From Manchester Committee to defend asylum seekers
There will be a national demonstration and rally in support of people seeking asylum and against racism on Saturday 2 April at 12.30pm at Whitworth Park, Manchester.
The demonstration and rally is part of the European “day of action” agreed upon at the London European Social Forum 2004, “against racism, for freedom of movement and for the right to stay as an alternative to a Europe based on exclusion and exploitation”. Demonstrations, rallies and events will take place across Europe on that day.
But the issue is local as well as European — right now, Manchester people are living in fear of deportation.
People such as Mansoor Hassan, an investigative journalist who fled Pakistan after death threats were made against him and his family.
People like Farhat Khan, who escaped with her children from a violent husband and whose work in her local community in north Manchester was recently recognised by the Queen.
You can show your support for Mansoor Hassan, Farhat Khan and all other anti-deportation campaigns by attending the march.
Case study: Mansoor Hassan
Mansoor Hassan worked as an investigative journalist, exposing senior officials’ criminal activities in Pakistan, where, according to Human Rights Watch, the government “systematically violates the fundamental rights” of journalists “through threats, harassment, and arbitrary arrests”.
Mansoor Hassan says: “I am a journalist — I thought it was important to let people know the truth. I didn’t want to sit back and watch government corruption going on around me. But reporting it endangered my life and my family’s life.”
Whilst dismissing Mansoor’s asylum claim, the Adjudicator said: “I accept that the Appellant and his family were the subject of severe barbiturate poisoning but I do not accept that this was deliberate”, and “it is difficult to see why the gang did not just kill him there and then” (does that mean you have to be dead to be believed?).
Mansoor’s family play an active part in the community, his children go to local schools.
For more information contact 2ndapril2005@gmail.com or NCADC, 1 Delaunays Road, Crumpsall, Manchester M8 4QS.
To donate please send cheques made out to “Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers (MCDAS)”.