On the 3rd of December, from 6-8pm, we will be hosting an info night based on the situation for migrants in Calais. It will take place in Lecture Theatre 1 of the Armstrong Building, which is one of the main buildings on the Newcastle University campus.

Further info;
‘A night about the desperate situation for stranded migrants in Calais hosted by No Borders North East – There will be an informative talk about the past and present situation there, and actions that are being taken to help improve the situation for the future. Over the summer No Borders activists from Newcastle travelled to Calais to show solidarity with the migrants and their experiences will be shared on the night. There will also be film showings and lots of opportunity for discussion.’

All welcome!

When you get the simm cards e mail calaisolidarity@gmail.com

1. There is now a ‘Calais Migrant Solidarity’ Unity Trust bank account, sort code: 086001 account number: 20233983.

2.Sim Cards

Hello everyone,

Something you can do to help the migrants in Calais, that does not take any effort or money, is to order your 4 free 02 sim cards. Get them sent to your house, then message me to tell me you have some, and then i will send you the adress to forward them on to into either UK or Calais, depending on where you live.

http://freesim.o2.co.uk/textandweb/clean

MOVEMENT #1 – No Borders Newsletter

The first issue of the re-named and re-launched No Borders Newsletter “MOVEMENT” is now available for download:

You can join the mailing list here: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/movement

For full details of the contents of issue one check out:
http://noborderswales.org.uk/2009/11/07/new-newsletter-movement-1/

As we are low in numbers from today – a few people left yesterday and more tomorrow… more people are needed!

Calais is turning into a hell with all the jungles being destroyed – the Hazara and Iranian jungles were destroyed, this moring the Eritrean squat was evicted and a fence put around it; security with dogs are preventing people to retrurn and collect their few belongings!

As a result some migrants have initiated a hunger strike and they need support.

There are some people coming to Calais on Friday from London and from the Netherlands: if you need a lift from London there is possibility of a minibus, call the communication phone 0033 6348 10710, or to take stuff from London to Calais

Hunger Strike

Following a demonstration yesterday by No Borders activists, including migrants from places such as Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan, a hunger strike is being planned in protest about the situation here in Calais.

This action is one of migrant solidaity as they demand better treatment for all. Activists can help in 2 ways.
1. Go to calais – really easy, if you have a passport! Takes only 1/2 day and even short visits are useful see http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/ for the contact number and to keep up to date.
2. Through solidarity actions in the UK. Watch this space

Harare Jungle Clearance

10 No Borders activist have been arrested and interviewed at the commissionariat for having held a forbidden demonstration on Sunday. A summons has arrived at the No Border premises, as well as to an activist personnally. The complaint was deposited yesterday, by the Mayor UMP of Calais. They are now being released without charge.

It appears that the authorities in Calais are using the 4 hour detaining law to keep activists away from future large scale jungle clearances. This means that we are having an impact both through our resistance and also our protesting. The bad news is that this latest clearance reinforces that the police are targeting Afghans and it looks like they are being pushed further out of town where they are more out of reach of the humanitarian agencies and the noborders activists. 1 afghan reported late on sunday night that they have to sleep in places where there is no access to water now as the police are too big a problem otherwise. Once again, anybody reading this can be in calais within 1/2 a day max to resist, to help and to be in solidarity with the migrants. As the hunger strike action displays, the situation with the police harassment, the continuing destruction of already inadequate homes, the living conditions and the worrying targetting of Afghans is intollerable

Early on 22 September police and French authorities entered the largest migrant camp in Calais, arrested many inhabitants, and began the destruction of the camp. This move has displaced hundreds of people who have nowhere to go. More support is urgently needed in Calais to protest against further clearances and police brutality, to show solidarity with migrants and to support the people displaced by the mass clearances. See the call out at http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/09/438289.html

For latest information see http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/

Repression against migrants in Greece is ongoing with footage from Greece showing Somalian refugees living under harsh conditions.

At the same time, resistance and solidarity is building. Last month, the deportation of 62 migrants was prevented by people blockading the ferry from the Greek island of Lesvos as authorities attempted to transfer migrants to a detention centre on the mainland (see here for the full story).

From 25 – 31 August 2009, a No Border Camp will take place on Lesvos which has become an important part of the route for refugees and migrants seeking to reach Europe. Lesvos is one of the many points in Europe at which the repression of migrants is at its most obvious.

In Calais, the site of a No Border Camp earlier this year (download a 2-part film from the camp here and here), activists continue to work in solidarity with migrants who face police harassment and brutality on a daily basis (see here for updates and what you can do).

The call out for the Lesvos camp concludes:
From the Schengen Agreement to the Dublin Regulation, from the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum to the so called “Directive of Shame”, from Frontex to the IOM, from the detention centres to the practices of expulsion and deterrence, from the borders to the capitals, Europe is clearly dealing with the phenomenon of immigration with measures of repression and border control.

