Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Still Human Still Here: STAR goes to Parliament!
Last Wednesday saw the culmination of STAR’s year of involvement in the Still Human Still Here campaign with members from Warwick, Southampton and Oxford STAR groups – representatives for the STAR and Amnesty student networks – joining friends of STAR in Parliament and at the Home Office.
The day of targeted lobbying was about bringing to the attention of the Home Office the voices of the 4000+ students who signed in support of Still Human Still Here on Action Day, as well as engaging with MPs in demonstrating our opposition to the threat and use of asylum as a tool of Government policy against refused asylum seekers.
Upon entering Parliament at mid-day, we could really feel the weight of support of students behind the campaign. Carrying a 450-page petition is not such an easy task!
Parliamentary sponsor Jon Cruddas MP joined us for a quiz on the campaign issues. Jon spoke of STAR as a ‘chink of light’, with lobbying vital in calling politicians to account. Much chasing up of MPs was done before we listened to the powerful testimonies of Guinah Hussein and Afshin Azizian, both friends of STAR who have experienced at first hand the injustices faced by people seeking sanctuary in the UK. As meetings with MPs were arranged, we had a short period of time to start thinking about next year’s national campaign by looking at the three proposals.
Later on we walked the short distance to the Home Office on Marsham Street, to present the Home Secretary’s office with the Still Human Still Here petition collected. The mighty document contained a wapping 4,009 signatures, all collected on just one day to demand an end to the destitution of refused asylum seekers in twenty-first century Britain! Before the petition was handed in Jon Cruddas joined us again for photos outside the Home Office. Michael from Warwick STAR said ‘it felt really good to represent over 4,000 people and bring the message home to the Home Office’.
After a busy and inspiring day it was then time to relax. Afshin Azizian said of the day, ‘as an asylum seeker it gives me hope… I think STAR being here today shows that the young generation in this country will not put up with inhuman policies towards vulnerable people’.
The student consultation period on next year’s campaign finishes on May 23rd. For more information contact Celia at campaigns(AT)star-network.org.
Posted by James Fisher on 20/05/2008 at 09:31 AM
in STAR News
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