Vigil today in Salisbury market (near the Library) starting at 5pm. All welcome. A small voice for peace in these troubled times.
Burma
Hope is a possibility in Burma
April 2024
The news at present focuses on the terrible events in Gaza with over 33,000 dead and many thousands injured or missing. Even today, there is news of the death of aid workers three of whom are Britons. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues and there are problems in Sudan with thousands fleeing for their lives. News today seems to focus on one crisis at a time partly because of resources and partly because there is what some call ‘compassion fatigue’.
Burma and the terrible activities of the Burmese military has slipped off the radar somewhat but the latest news from the Burma Campaign has a hint of encouragement in it which is good news.
The situation up to now has been dire. The military, known as the Tatmadaw, have waged war on many of its own citizens and has run an apartheid state. Thousands have been driven from their homes, villages have been bombed and burned. Tens of thousands have fled to Bangladesh to escape the violence. Some of the methods used by the military are vicious beyond belief and include burning people alive.
The British government has not done enough to make life difficult for the regime. For example, the bombing is carried out by jets which need jet fuel to fly. The ships bringing in the fuel are insured in London and there seems little chance that this will cease. Recently, Lord Cameron headed a deputation of people to the far east, including Burma, and was accompanied by several representatives of arms companies. A big source of income for the regime is the export of gems by state owned companies and little has been done to restrict this.
But it seems there is hope. It appears the military is losing more territory as people fight to free their country from military occupation. The Economist has reported that more and more soldiers are deserting the army. There is real hope that the country could be free of the military. The Burma Campaign recently joined others outside the Foreign Office and showed placards with David Cameron’s head on an image of a snail. It was urging the government to act more quickly.
Sources: Burma Campaign, Amnesty UK, The Economist, CAAT.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
Seventeenth Vigil
March 2024
Members of the Salisbury group took part in the 17th Vigil in Salisbury Market Square in support of peace in Gaza. There are people from Salisbury CND and Sarum Concern for Israel Palestine as well as those not affiliated to any organisation. The current death toll in the territory stands at just over 33,000 with thousands more unaccounted for. Famine is now in prospect.
We shall be back next week but note a change in start time to 5pm.
Some of those present
The Salisbury group was founded 50 years ago this year
Coffee Morning
March 2024
There was a coffee morning today, 30 March, at St Thomas’s Church in the centre of Salisbury. Very busy and we made a useful contribution to party funds. Thanks to all group members who helped and made cakes and to other supporters who came for coffee.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
Some members of the group
Fifteenth vigil
March 2024
The fifteenth vigil was held on Saturday 16th March, this time on the Library steps as it was inclement. The vigil is supported by Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine (SCIP), CND and the Salisbury Amnesty group. It is in aid of securing peace in that region. Just over 40 attended the event which lasted half an hour. There will be another next Saturday, 23rd March starting at 5:15.
31,000 have now died in Gaza the majority of whom are women and children. Many more are yet to be discovered in the extensive rubble.
There is faint optimism with talks taking place at present and it is reported that Hamas has moderated its demands.
Picture: Salisbury Amnesty
March minutes
March 2024
We are pleased to attach the minutes of the group’s meeting in March thanks to group member Lesley for producing them. As we have explained before, they are lengthier than one would expect from normal minutes but as we do not produce a newsletter, they provide information of possible interest for recipients and supporters.
Due to a misunderstanding of WordPress statistics, previous reports of visitor numbers were erroneously reported and in fact are at a much higher level than realised. This arose because ‘visits’ are in fact visits by new people. Existing visitors – those whose IP address will be recognised – are not included in the figure.
The Salisbury Group was established 50 years ago this year.
Salisbury Vigil
Coverage of the fourteenth vigil held in the Market Square in Salisbury
March 2024
The fourteenth vigil was held in the Market Square attracting strong support as usual. There was coverage in the Salisbury Journal. The vigil is to promote peace in Gaza.
There was another on Saturday 16th (brief report soon). Over 30,000 have now died in the conflict with thousands more injured. Thousands more are missing presumed dead.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
Refugee News
March 2024
As usual, we lead with Rwanda. The Lords have been inflicting a number of defeats on the government over the provisions of the Bill, and the “ping pong” between the two Houses will reach a climax next week, when we will know which, if any, amendments the government will accept. Further issues have arisen over the role of the civil service in the planned scheme, with the FDA union threatening legal action against the government in the event of a clash with the European Court.
The National Audit Office has calculated the cost of the first (total?) 300 deportees to Rwanda to be £541 million, at £1.8 million per person. Indeed, the cost to date is £20 million with no flights. Ian Dunt has calculated that the cost per asylum seeker generally in 2015/6 was £7062, whereas in 2022/3 it was £20921.
The latest wheeze, as revealed in The Times today (Wednesday) is simply to pay failed claimants £3000 for a “voluntary return” – to Rwanda.
Figures released this month show that, as of 23 December 2023 the number of asylum seekers waiting for an initial decision was 128,000. The Government, of course, has claimed to have removed most of the legacy backlog, so most of these are new.
The sacking of the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration has resulted in the sudden release of the plethora of reports he wrote, which had not previously been published. They mostly concern the implementation of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and are generally critical of the Home Office’s performance. It is unlikely that a replacement for Mr Neal will be found before the end of this parliament.
Refusal rates for asylum seekers went up in the last quarter of 2023, with a third of applications refused. This is unusual, as most applications end up being accepted.
The rules on Ukrainian refugees’ visas changed last week (with 4 hours notice of implementation) – The Family Scheme was closed though the Homes for Ukraine scheme is extended, but will not be processed until 2025.
This week the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, criticised the Rwanda scheme along with certain French actions as acting above the law. She was concerned that two large European nations were giving a bad lead to the rest.
A small boat arrival, Ibrahima Bah, was sentenced this month to 9 ½ years in jail for “facilitating illegal entry, gross negligence and manslaughter “ following the deaths of fellow passengers. He is the first shipwreck survivor in the UK to face such charges and was not a people smuggler, but a refugee left in charge of the boat. The court concluded his age was 20, but he claimed to be 17.
Andrew Hemming
The Salisbury Group was established 50 years ago this year
Death penalty report
March 2024
We are pleased to attach the February – March death penalty report thanks to group member Lesley for the work in compiling it. Note as ever, there are no details from China which is believed to execute more of its citizens than any other country, because the information is a state secret.
The Salisbury Group was established 50 years ago this year
The Salisbury Vigil
Strong presence for the Vigil continues in the cause of peace in Gaza
February 2024
A YouTube video composite of the twelve vigils so far held has been made and can be accessed here. We are grateful to Peter Gloyns for this.
A vigil is held every Saturday in the market square in Salisbury which receives a continuing high level of support. The twelfth one was held on 24th February, starting at 5:45 pm and lasting half an hour. Just over 50 attended. The aim is to promote the cause of peace in Gaza and Israel generally. Violence continues in Gaza and there is an expectation that the death toll will reach 30,000 this week. Thousands more have been wounded. Many of the dead are women and children.
There is talk of negotiations leading to a ceasefire but whether this is so is questioned: Hamas representatives say not, Israel negotiators say maybe. Let us hope there is success.
The scale of destruction is Gaza is immense and will take colossal sums of money to put right.
The Vigils will continue through March and all are welcome.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 