Here in Lesvos the building of the “Fortress Europe” is clearly visible. That’s why we would like to invite you to join us in August (25-31), to share with us the experience of what is going on at the borders, to discuss the problems, to coordinate our actions, to fight:

Against New-Imperialism Policies And Whatever Create Refugees
Against Border Regime And The Practices Of Control And Repression
Against Criminalization Of Migration
Against Detention Centres And Violation Of Migrants And Refugees
Against Exploitation Of Migrants’ Labour
No Borders
No One Is Illegal
No Immigrants’ Detention
Equal Rights For All

http://lesvos09.antira.info/

http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/

Approximately 20 members of No Borders North East are in Calais as part of the first transnational camp aimed at highlighting the situation of migrants stranded in Calais, most of whom are trying to reach the UK and claim asylum. The camp is made up of about 1000 people, some of them activists, some of them migrants, whilst others are simply local people concerned with the escalating humanitarian situation. Members of No Borders North East have been distributing food to local migrants, as well as protecting a squat used by a number of Eritrean migrants against police eviction. Although the squat eviction was successfully resisted, the police later tear gassed the premises preventing the migrants from getting back in.
Some of the migrants in Calais are as young as thirteen years old, and come from places such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Northern Africa. We have witnessed extensive police harassment of both migrants and activists, and have heard numerous reports of migrants being emotionally and physically abused and brutalized by the local police. The police response to the camp has been huge, with over 2000 officers drafted in to the city. The attitude of the police is quite intrusive and is often one of confrontation and intimidation. Last night the police unsuccessfully attempted to gain access to the site of the camp in order to make further arrests of migrants but they were prevented as people woke up. It appears that the police are trying to find ways to distort the message of the camp through stimulating aggression and confrontation.
In contrast to this, the response of many locals has been positive and supportive. This is especially true of the younger generation who helped with the construction of the camp and who have been a constant presence throughout the week, joining in with migrants and activists. Everyone is gathering momentum for the planned march tomorrow. Up to 2000 people are expected to attend to protest racist border controls, show solidarity with all migrants and to call for an end to the system that denies dignity to people who are fleeing some of the world’s worst violence and criminalises the whole process of migration.
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR ALL! NO BORDERS. NO NATIONS. NOBODY IS ILLEGAL!

Steadfastness and solidarity at the Rafah border

Under pressure from the Egyptian army and the police, the International Movement to Open the Rafah Border ( IMORB), is maintaining their camp at the Rafah Border. The group is growing; now 26 people from France, USA, Germany, Egypt, Belgium, and Sweden.

Yesterday, our Italian friend left us for his job in Italy, but a German woman, Alona, married to a Palestinian from Rafah, joined us with her six children, aged 2 to 12. She wants to return to live with her husband and other three children in Gaza. After Egyptian authorities denied her entrance, she said, “I am coming from Germany and I don’t wish to go back to sleep in El Arish. I come here and I only want one thing: to go to Gaza.” By phone, her husband asked his family to join the IMORB camp.

This morning we were joined by a Palestinian refugee, Mohammad, a PFLP (Palestinian Front for Liberation of Palestine) activist who spent 24 years in Israeli prison and has been living in Belgium. Mohammad’s daughter, a diabetic student in Gaza, is now in need of insulin. “Since June 8, the Egyptian authority has denied my exodus from Egypt. I heard about your camp and I decided to come and stay with you. The rumor says the border will be open Wednesday [6/17] so I will stay and wait.”

Nine Swedish Palestinians, including four children, have also joined the border camp.

Since we set up camp two days ago (6/13) Egyptian police and intelligence agents have been visiting us periodically. Each night Colonel Mohammad speaks to us, but allows us to stay, after first threatening to expel us by force.

When he came to us last night he showed more tolerance and ordered the toilets, adjoining the cafeteria, opened, which had been closed by General Khalil Harb to pressure us to leave.

This morning policemen came and asked us to put down the tents. We explained that we need the tents for the children to take their naps later. They pressured us no more on this issue.

After yesterday morning’s visit, General Harb, came after midnight and said, “this is a closed military zone, and your presence here is unacceptable. We will use any means necessary to remove you.”

In spite of all this pressure, the IMORB persists. They stated, “we will leave only when the border will be opened.”

Our presence is reinforced by support from the Egyptian population, some of whom have brought us blankets, mattresses and other supplies. This morning an unknown man brought us fresh bread. Then a child brought some fooul, a traditional breakfast meal, that was most delicious.

Yesterday evening a policeman came to us wearing a Palestinian kifeyeh around his neck and offered us some chai.

All these demonstrations of support help us to persist in spite of the precarious situation, what Alona calls a “five star hotel.”

For all those who haven’t direct contact with those at the Border, we will try to set up a discussion for daily updates from the growing members there. <3

–
In Solidarity
from all
International Movement to Open Rafah Border