After the Lawrence Enquiry
Build the National Civil Rights Movement
The six years of campaigning around the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence have had a far greater impact than the Macpherson recommendations themselves.
First and foremost, an understanding of the racism throughout the police and the judicial system has become accepted throughout a wide layer of society.
Whilst many senior Police officers are still contesting the report’s findings, most people would now accept that black people are routinely fitted up, harassed, and criminalised by the police.
At the same time there is a general understanding that those at the receiving end of racist violence do not receive the same protection from the law that white people would from violent crime.
Whilst there may be differing views on the extent of the problem, the fact that so many people believe that there is a problem gives anti-racists the opportunity to mobilise for a real and lasting change.
Alliance of activists
Equally as important, the long campaign for justice for Stephen Lawrence has created an alliance of activists across the country in a way that has never previously existed. Many of the campaigns and organisations that have worked together over the Stephen Lawrence Campaign met to launch the National Civil Rights Movement at a packed conference attended by over 500 activists at the end of last month.
Speaker after speaker from various campaigns emphasised the pattern of racism throughout society. Speakers from the Ricky Reel, Michael Menson and Stephen Lawrence Campaigns among others movingly described the horrendous indifference and hostility they had received from the police in response to these racist murders.
Campaigns such as that of Roger Silvester emphasised the need for the NCRM to take up the demands of those killed whilst in custody.
The Lawrence campaign has clearly shown to all that the collective strength of all the various campaigns is far greater than the sum of their parts
The conference heard how those who resist racist attacks have found themselves prosecuted, such as Satpal Ram, who is serving a life sentence simply for defending himself against racist thugs. Many other speakers addressed other areas of racism that the movement would need to address, including Britain's Asylum and Immigration laws.
Irish dimension
The conference had an unusually strong Irish dimension, opening with a minutes silence for Rosemary Nelson and others who had been murdered. Rosemary herself had been due to address the conference.
Dianne Hamill explained how the RUC stood by as Robert Hamill was kicked to death by a loyalist mob in Portadown, and how the security forces have refused to prosecute anyone, to carry out any serious investigation, or to conduct an inquiry into these failures.
The conference agreed to establish itself as a national network of campaigns, individuals and communities committed to the struggle for racial justice and human rights.
The Lawrence campaign has clearly shown to all that the collective strength of all the various campaigns is far greater than the sum of their parts, and the NCRM has consolidated this working relationship on a far more permanent footing. This in itself is a significant step forward for the anti-racist movement in Britain.
The large attendance meant, however that many questions were left unresolved. It is clear that the NCRM will of necessity take on a wider role than simply as a network of the campaigns.
For example, whilst a specific campaign may make a complaint against the role of the police, the NCRM also needs to address wider questions such as the lack of accountability of the police, and the lack of any independent complaints authority.
Likewise, whilst the Robert Hamill campaign must address the role the RUC played in his murder, the NCRM must address the wider question of disbanding the RUC.
Linking up
There are many organisations already in existence to campaign around these more general issues of racism and injustice. The NCRM must address how it works with all anti-racist organisations, campaigns and individuals in pursuing our common goals.
The NCRM must also aim to turn the widespread revulsion at the racism of the police and the Criminal Justice System into action.
All the organisations involved must build campaigns on a grass roots level, whilst at the same time building a national movement, that can organise demonstrations and mobilisations around key issues.
It must, as part of this aim, address how to involve wider layers the trade union movement, political organisations and campaigns into active participation in the struggle against racism and all forms of injustice.