Mirza family on the March
Parvin, an Iranian mother, told how after her asylum claim was rejected by the Home Office her family faced eviction into destitution. Activists launched a campaign, and with help from neighbours halted the eviction.
To mark the opening of refugee week in Manchester over thee hundred marched demanding Stop the War on Asylum Seekers End Destitution. Zeesham Mirza, ten years old, and originally from Pakistan told the rally how "on Wednesday we will be out of our house, there will be no social or anything. My dad is not allowed to work. We have nothing." Zeesham's family face eviction from their home in Levenshulme into destitution, a weekly event for some asylum seekers across the city. He received the biggest applause of the day when he said, "The girl who had her face all burned from the bombs on Iraq, she got help with medicine. Good. But why did they do the bombing in the first place. Tony Blair, does he want to be prime minister of Iraq too!"
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Mirza family on the March |
Socialist Alliance speaker Clive Searle said, "They lied about the weapons of mass destruction. No one believes this government any more. You cannot believe what they are saying about asylum seekers. They lie when they say they are not needed. In the supermarket you can buy English cherries. They are picked in Kent by workers who are illegal immigrants. Asylum seekers should be made welcome here."
Parvin, an Iranian mother, told how after her asylum claim was rejected by the Home Office her family faced eviction into destitution. Activists launched a campaign, and with help from neighbours halted the eviction. |
Local unions, including the TGWU, have supported the Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers who called the protest, and organises with asylum seekers to stop the deportation and destitution across the city.
Mark Krantz, Manchester Campaign to Defend Asylum Seekers, c/o 400 Cheetham Hill Rd. Manchester ([email protected])