_RAPAR
The Manchester-based Human Rights organisation working with displaced people

PRESS RELEASE
January 19th 2012

YOUNG RAPAR REFUGEE TO PLANT ANNE FRANK ROSE AT HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY EVENT

Rose planting will take place at the Jewish Museum, Manchester, on Thursday, January 26, 1.30pm
Premiere of Souvenir d'Anne Frank to be held on Holocaust Memorial Day itself, Friday, January 27th, Zion Arts Centre, Hulme, Manchester


A young RAPAR refugee will plant the first Anne Frank Rose in the UK at a Holocaust Memorial Day event on Thursday, January 26th. 




Nineteen year old Farhad Vahidi, who is from Iran and is seeking asylum in the UK with his family, will plant the rose at the Jewish Museum garden in Manchester. His older brother Farid will read a poem at the event which begins at 1.30pm.

Following a welcome address by Max Dunbar, chief executive of the Jewish Museum, there will be speeches by Manchester city councllor Rabnawaz Akbar, Adam Kirkby from the Anne Frank Trust, and Rhetta Moran of RAPAR.

The premiere of Ensemble Theatre Company's Souvenir d'Anne Frank - a production of music, poetry, performance and song which tells the story of the rose - will be held the following evening on Holocaust Memorial Day itself (January 27th) at the Zion Arts Centre, Hulme, Manchester. The rose, which was grafted from a rose made in the year of Anne's  birth and another made in the year of her death, was created in Europe in 1960.

At the planting ceremony, Azusa Ono, from Ensemble, will tell the story of the rose in Japan.  It is grown by schoolchildren throughout the country and in the peace gardens at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  The rose in Japan is the result of a bush sent by Anne Frank's father Otto to a young Japanese girl Michiko who had written to him after she had read his daughter's famous Diaries. Michiko's uncle was responsible for the spread of the Anne Frank rose throughout Japan.

A minute's silence will be held after Farhad Vahidi plants the rose in the Jewish Museum's garden and then children from Birchfields Primary School will tie their remembrances on a Remembering Tree. Poems will be read by the children and by members of RAPAR, and Elizabeth Mansfield of Ensemble will sing Anne Frank's “Give”.

The premiere performance of Souvenir d'Anne Frank on Friday, January 27th , is to be followed by a panel discussion which will include Dr Rhetta Moran, of RAPAR. Part of the proceeds from the evening will go to RAPAR.

Elizabeth Mansfield, of Ensemble, said Anne Frank roses sent from Japan will eventually be planted across the UK.

“We hope the roses will leave a legacy of hope and peace in memory of Anne and her longing for a tolerant, conflict-free world,” Elizabeth added.

Rhetta Moran, of RAPAR, said: "Anne Frank was a child killed by adults who created the Holocaust and who justifed their actions through Nazi ideology.  It is fitting that the rose is being planted in the UK for the first time in the North West of England by a young refugee who - unlike Anne - survived to adulthood through a childhood during which his family had to flee from persecution.  This is our symbol of hope alongside the rose itself, as is Farhad's continuing struggle, together with his family, friends and communities, to create a world where we never forget the lessons of that history and we fight for a better future for our children."   


For more information, please contact:
Rhetta Moran 07776264646
Kath Grant 07812471047





www.rapar.org.uk

_•    Lydia and her husband Bernard facing forced removal from UK to Cameroon on Saturday, January 21st.
•    Lawyers working to stop flight as supporters and leading writers lobby Home Secretary
Leading writers in the UK have put their names to an Open Letter in support of Cameroon  playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey – as rehearsals start on her latest work, Down with the Dictator.
Lydia is currently detained in Yarl's Wood, Bedfordshire, and Bernard in Morton Hall, Lincoln. They are facing forced removal from the UK on Saturday, January 21st, following the refusal of Bernard's protection claim. The UK Border Agency has also refused them the right to appeal from within the UK.
The couple are both members of the SCNC, a peaceful organisation campaigning for the independence of Southern Cameroon, and fled their home country just over five years ago after they were persecuted, imprisoned and tortured.
Speaking from Yarl's Wood, Lydia  said she was pleased to hear that rehearsals on her play were going ahead and added: “It is very important that the rehearsals continue because it means my voice is still being heard.”
Down with the Dictator explores themes of power, political corruption and censorship in all its absurdity and shows why so many people around the world are forced to flee from oppressive regimes. The play is produced by Afrocats  and Manchester-based Community Arts North West is supporting as part of Exodus, their Refugee Arts programme. Director is Magdalen Bartlett who also directed Lydia's acclaimed play How I Became An Asylum Seeker.
Magdalen said the actors - who themselves have had experience of oppressive regimes – are all extremely passionate about the play and are working on it voluntarily. They were shocked to hear of Lydia and Bernard's detention but are determined that her latest work will reach audiences in the UK.   The play is due to be performed at COAST International Festival of Community Theatre in Bristol at the end of March, and also at two venues in Greater Manchester which are still to be confirmed.
In July last year, leading writers and actors in the UK sent an Open Letter to The Guardian, drawing attention to Lydia's case.  English PEN, which campaigns for persecuted writers nationally and internationally, has put together a similar Open Letter from high profile writers which has already been sent to Home Secretary Theresa May.  Writers who have signed the letter include War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, Hanif Kureishi and Monica Ali. Leading lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy has also put her name to the Open Letter.
Lydia and Bernard have a large number of supporters throughout the UK and particularly in Greater Manchester.  They lived in Rochdale for three years before being moved to Bury where they are members of the AcaPeelers' Choir.
Campaigners are urging supporters to write to Home Secretary Theresa May and Immigration Minister Damian Green immediately, demanding that the couple remain in the UK. 
Lydia was detained almost a week ago when she reported at Dallas Court in Salford and Bernard was snatched from the street near his home in Bury. They were only told after they were detained that Bernard's protection claim had been refused and that they were also being denied the chance to appeal from within the UK. It was clear from paperwork issued to the couple that the decision had been taken before Christmas.
Last week, their solicitor Gary McIndoe said: “We have been waiting for a decision on Bernard's protection claim since 19th October last year.  Further materials have been sent to the Home Office, including the report of an expert witness. I am surprised that the decision to detain has been made before their legal representatives have been informed in any way.”
ENDS
More details of the campaign can be found at: http://www.rapar.org.uk/lydia-and-bernard-must-stay.html AND AT http://lydiaandbernard.wordpress.com/
For further information contact: Kath Grant, RAPAR, 07812471047 or Dr Rhetta Moran, RAPAR, 07776264646

