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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE January 18, 2007
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| May 19, 2006 |
London, UK – Immigration and Refugee issues of London |
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| Participants gaze at the many ethnic fabrics hanging in the store window |
London is one of the fastest growing multi-cultural cities in the world. With a population of 7 million, over 300 languages are spoken by residents and can be heard on the streets every day. Because of the influx of immigrants in the last hundred years, many of London's neighborhoods witnessed complete ethnic makeovers. London may boast a vibrant international atmosphere, but its immigrants have not always been welcomed with open arms. In the past, their presence evoked race riots and today immigrations laws have become increasingly restrictive. Media has also portrayed immigrants in a negative light, influencing the British public. 80% of the electorate now believes the UK government is not tough enough on immigration issues. To better understand their situation, 11 Peace Boat participants visited the London communities of Tower Hamlet and Dalston.
As participants walked through the streets of Tower Hamlet, they noticed the remnants of the many cultures that had once inhabited the neighborhood. Old Jewish store signs hung above French sill doorways and bagel stores peeked out behind Bangladeshi curry restaurants. Fabric stores carried a range of textiles including African patterns; street signs were written in both English and Bengali. |
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| Habib Rashman talks about immigration laws in the United Kingdom |
At Toynbee Hall, Tower Hamlet's community center, participants learned about how the center had served the underprivileged community since 1884. When immigrants from Bangladesh began arriving to the area, Toynbee adapted its services which now include English and computer classes for Bangladeshi women.
Habib Rashman of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JWCI) spoke about how the bulk migration of immigrant propagated racial discrimination in the area during the 1960s. For the past 39 years, JWCI has been lobbying the British parliament on immigrant rights. Concerned about the discrimination that began in the '60s, human rights activists, academics and lawyers came together to help immigrants facing problems with immigration laws. Just recently, JWCI succeeded in overturning the Separation of Marriage Act, which required marriage authentication tests for UK nationals marrying immigrants. Peace Boat participant Aki Oshima commented, “I have many friends in Japan that are immigrants. It was interesting to learn about the support networks available for immigrants in London. “ |
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| A participant writes her new Kurdish friend's name in Japanese calligraphy. |
After enjoying a delicious lunch of Bangladeshi cuisine, participants traveled 15 minutes north to the predominantly Kurdish-Turkish neighborhood of Dalston. There, they visited the Halkevi Community Center for Turks and Kurds, a center that helps newcomers with daily needs. It also offers a cultural gathering space for the already established Turkish-Kurdish community. Many of the Turks participants met at the center fled to the United Kingdom when fighting between Turkey and the Kurdistan Worker's Party intensified in the mid-90's. Honoring the political prisoners killed in this conflict, Halkevi center hung memorial photographs on the wall.
Participants were treated to traditional Kurdish tea and sweets and for an hour they exchanged their cultures through song and dance. Afterwards, they began to discuss the issues of immigration and refugees in their respective countries. Peace Boat participant Keiko Yamazaki said, “Unfortunately, Japan only takes about ten refugees per year.” She shared a recent story of a Kurdish family living in Japan that was being repatriated by the Japanese government. The family's neighbors and friends banded together to successfully pressure the government into issuing special permission for the family to stay. “I hope Japan will continue to open its doors for immigrants and refugees,” said Keiko. |
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| At the Halkevi center in Dalston. |
Participants from the Kurdish-Turkish community felt that the greatest challenge facing immigrants and refugees is the negative perception the British people have of them. Since the London bombings last July, the number of Stop and Search security measures has increased, and the immigrant community is increasing becoming targets for the police. Because of this growing discrimination, social gatherings have decreased and ethnic communities are feeling isolated and excluded from the main stream. Halkevi chairman Ibrahim Dogus said, “We fled from oppression yet we feel like we are living in oppression again.”
Participants walked to the nearby Turkish-Kurdish mosque. There, in the silence of the large prayer hall they reflected on Ibrahim's words.
Resources:
Toynbee Hall www.toynbeehall.org.uk
Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants www.jcwi.org.uk
Halkevi Center www.halkevi.com
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