What Time Is It?
A yawning credibility gap is emerging as the British state and its Scottish Poodles attempt to justify the disgraceful scenes against the Vucaj family and others. Tony McNulty, UK Immigration Minister: "We're not knocking down doors at four in the morning with people booted and suited in riot gear. Most of the removals take place around half-past six to seven in the morning. Yes, the immigration officers wear stab vests. That is part of the risk assessment."
A bizarre response studiously avoiding the serious issues at stake. This morning (Monday) Scottish Executive and UK Govt Officials didn't seem to be able to agree on how many meetings they'd had together. Responding to Home Office refusal to stop dawn raids, Robina Qureshi, Director of Positive Action in Housing:
“Tony McNulty should be ashamed of himself. His remarks make it clear that the Home Office has nothing but outright contempt for the feelings of Scottish people, the Scottish Parliament, Scotland’s Children’s Commissioner, our Communities Minister, the First Minister and of course Scottish asylum seeking families, many of whom have been settled here for years. We are reduced as a country to begging Westminister like servants for a bit of humanity. And they have dismissed us out of hand. They don’t care about the feelings of Scottish people, never mind Scottish asylum seeking families. The First Minister even condemned the practice. Yet, the Home Office are showing the same belligerent attitude to this country and our leader as they show to Scottish asylum seekers."
“Any idea of a protocol that protects asylum children from the brutality and terror of dawn raids is now shattered. Enough is enough. Are we really going to take this contempt from the Home Office, just because this is supposed to be a reserved matter?"
Chewing the Fat star, Sanjeev Kohli, has joined the campaign for the return of the Vucaj children, and said: "As a father this is wrong to me. As a husband this is wrong to me. As a brother this is wrong to me. As a son this is wrong to me. As an Asian this is wrong to me. As a Glaswegian this is wrong to me. As a Scot this is wrong to me. And as a human being this is wrong to me. On every single level imaginable this is wrong to me and to anyone I know. Bring the Vucaj children home. And do it NOW."
A public meeting to be held on 20 October 2005 at 6.45 pm in the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3. Speakers include Peter Mullan & Robina Qureshi who will introduce a film and friends of the Vucaj family. A heavy attendance is expected.
We invite you to attend and show your support for the Vucaj family’s return and to call for an end to any further immigration raids by the Home Office on Scottish soil, on Scottish families, including Scottish asylum seeking families.