Playwright Lydia and husband Bernard detained for the 4th time today.  Full Press Release here.

Lawyers to apply for injunction tomorrow (Thurs) to stop deportation of playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey.

For more information on their case go to: http://www.rapar.org.uk/lydia-and-bernard-must-stay.html

Download the Press Release Here

Tactics adopted by police officers at the anti EDL demonstration in Bolton’s Victoria Square on March 20th were “frightening” a protestor told magistrates.

Dane Kelly, a 24 year old Sociology student from Leeds, was cleared of a charge of using threatening and abusive words and behaviour against a police officer when he appeared at Bolton magistrates’ court on Monday, October 11.

He said: “The tactics the police adopted were frightening.  They were pushing us back and telling us to move back but there was nowhere to go. There were middle aged people and families with children there and an elderly man, a World War 2 veteran, was knocked to the ground by the police. People were panicking and I was worried for my friends. The police were arresting people in the crowd while trade union messages of support were being read out.”

Asked by Joanna White, prosecuting, if he was unhappy with the way the demonstration had been policed, Dane Kelly told her: “I was scared.”

Tactical Aid Unit officer Gareth Rowe told magistrates the TAU had been initially deployed to escort the EDL to the designated area in Victoria Square, Bolton.This deployment was because of specific EDL incidents at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester the previous October.

PC Rowe explained that officers were then sent to Victoria Square where Unite Against Fascism demonstrators had been gathering from about 10 am. He said that sometime between 11am and 1pm TAU officers were told to “kit up”.

PC Rowe said Mr Kelly tried to prevent him from arresting another protestor and

that he raised his arm to stop Mr Kelly and unintentionally hit him in the face. PC Rowe claimed that Mr Kelly then used abusive language and called him “a fucking Nazi cunt”.  Told by Aiofe Ryan, defending, that Mr Kelly denied using abusive language, PC Rowe replied: “I heard him and I saw him say it. I found it very offensive.”


PC Rowe told the court he remained in the police line trying to control the crowd. “Other officers were requested to go into the crowd but this wasn’t what I was doing, I stayed in the line,” he said.

Mr Kelly said that PC Rowe struck him in the face three times as the officer reached into the crowd. Mr Kelly denied using abusive language to the officer, saying that as someone who was politically active and had studied feminism, he would not use the words he was accused of saying.

Finding Mr Kelly not guilty, the magistrates said they were not convinced that Mr Kelly used the words to the police officer.

Surrounded by supporters outside the court, Mr Kelly said he was elated with the result.  “If anything, I am now more dedicated to fighting fascism on the streets of the UK and will continue to do so. I would like to thank justice4bolton and Unite Against Fascism for all the support they have given to me.”

A spokesperson for justice4bolton said: “Some of the truth about what happened in Bolton on March 20 came out in court today. This verdict is a vindication of the fact that it is not a crime to protest against racism and fascism. It also demonstrates that any attempts by the police to construct anti fascist and anti racist protestors as criminals will be vigorously resisted. The truth will out.”


For further information contact: 

Kath Grant, justice4bolton press officer on 07812471047

 

 

 

TRIALS OF ANTI FASCISTS START AS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AT BOLTON ANTI EDL PROTEST EMERGES

The trials of five anti fascists, arrested at the protest against the English Defence League on March 20, begin at Bolton Magistrates' Court on Monday, October 4 - as overwhelming evidence of police brutality at the demonstration emerges.

A show of solidarity is being organised by justice4bolton outside Bolton Magistrates' Court at 9.30 am on Monday, October 4.  Further presences outside the court will take place on the days of the trials which are October 4th, October 5th, October 11th, October 20th and November 4th.

The five are facing prosecution for their part in opposing the racist EDL rally in Bolton on March 20.  At the same time, justice4bolton has received an alarming number of reports of anti-fascist demonstrators being subject to unprovoked violence and unjustified arrest at the hands of the police on that day.

A spokesperson for justice4bolton says: "What emerges is a picture of a determined attempt to criminalise and brutalise those who protested against fascism and racism.  We call on every anti-fascist and anti-racist to stand up against such oppressive tactics. We must make clear that opposing fascism and racism is not a crime."

justice4bolton says the people facing criminal prosecution in the trials taking place throughout October and November need support and urges all anti racists and anti fascists to join the show of solidarity on Monday.

"We call on all those opposed to the racist EDL, which is linked to the BNP, and all those who believe that protesting agianst racists and fascists is not a crime to send delegations to the court and messages of support to info@justice4bolton.org.uk "

In addition, justice4bolton believes that this pattern of police
behaviour must not go unchecked and is helping to seek accountability for those who were subjected to police violence and oppression on 20 March 2010.  We are
asking anyone who suffered or witnessed such treatment to contact us at uaflegal@hotmail.co.uk as soon as possible.
 
For more information, please contact:

  Kath Grant
  Press Officer
  justice4bolton 07812471047