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

Steve & Tamsin Bache hugsnotwar at phonecoop.coop
Sat Mar 25 20:25:02 UTC 2006


Hi all,

Well, Steve and I are free any night except Tues (because that's when 
Food Not Bombs are meeting).  But maybe we could think about a different 
venue as well?  It was very difficult to hear each other at the MAC - 
even after the group at the next table had left.  I know the Anchor is 
not ideal because it's a pub, but it does have a nice quiet room... what 
do others think?

Best wishes,
Tam.


phunkee at aktivix.org wrote:
> 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
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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. 
>
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>
>   





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