19th July 2021: PRESS RELEASE: Rising Calls for Health and Safety 4 ALL
Debate in Parliament today coincides with simultaneous demonstrations
“As a health worker, I must be enabled to do my job to the best of my ability, not be confronted with this abuse and distress and trauma and expected to keep on working, keep on raising my children safety, while my man is threatened with this great danger”. Front Line Nurse, Daisy Motlogwa
“It is incredible that we let unknown numbers of people languish without documentation, forced into the “unofficial” economy or worse. People who can work, want to work and pay taxes should be brought into the mainstream.” Tony Lloyd MP for Rochdale
“What do I answer a mother who is begging for a photo and a video of her deceased son who she has not seen since he left home to start his asylum journey – six years ago.” Question to Priti Patel from Solange Youssef who worked with Bukharari.
When the UK Parliament debates the urgent regularisation of undocumented migrants, there will be simultaneous rallies up and down the country, from Downing Street to Sheffield, via Coventry and Manchester. The MPs calling for Status Now 4 All undocumented migrants and those in legal process will build on the historic EDM#1442 in order to save lives and protect livelihoods. Without urgent intervention that ensures this, further avoidable premature deaths especially in the African, Asian and Minority Ethnic population will continue. The necessity of the call for indefinite leave to remain is further validated by the report published last Thursday by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which found that ‘less than a quarter of GP surgeries (24%) surveyed in cities across England, Scotland and Wales would register someone without proof of address, proof of ID or legal immigration status.’
In the run up to today’s actions, the Status Now Network has been hearing from several Zimbabwean people who are facing immanent deportation and whose situations were reported in some mainstream press outlets over the weekend . Just this morning Nurse Daisy Motlogwa from Newcastle, a mother of three with Leave to Remain whose partner Moses is detained right now told Status Now: “For the Home Office to try to separate my family who are working together to save lives is an act of cruelty that makes no constructive sense and must be stopped. Every family must be allowed to be the family they are. As a health worker, I must be enabled to do my job to the best of my ability, not be confronted with this abuse and distress and trauma and expected to keep on working, keep on raising my children safety, while my man is threatened with this great danger.“
Under the current hostile environment policy, some undocumented migrants are waiting over 20 years before becoming eligible for leave to remain in the UK. Meena Ali’s explanation for why she launched the petition: ‘Following the pandemic in 2019, I was shocked and upset knowing that undocumented migrants are not catered for by the Governments benefits scheme. They are unable to work as is, and those who secretly do so are in fear of their lives due to the spread of the coronavirus.” is further amplified by Tony Lloyd, Labour MP for Rochdale who was among the first to sign the first EDM last autumn calling for Leave to Remain. Today, his message of support to Manchester’s rally says: “It is incredible that we let unknown numbers of people languish without documentation, forced into the “unofficial” economy or worse. People who can work, want to work and pay taxes should be brought into the mainstream. That was always true but knowing, as we do, that we need everyone who can be, vaccinated against COVID, now must be the time to let the undocumented come into the open without fear so they can help keep us all safe. That’s just common sense.”
At the same time as people expose the truth and organise solidarity they are being bereaved. Following the death on Friday night of Bukharari in a London Hotel, a young volunteer, Solange Youssef who worked with Bukharari has the following question for Priti Patel: “What do I answer a Mother who is begging for a photo and a video of her deceased Son who she has not seen since he left home to start his asylum journey – six years ago – in desperation to save his life and try to hold on to Hope by seeking Asylum in countries that are supposed to be ‘safe’ and recognise ‘humanity’. “
ENDS
NOTES:
The Status Now Network calls for Indefinite Leave to Remain for all undocumented migrants and those in the legal process living in Britain today. SNN does not use the word ‘amnesty’ – because of its implication of wrongdoing. The Network was launched on 27th March 2020 and a second Open Letter to Prime Minister Johnson was sent on 27th March 2021 calling upon the British and Irish States to act immediately so that all undocumented, destitute and migrant people in the legal process in both the UK and Ireland are granted Status Now, as in Indefinite Leave to Remain. In this way every human, irrespective of their nationality or citizenship can access healthcare, housing, and food – and contribute to, and draw from, the same sources of income from the State as everyone else.
For further information: Dr Rhetta Moran, Rhetta.moran@rapar.org.uk, 07776264646
The document is downloadable here: