The Continuing Crisis: Refugees arriving in Europe......Populations response, but where are the politicians?

The Continuing Crisis: Refugees arriving in Europe......Populations response, but where are the politicians?

 

I find it ironic that Hungry felt the need to resort to barbed wire fencing and closed borders, since one of the first ever ‘collective’ activities I organised was as a very small kid, setting up a back green ‘concert’ with some friends here in Edinburgh and charging the local kids to come in. The money raised was sent off to help Hungarian refugees, after their very own revolution against the (old) USSR. (yes, that long ago and yes, old pounds, shillings and pence!)

Now, most of us look at the fleeing refugees and ask: how can we help? But some look and say: ‘we have no room, no money, no homes’. There is talk of ….’we need to feed our own,’ and cite the presence of our own food banks, or our own homeless population.  Perhaps the excuse is…. ‘more pressure on the NHS'. But all of that misses the humanitarian ‘get up and do’ response of the ordinary everyday people, whilst hiding behind the fig leaf of political negativity, scare mongering and further demonising of ‘outsiders’.  

Some say: address the refugee problems at the source. If this is considered to be Syria,  I hope that doesn't mean we rush headlong into bombing. Do we want another failed state with regime change and the resultant chaos? Have we learnt nothing from Iraq and Libya? And what hopes of a ‘transition’ period that our great leader, David Cameron will promote today (27^th Sept)  in the USA?

Some say: stay in local camps as internally displaced persons or refugees in neighbouring countries. The UNHCR, 2013, notes that  Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey had in excess of 3 million refugees. That ' number' nay, people, must surely be rising. And the stress put on the fragile infrastructures in those camps will only add to the internal stresses within those host countries. Further destabilisation of both the camps and the host countries must surely be a worry and something to be avoided.

My own view is that many of us fail to acknowledge we are being dictated to and are following the agenda of the far right. Our policies, our banking systems that favour capitalism & profit first and foremost, coupled with our actions including arms sales; favouring one so called ‘good’ dictator over a ’bad’ dictator,  have helped create these very refugees and their circumstances. Surely then, it is time to resist this far right ideology of 'profit first; profit before people'.

Will a new Labour leader help move the Labour party to become a strong opposition party? Will we see a resurgence of socialism coming from the Labour party? Will we see a shift from Westminster Labour MPs as they see the value of working with the SNP? Or will a fractured Labour continue to score own goals thus ensuring the ideology of the far right and the current UK government continues to demonise the work-less population, victimise the vulnerable, prey on the working poor and neglect the refugees on our door step?

Whatever acts we take as a generous population in relation to the refugees must be met with coordinated actions & ultimately political policies that recognise the need for deep seated change over long periods of time, both within our own borders and across the EU.

Scotland has said clearly and early on that we welcome refugees, and this occasion will be no different. Cities such as Birmingham are shaming the UK government with declarations of support and the intent to welcome refugees

Whilst these are welcome actions and policies of the moment, this moment today, tomorrow and the coming months, surely we must address the forms of capitalism that arms militants but denies refuge to the very people shot, bombed, made homeless, terrorised, displaced and dying to reach the ‘west’ …………..the ‘west’ that armed the aggressors in the first instance.

i/Hungarian Revolution 1956  http://www.historyinanhour.com

 

ii/Food Banks:  Facebook:  EdinburghWomenforIndependence    @wfiedinburgh

EdinburghWFI@gmail.com    http://www.womenforindependence.org/edinburgh

Women for Independence  http://www.womenforindependence.org  http://www.trusselltrust.org/

 

iii/UNHCR:  http://www.unhcr.org/

iv/Scottish Govt Responses to the Refugee Crisis: https://firstminister.gov.scot

v/Birmingham’s response : http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/

vi/Edinburgh Cares: Facebook Edinburgh Cares-Aid Convoy to Serbia/Croatia

and from 
http://www.unhcr.org/

..entering into Austria  ...Sept 2015

Greedy, greedier, greediest: And the need to continue to exercise our voting rights.

Greedy, greedier, greediest: And the need to continue to exercise our voting rights.

I lived in Wester Hailes for 13 years, most of which, if not all, a certain Malcolm Rifkind was my MP. At the time the poll tax was introduced, I remember wondering how he and I could be paying the same. After all, he had that income as an MP and expenses on top of that. And I did not.

All these years later, this latest show of greedy, greedier, greediest with two MPs (Rifkind and Straw) only goes to reinforce what we already know: there is an arrogance associated with 'power' that so readily lends itself to corruption, moral and legal. This is surely a demonstration of one if not both.
We need representatives Cllrs, MPs, MSP, and MEPs that know and experience the working, social, economic lives of their constituents before taking office.
We need those representatives to remember who does pay their wages. Not companies, hedge funds, foreign interests, but us, voters who elect them in the first instance.
If laws & regulations under which they operate need to be refined, tightened - so be it.
But then use those laws & regulations to expose and take appropriate action. If not, we will see many voters regard politicians as corrupt and distanced; perpetuating the myth of ...' Why vote? Nothing changes'.

