Transformative Peace’s Post

Never did I imagine that 4 weeks into my new role (and while on annual leave!), I would be joining over 240 organisations to stand in solidarity with those affected by racist, islamophobic hate crimes, and barbaric acts of violence against refugees and asylum seekers. Many of the people targeted have already fled unimaginable horrors to try to find safety. Together we are calling for communities & the country to be brought together for a different way forward – one that's compassionate & united. No one should be made to feel unsafe by a minority of far-right, racist, facist extremists. Synagogues, Jewish people and communities are also targets of far-right violence. We always will be. Conspiracy theories that ‘zionists’ are behind the rise of the far right are circling. The rise of the far right on our streets is terrifying and the inter generational trauma we are feeling right now is sadly all too real. Include anti-semitism in your statements and extend your support to Jewish communities, colleagues and friends too. I’ve appreciated it. Love, solidarity and support to everyone who does not feel safe right now. Full statement below 🧡 “We are deeply shocked and devastated by these horrific acts of violence. Racism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism, and hatred against migrants have no place in our country. We stand in solidarity with the men, women and children affected, many of whom have already fled unimaginable horrors to try to find safety. And we stand together as a sector and with our communities to offer support. We know that these views and acts of violence do not represent the vast majority of people in this country. It is right that the government has clearly condemned these attacks. But we urgently need action, today, to ensure that local authorities have the right resources to ensure those under threat of attack in asylum accommodation, refugee service centres and places of worship are properly protected. This moment must mark a turning point, away from the divisive politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language of the past. Now is an opportunity to bring communities together for a different way forward- compassionate” #RefugeesAreWelcome #FacistsAreNot #TogetherWithRefugees

✊4 years ago, we were marching, screaming #BlackLivesMatter at the top our lungs, filling our social media feeds to stand up against racism, demanding urgent change.   🧐What has been done since then? Has enough progress been made? Have we been loud enough in our fight for equality?   ❌Today, the far-right is growing while scapegoating and vilifying racialised groups. Across the European Union, racialised people, including Black, Muslim, Jewish and Roma people are still discriminated against. Some even face extreme police violence.   🌎Of course, the fight against racism doesn’t end at European borders. Thousands of refugees and migrants are facing barriers, abuse & danger at all of Europe’s external borders. Thousands are dying or going missing each year, trying to reach safety.   🕊️ And in the last months, the European Union failed to speak up with a common and strong voice, even as over 12.000 children have been killed in Gaza.   🖤The fight against racism did not end four years ago. It has barely even begun. We must not be silent in the face of hate, and we must #ChooseCourage.   So, we say: we need to #StayLoud. 📢✊

Say “no” to racism. It is hard to see the extremity of the hate campaign currently against immigrants and muslims across the United Kingdom, sadly including Northern Ireland. My message to everyone who is involved in this movement, please educate yourself. A large majority of the muslims and immigrants in this country hold high posititons, such as medical professionals, who may have treated someone you care about, or academics who may have taught your children, or businessmen who have contributed to the economy of our country. The majority of us call Northern Ireland “home”, have lived here in peace causing no problems, are tax-payers and contribute to our local community when we can. Sadly, the refugees fled their countries because of the ongoing wars and lack of safety, they lost their homes, their families and their country. Go back to the news and look at who destroyed their homes, their country and killed their people? Who caused them to flee their country and seek refuge elsewhere? Who caused them to lose everything they had and force them to start from scratch while enduring such heartache of leaving their home and loved ones behind? They are refugees BECAUSE they lost their home, not because they wanted to leave. Can you imagine losing everything overnight, leaving everything you know behind and needing to start from scratch all over again as an adult or as a family with young children? I say no to hate. No to racism. No to disruption of peace. As a muslim, let us live in peace and love again in Northern Ireland, like we did before. #WelcometoNorthernIreland #NoRacism #NoHate

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons ‘No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms’, Article 4, Universal Declaration of Human Rights in relation to human trafficking. Human trafficking is illegal everywhere, yet it still occurs. Modern slavery is happening in our communities as an unseen crime in hotels, car washes, restaurants, nail salons and private homes. The essence of slavery is that of total control and dehumanisation of individuals. This year’s theme for World Day Against Trafficking is ‘Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking’. From Uyghur children being separated from their families and placed into children's re-education schools masked as ‘boarding schools’ and orphanages, to unaccompanied refugee children falling survivors to exploitation and trafficking across the UK, human trafficking remains untreated. Instead, too many UK policies criminalise survivors and abandon those trafficked to the UK, providing too few legal and safe routes and holistic support for survivors. From scripture, 'there is no mitzvah greater than freeing captives’, to forced labour camps during the Holocaust, slavery and trafficking are unavoidably connected to the Jewish experience. Our foundational narrative of a people led from bondage to freedom urges us to speak out, especially when faced with the inhumane reality of modern-day slavery and trafficking. It is so that we will understand that Egypt was not simply one place and time. It is any place and time in which people are not free. And because it is any place and time, it is every place and time. - Words of Rabbi Lev Taylor (2023) 🔗 Read our statement here: https://lnkd.in/eDbY73fY #humantrafficking #stopchildtrafficking #worlddayagainsttrafficking

The racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric and violence we are witnessing right now is beyond unthinkable. Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers are welcome in the UK. Racism however and wherever it shows itself is despicable. At MHFA England® we stand together against hate. A question we must all ask ourselves is this: what can we do day in day out to make sure everyone knows we stand against hate whenever and however it shows itself in political discourse, public narratives and in every day interactions. Love and solidarity.

