Dear Supporter

We thank you for your actions in opposing the recent charter flight deportation to Jamaica.  Of some 50 people targeted, the plane left with just 3 or 4 people  onboard, one of whom wanted to be deported. This is even less than the flight in the summer which left with 7 onboard. In fact the numbers reduce with each flight, clearly demonstrating that the people targeted should never have been given a removal notice in the first place. 

But even though the numbers were low, that is still families torn apart and our thoughts are with those impacted.

The government try to claim that the people being targeted are nothing to do with the Windrush generation but they are everything to do with them. 

The legacies of enslavement and colonialism are the reason they are in the UK, they are the children and the grandchildren of the Windrush generation.  Many targeted came to the UK as babies and children. Branding them 'foreign national criminals' makes no sense as their lives have been lived in the UK, most are the children of British parents and the parents of British children.

Today the Home Affairs select committee  made up of cross party MPs published a report confirming what we have been saying  throughout, that the Windrush Compensation Scheme is not fit for purpose in terms of access and delivery. The report refers to flaws in the design and operation of the scheme with a lack of staffing, poor communication, lengthy delays in processing and excessive pressure on the victims to provide documentary evidence in order to apply. 

Many people lost everything when they were effectively exiled from the UK  when they went on a holiday abroad  and were not allowed to return or as a result of being deported.

Only 5% of people impacted have received compensation and we know first hand from some  of the few people awarded compensation that the amount awarded has been insulting when you take into account the trauma they and their loved ones have been through. In fact the process of applying for compensation has added to their trauma. 

In addition only 20% of those eligible to apply have done so and we know that this is because if it difficult  in terms of the application process, people need legal support to do this and crucially there is a lack of trust in the government. We believe and the report backs up the fact that it needs to be taken out of the hands of the Home Office if there is to be any trust in order to enable people to even apply in the first place.

My heart also goes out to the families of the 23 people who have passed away without receiving compensation - some of whom I have met and who joined us in organising and participating in the Windrush Day of Action we co-organised in 2019.

The Windrush generation and their descendants have been and continue to be treated appallingly , it's disgraceful that people have not been compensated, that the Windrush Lessons Learned recommendations have not been implemented and yet the government continue to target the children and grandchildren of the Windrush generation.

The collective trauma for our communities is immense. The Windrush generation were criminalised and branded as illegal immigrants and their children and grandchildren are being branded as 'foreign national criminals' now.

You can access the report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/83/home-affairs-committee/publications/

On the other side of targeting migrant communities is the treatment of refugees. 

Tomorrow I will be speaking about all of these issues at an event entitled We Want Freedom which you can find out more about and register for here: https://detention.org.uk/we-want-freedom/

BARAC UK has always believed in practical solidarity so for several years we have coordinated regular humanitarian aid missions to support refugees and those displaced because of persecution, climate change, conflict and poverty. 

We have resumed aid missions after a pause due to the pandemic. We get regular messages from people asking how they can support us. this is one way you can support our work and at the same time support people who are refugees through the winter period as donations will go towards food, blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothes.  

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-raise-funds-for-food-essentials-for-refugees

Kind Regards

Zita

Zita Holbourne

National Chair BARAC UK