Abbas.

Radio review: I'm a Muslim, Get Me Out of Here!
2007-04-25 · The Guardian

The Radio 4 programme I'm a Muslim, Get Me Out of Here! portrayed the phenomenon of British Muslims moving to Muslim countries. Two-thirds of British Muslims considered leaving after the July 7 bombings. "Living here is not how it was," said one woman, moving to Abu Dhabi. Living in a Muslim country, she said, she won't live in dread of the next excitable media story about her faith, and the ensuing rise in race-hate crimes.

Asylum-seeker from Nigeria becomes the first black Irish mayor

The Independent
30 June 2007

A Nigerian who fled to Ireland as an asylum-seeker has just become the country's first black mayor, in what is seen as a landmark in multicultural relations.

Rotimi Adebari, who was elected Mayor of Portlaoise Town Council, received a standing ovation amid scenes of celebration. He declared: "This is not just a country of a thousand welcomes, but a country of a thousand equal opportunities."

Elected by six votes to three, those councillors who voted against him apologised, citing party tradition. One of them said to him: "You seem to radiate happiness and joy. I'd love to know what you're on. We need a bottle of it over here."

Mr Adebari, who is married with four children, arrived in Ireland seven years ago after fleeing religious persecution in Nigeria. He had a difficult start but has since established himself as a councillor and as an activist promoting community relations and integration. He set up a consultancy to train companies and educational institutions in multicultural awareness while completing a masters degree in intercultural studies at a Dublin university.

He has also hosted a weekly radio programme dealing with issues of social inclusion, and has won awards for his work and for "the creativity and commitment he has applied to creating an integrated intercultural society".

The importance attached to his own successful integration into Irish society was highlighted by the attendance at his election meeting of representatives of the Nigerian, South African, US and Indian embassies. Ben Amobi, chargé d'affaires at the Nigerian embassy, said: "Rotimi is an honourable ambassador for his country and for Portlaoise. We feel so proud at this moment."

Many tens of thousands of immigrants have arrived in the Irish Republic over the past decade. The influx posed problems and challenges for the country, but the general sense is that the new arrivals have been accommodated reasonably well.

The "new Irish," as they are sometimes called, have helped keep up the numbers at Catholic churches, which have suffered from falling attendances. One Dublin church holds nine Polish Masses each week.

Even in Northern Ireland, which is often regarded as a less hospitable destination, many immigrants have established themselves. There the picture has been more troubled, with a wave of sometimes vicious racial attacks on newcomers, but a Chinese-born woman, Anna Lo, successfully stood for election to the Belfast Assembly earlier this year.

Mr Adebari, in accepting his new office, said: "History is being made today, not by me Rotimi, but by the people of Portlaoise.Who would ever have thought when I first came to this country seven years ago that I would ever be elected first citizen of the great town of Portlaoise? In my own country today I don't think I'd be accepted in the way I am here today."

The booming economies there are actively recruiting skilled British Muslim professionals.

Ministers step up Muslim hearts and minds campaign

July 3, 2007
The Guardian

UK home secretary Jacqui Smith relaunched the government's hearts and minds campaign aimed at Britain's Muslims, promising she would not rush through anti-terror legislation that might leave them feeling isolated in response to the foiled bomb attacks in Glasgow and London. She also welcomed "the strong measures of condemnation we have heard .. from community leaders across the country". But she hinted that the 28-day limit on detention without charge would either be extended or abolished.

Security expert and Muslim join Cameron's shadow team

July 3, 2007
The Guardian

David Cameron, the leader of the British Conservative Party, last night drafted a Muslim, Sayeeda Warsi, and a former intelligence chief, Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, into his shadow cabinet. The reshuffle, saw Warsi, a Conservative party vice-chairman in her 30s, appointed spokesman for community cohesion. Jeremy Hunt meanwhile becomes culture secretary in recognition of his work on disabled issues.

Too many immigrants are let in, say nearly half of Asians
The Times
2007-06-15

Almost seven out of ten Brits feel there are too many migrants, according to a report by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion. Nearly half of British Asians thinks so too, as does 45% of blacks.

The Commission has drawn up a map showing the parts of England where the influx of immigrants has created the greatest tension.

The report argues against translating official documents and signs into minority languages, and suggests that British-born teenagers could undergo citizenship ceremonies alongside new immigrants; that a national community week should be established with "cross-cultural activities"; that immigrants should receive a "cultural briefing pack"; and that public funding should not normally go to organisations that are based solely on race or religion.

Livingstone weeps as he apologises for slavery

August 24, 2007
The Guardian

London Mayor Ken Livingstone marked the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade with an emotional and tearful ceremonial apology. He wept as he told a commemorative service of the cruelties inflicted on the millions transported from Africa and the legacy that confronts them today.

Before leaving office Tony Blair expressed "regret" for Britain's involvement in the slave trade, but he was criticised by some for not going further. Livingstone, who was among them, yesterday said: "As mayor I offer an apology on behalf of London and its institutions for their role in the transatlantic slave trade," rejecting the opinion that "recognising such a crime is a form of .. 'national self hate'."

He said London continued to benefit massively from the fortunes made by slavers. He added: "It was the racial murder of not just those who were transported but generations of enslaved African men, women and children .. We live with the consequences today."

Apologies have been made by the city of Liverpool and the Church of England synod. But earlier this year the Conservative leader, David Cameron, appeared to dismiss the idea, saying: "I don't actually think that one generation can meaningfully apologise for something that a previous generation did."

Francoise Riviere, assistant director general for culture at Unesco, heaped praise on the mayor. "You have distinguished yourself as the first high-visibility elected official to take such a historic stand, thereby setting an example."

Staking a claim against racism

The Guardian
August 23, 2007

At today's Slavery Memorial Day service in London, Jesse Jackson spoke of the British government's complicity with apartheid, and asked, if it can pull out the stops to try to stop arms flowing into Iraq, why can't they stem the flow to Brixton or Peckham? But he also told the black community that it must not "self-destruct"; that they are "children of God", not "niggers and bitches".

Given that at least a dozen black teenagers have been killed in London over the past 12 months, his words are appropriate, writes Hugh Muir; and those who want to see black communities thrive have to work not just harder, but also smarter.

The Equanomics plan, for example, tried and tested in the US, works like this. Activists will buy £1,000 of shares in 25 major corporations. This will give them access to information about those companies, and they will want to know how many black employees they have, how many black employers their contractors have, whom they trade with and who their legal representatives are. They will go to the annual general meetings and ask questions of the most senior people. They will look at those firms that trade heavily with black people but still do nothing to invest in them.

The guiding rationale seems to be, as an old-style union leader once said: "If you have them by the bollocks, their hearts and minds will follow."

In the US, there are laws on affirmative action and contract compliance. The UK does not have those, and the jury is out as to whether we should. But in the absence of such laws, Muir insists, black communities should use the muscle they have to improve their circumstances.

Geezuz, McT, it seems the Dutch are living in a foreign country.