To mark six months since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, over 65 organisations across the West Midlands have signed a pledge calling on all local leaders to oppose the Nationality and Borders, which will punish refugees, including Afghans fleeing the Taliban. With formal routes like resettlement practically non-existent, Afghans will have no choice but to make their own way to safety in any way they can. The anti-refugee Bill will close the door on desperate people seeking safety – criminalising those who travel via so-called ‘irregular’ routes.
Full pledge statement below:
As local community representatives in the West Midlands, we look after our neighbours, we care about each other, and are proud to be a place of welcome.
We know that our towns and cities are strengthened by people seeking safety because we see this every day. As members and representatives of voluntary, community, arts, and faith groups/organisations across the West Midlands, we spend our days inspired by those we work with. The outpouring of support across our region for people fleeing Afghanistan is testament to this. Our spirit of care and solidarity with people seeking safety is stronger than ever, regardless of how they arrived in the UK.
That is why we have to speak out against the Government’s proposals to rewrite the asylum system, and the consequences they will have for refugees and for our communities. This year, people seeking sanctuary who are fleeing countries suffering terror and conflict, including Afghanistan, will reach the UK. Under the proposed Nationality and Borders Bill, they will be criminalised, threatened with removal, separated from their families, warehoused in unsuitable accommodation, have their asylum claims deemed ‘inadmissible’ and be prevented from feeling secure or safe.
This ‘anti-refugee’ Bill will punish people, not protect them. It will increase destitution, homelessness and exploitation. It will lead to ever more dangerous routes for those seeking safety and will stop people who have fled violence and persecution from rebuilding their lives.
We are united in opposing the policies this Bill will implement and ask all of our leaders in the West Midlands to stand with us, and call on the UK Government to scrap these harmful and divisive proposals.
Signed by:
Abbey Catholic Primary, Principal, Joseph McTernan
Afghan Community and Welfare Centre, Manager, Fahim Zazai
Asha North Staffordshire, Service Manager, Godefroid Seminega
ASIRT, Manager, Fiona Cameron / Senior Caseworker, Dave Stamp
Asylum Matters, West Midlands Campaigns Manager, Emma Birks
Baobab Women’s Project CIC, Director / Policy and Advocacy, Sarah Taal
Bearwood Community Hub CIC, Director, Sally Taylor
Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid, CEO, Maureen Connolly
Birmingham Artivistas, Founder, Jane Thakoordin
Birmingham City of Sanctuary, Chair, Dr David Brown
Birmingham Community Hosting Network, Chair of Trustees, Andy Jolly
Birmingham Refugee and Asylum Seeker Solidarity, Trustee, Alys Duggan
Birmingham Settlement, Chief Executive, Martin Holcombe
Birmingham STAR, Secretary, Molly O’Neill
Bournville Amnesty, Secretary, Astrid Laich
Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees, Chair, Yvonne Rendell
Bromsgrove Justice and Peace Group, Secretary, Steve Blakemore
Brushstrokes Community Project, Project Manager, David Newall
Burslem Jubilee, Project leader, Sheila Podmore
Carriers of Hope Coventry CIO, CEO, Sue Sampson
Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham, Programme Manager, Rachael Cox
Central England Law Centre, CEO, Sue Bent
Chandos Primary, Head Teacher, James Allan
Columban Missionaries, IRD Coordinator, Mauricio Silva / Volunteer, Tobi
Cotteridge Quakers, Co-Clerk, Heather Rowlands
Coventry Asylum and Refugee Action Group (CARAG), Chair, Loraine Masiya Mponela
Coventry Refugee & Migrant Centre, Core Services Manager, Jackie Capitani
Craftspace (which also represents Shelanu: Women’s Craft Collective), Exhibitions and Project Development Manager, Emma Daker
DOR – Romanian Diaspora, Director, Sorina Stallard
Father Hudson’s Care, CEO, Andrew Quinn
Fatima House, Deputy Project Coordinator, Nathalie Marytsch
Harborne Baptist Church, Minister, Revd Peter Maycock
Hereford Amnesty group, Activist, Mandy Lawrence
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Head of School, Katrina Crowley
Hope Projects, Director, Phil Davis
Humans of Wolverhampton, Founder, Mary Solomon
Kairos Women Working Together (Kairos WWT), Chief Executive Officer, Kellie Kellie Ziemba
Khai Tzedek CIC, Director, Carmen Clarke
Lifeline Options CIC, Project Manager, David Forbes
Living Hope Church, Lead Pastor, Lisa Parkes
Migration Policy and Practice, Project Manager, Andy Hoole
Near Neighbours, Birmingham coordinator, Rabiyah K Latif
North Staffordshire Campaign Against Racism and Fascism (NorSCARF), Assistant Secretary, Chris / Vice Chair, Gillian Pardesi
Oasis Academy Woodview and Oasis Academy Foundry, Executive Principal, Emma Johnson
Oasis Church, Pastor, Rob Hooper
Positive Youth Foundation, Programmes Lead, Tayyibah Muhammed Kasim Mota
Psychologists for Social Change, West Midlands branch, Clinical Psychologist, Dr Catherine Bayley
Refugee Action, West Midlands Regional Resettlement Manager, Faye Downs / Project Manager, Berna Djinaj
Refugee Council, Senior Children’s Advisor, Edin Hromadzic
Restore a project of Birmingham Churches Together, Restore Manager, Jeremy Thompson
Sanctus, Managing Director, Reverend Sally Smith
Shropshire Supports Refugees, CEO, Amanda Jones
Six Ways Erdington Baptist Church, Minister, Rev Gerard Goshawk
Spectra, Creative Director, Kate DeRight
St Chad’s Sanctuary, Manager, Abigail Martin
St Dunstan’s Catholic Primary School, Assistant Headteacher, Vanessa Baker
St Francis Employability, Projects Manager, Selina Read
St Paul’s in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, Church Warden, Catherine Myerscough
St Thomas Aquinas Scool, Birmingham, Teacher and Lay Chaplain, Anna O’Driscoll
STAR Warwick, Campaigns Officer, Syed Ashar Javed
Stories of Hope and Home, Project Manager, Stephanie Neville
The Church at Carrs Lane, Methodist Presbyter, Neil Johnson
The Night Shelter, Co-ordinator, Beth Ash
The Refugee and Migrant Centre, Head of Services, Abbas Baig / Partnership and Development Manager, Shari Brown
Walsall Quaker Meeting, Member, Mary Mather
Welcome Group Halesowen, Chair, Andrew Harwood
Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary, Volunteer supporter, Amanda Bevan
Wythall Branch of Amnesty International, Chairperson, Ian McGarr
