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Now on the revised date of Thursday 4th March from 7.30pm we will be hosting a film showing at the Birt Acres Lecture Theatre, Bute Building, Cardiff University (map). Featuring 3 short films about Calais that give a glimpse into the lives of migrants living there. One of these will be will be the premier of ‘Passengers‘ made by one of our group. You can RSVP on the facebook event page.
Since the No Borders Camp last summer, many activists from south Wales have been involved in migrant solidarity work in Calais. Hundreds of migrants have travelled overland to Calais to cross the final border to Dover in order to settle in Britain. Even though in Britain the odds are not in favour of asylum seeking migrants being given status, it is much less likely in Read the rest of this entry »
On Saturday 23rd May South Wales Anarchists will be hosting the first Anarchist Bookfair in Cardiff. We will be attendance with our stall in the main hall giving away free leaflets, newsletters and stickers as well as selling a small selection of books and badges.
We will also be hosting a talk and discussion at 1pm in room 1. Everyone is welcome, though we’ll be tailoring our talk to what we assume will be an anarchist audience. Like everything we’re doing over the next few months we’ll be using the opportunity to encourage people to join us in attending the Calais No Border Camp. Here’s a summery of Read the rest of this entry »
As promised in our report, here is the film of the last night of tour of “Two Sides – One Story: Guantanemo from both sides of the wire“:
Read the rest of this entry »
On Wednesday 4th February, the Two Sides One Story tour held it’s final night in Cardiff’s Student Union, with nearly 1000 people in attendance (and more turned away) it was by far and away the largest political meeting in Cardiff for some time. Those who gathered to hear the two former detainees and former guard from the world’s most notorious prison were surely bracing themselves for tales of brutality, suffering and depression. Indeed all these subjects were Read the rest of this entry »
With the forcing of the closure of detention facility Guantanamo Bay within a year by the Obama administration, the Two Sides One Story tour currently travelling across the UK (reports from Sheffield, Leeds, and London), has been in the media. While Guantanamo being closed down is a very good thing, there are other similar facilities. As former detainee Moazzam Begg points out:
I was held at Bagram detention facility before Guantanamo. I witnessed some terrible things there. If that place is closed too, we’re doing well. If it isn’t, we’ll see more of the same.
In the same way, though we give our total support to initiatives like the Campaign to Close Campsfield, simply closing this single detention centre by itself would be a hollow victory. We wish to see the end of the practice of detention as a means of social control, but we are Read the rest of this entry »
Guantanamo Bay is home to perhaps the most controversial, certainly the most famous, detention centre in the world today. Since it’s opening in January 2002 it has been condemned for unlawful detention, abuse and torture, to mark this seven year anniversary Cageprisoners are conducting a national tour bringing together former guards and detainees for the first time. On Wednesday 4th February, the tour comes to The Great Hall, Students Union, Park Place, Cardiff, starting at 7pm. No Borders South Wales will be co-sponsoring this event with Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Cardiff STAR (Student Action for Refugees), Cardiff University Islamic Society, and others. Admission will be free and all are welcome.
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- Chris Arendt
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- Moazzam Begg
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- Sami Al Hajj
Chris Arendt, a former guard at the base has agreed to speak about Read the rest of this entry »
On 21st and 22nd February No Borders activists from across the UK will once again gather to discuss and plan together. This will be the fifth network wide gathering, following on from last November in Newcastle, hosted by No Borders North East. This event will be co ordinated by Bristol No Borders and take place at St. Werburgh’s Community Centre (map).
Although primarily a coming together of the dozen or so autonomous No Borders groups in the UK, like previous gatherings it will be an open event with no ‘membership requirements’ to attend. However this will be a working meeting of like minded activists rather than a place to find out about the network. Please contact us, or your local group if you do wish to find out more (links to other local groups in the left column).
If you are coming, please contact the organisers about accommodation, when you will be arriving, and any other requirements. Though the venue, accommodation, logistics and catering will be the responsibility of people in Bristol, we in South Wales will be compiling the proposed agenda. If you would like to contribute anything please contact us, there will be a finalising meeting on Friday 20th February in Bristol which everyone is welcome to attend.
There is a suggested donation of £10-15 to cover the costs of the Gathering, no one will be turned away through lack of funds.
On the 8th & 9th November groups and individuals from across the UK affliated to the No Borders Network will meet in Newcastle to discuss and plan together.
There will be workshops and discussions on a wide range of issues including reflections on the network, news from local groups, anti-deportation campaigns, targeting airlines, transnational networking, cross-channel border controls, ID Cards for non-EU spouses & students, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and more.
