Anti-Racism Day marked with protest in Newhaven

The alliance is a network of organisations and individuals campaigning for refugee rights and racial justice. This is a newly formed local alliance to raise awareness and promote racial justice within the Lewes district.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is held to remember the 21 March 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in apartheid South Africa. This year’s commemoration also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Marta Paluch, secretary of the Lewes District Anti-Racism Alliance and one of the organisers, said: "We organised the action to protest against the Government’s new Illegal Migration Bill. Last year the Nationality and Borders Act was passed which means that everyone coming to this country as an asylum seeker is now arrested and held in custody. These are people who have come here to escape conflict and trauma but are treated as criminals.

“The new proposed law will make this terrible situation even worse. Refugees are not to blame for the crisis we are living through. We all want to stop people risking their lives crossing the Channel in small boats. We need safe routes.”

An amendment to the bill which would have provided safe and legal passage for asylum seekers into the UK was voted down by Conservative MPs.

In her speech, Dr Janet Baah, Chair of the Lewes District Anti-Racism Alliance, said: “We need more than politics as usual when it comes to the protection of human beings. This is a test for our common humanity to see ourselves in another. We need compassionate, thoughtful and well-reasoned debate that focuses on our hope not our fears; trust not tyranny, hospitality not hostility, visas not violence because safe routes save lives.”

In her speech Alison Bell, Joint Chair of LOSRAS (Lewes Organisation in Support of Asylum Seekers and Refugees), said: "In comparison to other European countries, the UK has not accepted very many refugees. Less than Germany, France, Austria Spain and Italy. The island of Cyprus is receiving nearly 20 times more asylum seekers in relation to the population than the UK.

“And it’s worth pointing out that worldwide, 72% of refugees are living in a neighbouring country, mostly low-income countries that are least able to afford this. The top five refugee receiving countries are: Lebanon, Jordan, Nauru, Turkey and Uganda. Turkey currently hosts 3.8 million refugees.

“The relatively small numbers of displaced people wanting to apply for asylum in this country are those who have a link here: a family member or a friend, an offer of a job, a community that can help them to restart their lives after the trauma that led to them having to leave their home, the horrors of the journey, the exploitation that many suffer on the way.

“Suella Braverman has told us that sending refugees to Rwanda is her ‘dream.’ How is it possible for anyone to suggest that these people should be sent to a country where they have no links and no support system?”

Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, has been approached for comment.

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