TWO NEW campaigns against the Tory government's imprisonment of asylum-seeking refugees have been set up to run alongside the fight for closure of the Campsfield House immigration prison, near Oxford.
In Portsmouth, the Haslar Immigration Centre Campaign has been launched, with sponsorship from the local Trades Council. It is planning a public meeting for December 8.
And in Hull, the Trades Council has also played a central role in the establishment of the new Asylum Seekers Support Group, which will cover prisons in Huil, Lincoln and The Wolds.
The Campsfield campaign itself is planning to step up and reach out for support, with a Day School and a March to London to deliver the petition for the closure of the centre and an end to the detention of refugees.
These follow two recent local demonstrations, the September 30 'Sing Down event and a joint October 29 protest against Campsfield and the Criminal Justice Bill.
The Day School, to be held in 1 Project ef tre SAG AST - SOLARITY Oxford on Sunday November 13, will feature Steve Cohen of the Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, who has just published a pamphlet opposing immigration controls, and Charles Kukwikila of the Zairean refugees Association, COREZAG.
The first anniversary of the opening of Campsfield will be marked by a November 26 1 year too long' demonstration.
And four days later, marchers will set out from Oxford to LonHarmondsworth Detention Centre will be visited by Campsfield marchers don, holding meetings and socials on the way.
On Saturday December 3, this will include a noon demonstration outside the Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre in West London, and an evening social hosted by the Southall Monitoring Group at the Dominion Centre, Green Road.
On Sunday December 4, there will be an 11am march with floats and drummers from Putney Bridge along the King's HAVE A RIGHT 1 STAY Road to a 1pm rally in Whitehall.
• Portsmouth campaign, contact Chris Richards, 0705698435.
• Hull campaign, ring Guy Chaverton, 0408-898775.
• Campsfield Campaign, ring 0865-724452, 726804, 722357.
• Day School: November 13, 10am-5pm, at East Oxford Community Centre, Princes St, off Cowley Rd. DEPORTATIONS from Britain are running 'out of control': warns the Joint Council for the Welfare of Iminigrants.
This year's figure is set to reach a record 6,000, far higher than other European countries:
The harassment of immigrants is also producing a growing toll of misery and deaths.
Last year Joy Gardner was killed while being forcibly detained, and more recently another victim fell from a window in north London.
Nigerian
On October 24 Joseph Nnalue, thought to be a Nigerian, also fell from a third floor window, while Home Office investigators visited his home in Clapham. He leaves a pregnant wite and two children.
The Home Office said they were following up a tip-off.
Chillingiy. in the aftermath of Joseph's tragic death, they went on to claim that "Immigration staff only visit a private address after careful planning and research.