[noborders-brum] Birmingham NoBorders Meeting Minutes 22:3:06

[phunkee at aktivix.org]

Hi, 

Here are the minutes from Wednesday's meetup at the MAC. Perhaps we should
choose a different day to meetup this week to avoid clashing with other groups
meeting on Wednesday? What do people reckon?

If there's any corrections or additions to the minutes please feel free to
contribute.

Seize the Time, 

phunkee

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Birmingham NoBorders 

Meeting Minutes 22:3:06

Present: People from Food not Bombs, Birmingham Anti-Racist Campaign, Banner
Theatre, Birmingham Indymedia, Birmingham Guantanamo Campaign. 

Contact details for Birmingham NoBorders:

Mail to: noborders-brum at riseup.net
Mailing-List: http://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/noborders-brum

Agenda:

1) NoBorders: History, Politics, Discussion

History of NoBorders movement 

>From its inception during 1999 E.U. Summit in Finland, actions have been
organised against Border controls and the Border Regime reinforced by the E.U.
Constitution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Border_network

'NoBorders is a loose association of autonomous organizations, groups, and
individuals in Europe who resist human migration control by coordinating
international border camps, demonstrations, direct actions, and
anti-deportation campaigns. Opposing what is in their view increasingly
restrictive harmonisation of asylum and immigration policy in Europe, they work
to build alliances among migrant laborers and refugees.' 

http://www.noborder.org is the NoBorders network website.

The recently initiated UK NoBorders network, currently includes 7 groups from
the UK: Manchester, Glasgow, Sheffield, London, Leeds, Wales and Birmingham.

http://www.noborders.org.uk is a discussion board for UK NoBorders.

This is the first public meeting of Birmingham NoBorders although the group
itself was initiated a couple of months ago and has been doing some support
work for refugees. 

NoBorders presence so far in the UK:

Some UK NoBorders groups have been running for at least a year providing support
for refugees and challenging the Border Regime. Notable actions include Direct
Action to prevent dawn raids in Glasgow and protests outside signing centres in
Manchester and Leeds. Last year, Manchester NoBorders also printed a subverted
newspaper called "The Hate Mail".    

The G8 protests in Scotland saw the realisation of the 'Magical Mystery Tour' in
Glasgow which was repeated in Sheffield on the 100th year anniversary of the
first introduction of immigration controls in Britain. The 'Magical Mystery
Tour' essentially mapped the border regime in the city. Institutions, NGO's and
Corporate Asylum Profiteers involved in the Border Regime were effectively
mapped by participants on a walking tour of the city. The mapping provides a
resource for activists to focus around and a means of understanding the
contours of the Border Regime from a Refugee perspective.  

Basic Tenets of NoBorders:

Freedom of Movement for All: For a World Without Borders.

NoBorders is against *all* border controls which includes visible restrictions
on freedom of movement and less visible borders that seek to control and
restrict people's movement. NoBorders has often adopted a confrontational
approach in terms of engaging in Direct Action in an attempt to erode the
Border Regime. It also engages in support work for Refugees; supporting
anti-deportation campaigns, intervening to prevent deportations, visiting
detainees in detention centres, enabling legal support, distributing phone
cards, exchanging vouchers and providing bail sureties for Refugees.

2) Briefing on the UK NoBorders gathering held at The Square Occupied Social
Centre, London, 11-12th March 2006.

Sessions included workshops on internal borders - non-compliance in social work,
healthcare, housing, teaching etc, refugee support work, how to start an
anti-deportation campaign, April 8th Day of Action against detention centres - 
in solidarity with the Easter actions in Australia against a detention centre
in New South Wales, the nature of the NoBorders UK network, Organising against
the IOM (International Organisation for Migration), Actions & demonstrations
against the Labour Party conference in Manchester in the autumn, Contributing
to international networks, days of action and mobilisations - e.g. MayDay 

3) 8th April NoBorders Demo at Harmondsworth Detention Centre.

Suggestions to make a banner for the demo and a smaller banner for a street
stall
Idea for FnB to provide some food on the coach or at the demo?
Bring some Noise!
Organising a 50 seat coach to the demo - needs publicising - stall, leaflets and
Indymedia report.

4) Fundraising ideas for Birmingham NoBorders

Gigs were suggested as the main source of fundraising as well as doing
collections on a street stall near Food not Bombs' regular servings in the City
Centre.

5) Refugee Support Work

Need to faciliate a legal support network.
Supporting refugees - swapping vouchers, providing phonecards, visiting
detainees

6) Campaigns and Actions

focus on Asylum profiteers and NGO's co-opted by the Border Regime.
Supporting the Rahimi campaign.

7) Any Other Business - Anti-Racist Campaign

ARC has been active around refugee issues for some time including supporting the
Rahimi campaign and putting on regular social/fundraising events for refugees.

Cross Border Beats fundraiser for Refugees this Saturday 25th March 2pm-6pm @
Oaklands Centre, Winleigh Road, Handsworth Wood, B20 2HN 

Proposal to work closely with NoBorders Birmingham to avoid duplication and
ensure mutual aid.