The following messages have been sent to us from our friends at Unity.
The first asylum seeker families
are to be moved out of Glasgow City Council accommodation starting as early as
Monday next week.
One family has been told they will be moving on Monday.
At least two other families have been told they'll also be leaving accommodation
provided by the council next week.
On Saturday last week, the 900 plus
asylum seeker families who are currently accommodated in housing organised by
Glasgow City Council received letters stating that the housing contract from the
UK Border Agency to house them had been terminated.
Staff at the Glasgow
Asylum Seeker Support Project were told at 3pm on Friday afternoon after their
acting head had received the news in an email. The move has taken everyone
involved in supporting asylum seekers in Glasgow completely by surprise and came
as a shock to many.
It is still not known where families are going to be
moved to and the confusion is spreading anxiety and alarm through the asylum
seeker community in Glasgow. Earlier today the UKBA press office was suggesting
that, in the short term at least, the other current accommodation providers in
Glasgow, the YMCA charity and the notorious Angel Group, would take on the
contract.
The letters sent out to the tenants however suggest that they
could be relocated to anywhere in Scotland.
Now facing significant
disruption to their housing - and potentially facing being moved away from
established friends and supporters as well as from services such as GPs and
social workers - asylum seekers in Glasgow are extremely alarmed and concerned
about this sudden news.
Many are concerned about how their children could
be affected if they are moved out of established schools.
Many are also
worried that they may have to move away from friends and supportive neighbours
and community groups, breaking the strong ties that have developed over months
and years in communities across the city.
Other concerns have also been
raised about the ability of the YMCA and the Angel Group to provide adequate
accommodation at such short notice.
Since taking over part of the housing
contract in 2006, both the Angel Group and the YMCA, have received criticism
over how they have provided accommodation to asylum seekers. The Angel Group, in
particular, have had many accusations of providing inadequate housing and its
staff giving poor service, made against it.
UNITY is calling for a
protest outside of Glasgow City Chambers of everyone concerned about the sudden
ending of the housing contract and against the disruption to our communiities
and its impact on the lives of our friends and neighbours.
Come to
Glasgow City Chambers at 10.30 Monday 15th November to show your opposition to
these developments and to call on the UKBA and Glasgow City Council to resolve
any difficulties.
Keep the Contract with Glasgow City
Council!
Join the Protest:
Monday 15 November
10.30am
Outside
Glasgow City Chambers,
George Square
Unity!
There's a demonstration taking place on Monday 15th November, 10am, City
Chambers, and an online petition here.
The
YWCA are already on the case as some of the women who come to the centre are
affected by the moves. People have
already been sent letters detailing that they can only take 2 pieces of luggage
with them and can be given as little as 2 days notice - 'slightly' good news is
that we know now they'll stay in Glasgow but plans are to shift the majority
into the YMCA towerblock, basically creating a ghetto and still displacing these
people from the communities they've grown a part of.
Members, supporters and friends, please do all you can to support these asylum seekers. Sign the online petition, and if you are in the area please join us to protest in Glasgow on Monday morning.
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