Why vote? Nothing changes'. That is no longer true. Last year & last year’s voting figures demolished that myth in one glorious day! 

People like me, having resigned from the labour party, and no longer belonging to any party, voted not along party lines, but in a considered manner that spoke of the future: for individuals, families, communities and ultimately Scotland. 

It was just a pity that not enough voted the way I wanted them to. But hey, that’s democracy. https://www.facebook.com/YesScotland.

 

The turnout in 2014, including that younger cadre of new voters, demonstrates that we can and we will turn out especially when we consider more that personalities, and more than ticking the same tired box, election after election. 

A great boost to that turnout was the emergence and tireless work of groups  & organisations, that includes http://www.womenforindependence.org/  pan Scottish, as well as the localised power houses such as Edinburgh Women for Independence: edinburghwfi@gmail.com. 

We’ve not gone away but continue to work within and for communities whilst operating on the national stage identifying and tackling issues of importance. EdinWomenforInde initiated a campaign against the planned 350-bed new prison, but taking that campaign  across Scotland it included  a petition gathering in the region of 3000 signatures, and coverage in the national, local and social media. Success!   “We need to be bolder and take a more radical and ambitious approach in Scotland”Michael Matheson Justice Secretary http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30958609

So was that Referendum vote the most important vote? That day it was, but that was then, and here is now with ‪#‎election2015 looming in less than 70 days time.

So how will I vote? Am I truly' better together' with Rifkind and his ilk? Don’t forget the role, the propping up role, the forceful role that the Labour party here in Scotland played in the months leading up to the referendum.

To add insult to injury, the party I used to belong to, are now asking members and voters to vote tactically, vote Tory! And Labour wonder why they are losing Scotland.

We woke up: we can smell the smell ... And did we boak!

We have a vote, and we have to use it .... ‪#‎election2015.....if not, if we sit back and do nothing, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

 #‎audacious  
‪#‎eastwfi2015

March winds blowing in change

It’s taken me a while to acknowledge that I’ll be voting for independence. 

Mainly because I grew up in a Scottish, working class family that always voted labour. I knew no other, and wouldn’t have considered ‘another’ when voting in the past: 

I’ve not given up my beliefs, but times change, and so must I. 

I cannot support the Union now, not with the potential of an independent Scotland.

I was fashioned in my political views firstly by my Scottish granny, then my parents, the friends I have now, and my experiences over the last 30 years or so since returning home to Scotland. 

But all through ran another vein: my father, coming to Scotland to study in the 1920’s from (then) British India, instilling in me not least: the need for education and the value of independent thinking. He gloried in the independence of India and the creation of Pakistan, followed by every other emerging country that gained its independence. 

Having married and with three small children, living in Pakistan and Bangladesh, I experienced military dictatorships, stood in queues to cast my vote, had my thumb marked with indelible ink, and lived through a war fought for independence. 

Times change, circumstances change, and so must I.

I don’t see myself betraying my political views, I see myself having the opportunity to progress them, and to shape an independent country reflecting the votes of those living here; ensuring our votes result in the government we vote for.

This is a time, a prospect that won’t come my way again. I hope to continue to engage with others, before the vote later this year.Perhaps like me, some have previously voted one particular way and wondered about change. But isn’t it better to be part of the change, to direct the change….and not have change imposed? 

Surely, it is even more of an imperative that as women we play a full part in the process. And this weekend of all, celebrating International Womens Day.

Our close association with the NHS as women, mothers, carers;  as users of education systems, either ourselves, or as parents and guardians;  workers - employed, unemployed, underemployed;  business women seeking start ups, loans and ways to expand our business;  seniors who have paid in our dues over the years;  those vital volunteers …..we are all voices within Scotland, whatever our role and contributions. Voices need to be used, and listened to, so I hope we make sure we’re all prepared to consider Scotland’s future. 

It won’t be roses all the way. Has it ever been? But will it be as dire and as bleak as the No campaign are constantly warning us? Good bye Dr Who and all that?

More recently, I’m told that businesses need stability and a Yes vote could be disruptive. 

For whom? Their share holders? Or do we really believe they are prioritising the well being of their Scottish workers? 

This last week or so we have seen (more) negative predictions from banks & financial institutions warning us that they will up sticks and leave an independent Scotland.

These are the very institutions that brought us to a near financial collapse just a few, short years ago.

Where then was their financial, risk taking analysis?

Where then was their future planning?

 Will they unilaterally up sticks and leave behind a trained, experienced work force with the attendant infrastructures?

Is that sound business practice? Following on from a yes vote, wouldn't it be good (business) practice to sit and negotiate in the arena as long established stakeholders, with a view to the future?

And what of the EU and the possibility of a UK referendum removing us from the EU should there be a no vote? 

Maintaining the status quo is not ‘stability’ 

And ‘stability’ is not the reason for the referendum: Scotland’s future is.

I would rather have the positive change that will come with independence.

I want my vote to count where it’s needed.

I’m voting for my independent Scotland.   

 For Int Womens Day:

http://ind.pn/1ggzDL9 

For independent reading:

http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/