📢 Collaboration with Sea-Watch e.V. alert This summer's far-right violence has been labelled as ‘unprecedented’ but how unprecedented is it? Despite what you might have been told, the UK has a huge problem with racism and long history of fascist mobilisation. From the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, far-right riots of the 1950s and National Front racist marches in the 1970s-80s, to Islamophobic and anti-immigration movements fuelled by misinformation on social media in recent years, fascism continues to flourish. The violence of summer 2024 shows the need for long-term, meaningful action to be taken beyond this moment- one that centres #migrants and tackles the root of anti-migrant racism and #Islamophobia. The time to resist is now. Remember, we keep us safe. #MigrantJustice #AntiFascism #NoBorders #RefugeesWelcome

This weekend, the UK witnessed and experienced hate-fuelled, #Islamophobic, and #racist riots that bear an unsettling resemblance to the horric events that took place in Ireland last November (2023). It is alarming that such events continue to unfold, but not suprising, indicating that we have not learned from past mistakes. We must acknowledge an uncomfortable truth: this violence is NOT the work of a fringe minority. It reflects deeper, pervasive issues within our society that we can no longer ignore or dismiss. When you attribute these actions to a "small group of people," we distance ourselves from the root of the problem, and therefore minimise the very real #impact it has on the lives of those who encounter, experience and endure hatred the most. This distancing allows the underlying #prejudices and #systemic issues to persist, unchecked and unchallenged. It is imperative that we take #accountability for creating an environment where such hate can manifest. Accountability means acknowledging our #collective #responsibility and taking tangible #actions to protect and care for those most affected by this violence. The lives of our Muslim friends, loved ones, colleagues, and the broader migrant community - predominantly black and brown individuals - are at stake. These communities DESERVE MORE than our sympathy and empty words; they need our active #support and #protection. It is time for a wake-up call, a moment of reckoning where we NEED to commit to real #change, rather than empty promises. I stand in #solidarity with all those who have been targeted by this hateful violence. To my Muslim friends, family, loved ones, colleagues and peers, and to the wider #migrant community both in Ireland and the UK: I see you, I hear you, and I am committed to standing with you in this fight against hate. Y(OUR) lives matter, and we must all do our part to ensure y(our) #safety, #dignity, and #wellbeing. #socialjustice #racialjustice #solidarity #ActionSpeakLouder #NoToHate #equitymatters #community #connection #liberation #SystemicChange #MigrantRights #dignity #safety #wellbeing #humanity

Come here me speak at this important webinar next Monday at 7pm on the need for alternatives to immigration detention

During social crises, wars, and collective traumatic events, we often witness an increase in hate and intolerance in our societies. In these difficult times, hate speech against specific groups such as migrants, refugees, and minorities tends to intensify. It is crucial to recognise and combat any form of hate speech we encounter in daily life, on social media, and in our social interactions. Join us in the fight against hate and discrimination. Support our initiatives to raise awareness, educate, and create a more inclusive and respectful society. Together we can build a safer world for everyone. #stophatespeech #EndDiscrimination #standtogether #hatespeech 

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐠𝐞𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 This post is to express our deep concern about the lack of media coverage surrounding the challenges faced by refugees in Wales. We have several cases that highlight significant issues of discrimination, hidden bias, maladministration, and potential professional manipulation. Despite reaching out to prominent media outlets like Sky News, BBC Wales, ITV, and The Guardian, our efforts to bring these stories to light have been met with silence. We recently contacted #Walesonline and #NationCymru as well, but despite following up multiple times, we haven't received a response. This lack of coverage not only silences the voices of those most affected by these issues but also hinders public awareness and understanding of the challenges refugees face in Wales. We believe these are stories that deserve to be heard. They raise important questions about the treatment of vulnerable individuals and for systemic bias in #Cardiff. We urge media outlets to reconsider their editorial decisions and to prioritize stories that shed light on social justice issues in #Wales. Transparency and accountability are crucial for ensuring a fair and just society for all. #MediaBias #UK #SocialJustice #Equality #HiddenBias #DiscriminationAwareness #SystemicBias #UKLaw #WalesLaw #HumanRightsUK #EmploymentLawUK #LegalAidUK #EqualityLawUK #DiscriminationUK #HumanRightsAbusesUK #UKCourts #WalesCourts #WalesCorruption