If you’d like more information or you are planning to attend, please contact the organisers via whydontyou@post.com letting them know if you would like accommodation, when you will be arriving, and any other requirements.
There is a suggested donation of £10 to cover the costs of the Gathering, but no one will be turned away through lack of funds. There will also be No Borders merchandise such as t shirts, dvds and books for sale.
At the Cardiff Radical Socialist Forum on Wednesday 3rd September No Borders South Wales will be joined by two members of No One Is Illegal UK in giving a presentation on the socialist response to immigration controls, the concept and arguments for Free Migration and resistance to the UK Border regime.
The No One Is Illegal UK challenges the ideology of immigration controls and campaigns for their total abolition. They are responsible for the No One Is Illegal Manifesto which gives the socialist argument for open borders. Here’s an excerpt:
Many if not all of the arguments used to justify immigration controls are simply ludicrous and are more the result of racist-inspired moral panic than of any connection with reality. Such is the notion that the entire world population would come to this country if there were no controls: even if such an absurd notion were true, it should prompt concern for their reasons for coming rather than fear. Nonetheless these objections to open borders need to be answered and they require a socialist and anti-imperialist analysis. The objections about “overcrowding” can only be answered by discussing socialist use of resources — use based on needs not profits. The objection, the surreal objection, that migrants, immigrants and refugees obtain luxury housing and endless welfare compared to British workers needs to be answered both by pointing out the truth (namely that just the opposite is the case) but also by a recognition that benefits and welfare are woefully inadequate for everyone — both for the documented and the undocumented and that both have a shared interest in fighting for better welfare. The objection that those fleeing the devastation of the Third World have no right to come here can be met by pointing out the imperial responsibility for this devastation, both in the past and currently. As the Asian Youth Movement used to say “We are here because you were there”. The objection that a state has the right to control its own borders can only ultimately be answered by questioning the nature of the nation state and borders. We agree and sing along with John Lennon — “Imagine There’s No Countries”.
We extend an invitation to all socialist in the South Wales area, regardless of their current opinion on immigration controls to listen to the presentation and join in with the following discussion.
The Forum will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday 3rd September at the Model Inn, Quay Street, Cardiff (map).
Cardiff Radical Socialist Forum is an arena for discussion amongst left wing people in the Cardiff area. Taking place once a month upstairs at the Model Inn, Quay Street, Cardiff (map), each forum has tackled a different subject. The next forum on Wednesday 3rd September, 7.30pm, will be about immigration.
No Borders South Wales will be giving a presentation on the case for free migration, going through the arguments for abolishing all border controls and examining the current state of UK border controls, resistance against this and why socialists should engage with that resistance.
In private socialists will say they are in favour of free migration, it is, after all, the only true socialist position on immigration (“Workers of the world unite”). However in public many left wing groups and parties are ominously quiet on the issue, claiming that such a demand is “too advanced” or “too abstract” to argue in public. We believe the issue of freedom of movement is too important to ignore. Anyone of a left wing persuasion should come along and engage in the discussion.
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After the success of the Poetry and Music evening for BB last week there will be another exciting event about local asylum seekers at the Butetown History and Arts centre next thursday. Please come along:
Public meeting – All Welcome
In response to poverty, persecution , war and climate change, people are on the move all around the world. In the UK the right of asylum is under constant attack, with regular dawn raids, overcrowded detention centres and increasing numbers of deportations to places the government knows are unsafe.
Come and hear first hand accounts of contending with British border controls from local asylum seekers BB and Constance Nzeneu. Others with a story to tell about their own experiences very welcome to contribute. Followed by a discussion and practical advice on resistance to the UK Border regime.
Thursday 3rd July, 7.30pm
Thursday April 24th, 7pm at the Riverside Community Development Centre (map)
See you there
7pm at the Riverside Community Development Centre, Brunel Street (off Ninian Park Road), Cardiff
Due to the unfortunate closure of the PAD social centre, the next No Borders meeting due on 14th Feb will be held at 6pm at the Chapter Arts Centre (cafe), Market Road, Canton, Cardiff. For location see map here
An afternoon of workshops and discussion about the history of Britain’s immigration laws with practical tools for thinking, acting and living in a world without borders
Saturday 1st september
2pm
Butetown History and Arts Centre,
Bute Street,
Cardiff.
no borders south wales presents an afternoon of discussions and workshops looking at questions such as… Read the rest of this entry »
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