Brixton says goodbye to the Champ #MuhammadAli

I was happy to help organise this Brixton tribute to #MuhammadAli at the Black Cultural Archives, Brixton, South London. He's gone but will never be forgotten. One of the greatest black men to have ever lived.

Tackling Racism in the UK in the 21st Century

Jobs and Freedom March on Washington 1963

I read with great interest the recent article by my friend and comrade Liberal Democratic Councillor Lester Holloway entitled “Putting the movement back into the anti racist movement”.

Lester’s article bemoans the demise of a once vibrant anti racist movement. Reflecting on the anti racist struggle for race equality and justice in the mid 1980’s and 1990’s he harks back to a more passionate age where activists were found on every street corner, bold conferences were held highlighting and exposing racism and people were not afraid of speaking truth to power.

He contrasts this with the reality today where most black organisations are politically emasculated and remain largely silent on the issues of the day.

He points out that during the last 20 years, institutional racism and its effects has worsened whilst we as a community have become increasingly politically marginalised and ineffective.

The article had particular resonance for me as I was involved in many of the black/anti racist organisations he cites in this article. There is much truth in what Lester says and I for one am hoping that it will kick start a much needed debate as to where we go from here. There are some points I disagree with but it would be both churlish and lead to an unnecessarily sterile debate to rehearse these points by way of response. Much more important is the substantive issue raised by his article that the anti racist movement, once vibrant has now lost momentum.

Lester points out that we have failed to nurture young talent. I could not agree more: that is the real reality that now needs to be both accepted and dealt with. There is an urgent and burning need to nurture and educate new leaders in how to more effectively challenge racism and injustice.

Our failure to do so has cost us dear and the August riots of 2011 bare testimony to the fact that we have failed to provide the necessary leadership and succession planning to facilitate the emergence of young leaders capable of organising and representing youth in crisis.

I would argue that the profound economic crisis in the black community, exacerbated through the powerful magnifying lens of racism, is tearing our community apart and has led to a weakening of our resolve to fight racism, a decimation of the black voluntary sector as a result of public sector cuts and as a result a virtual silencing of our strong political voice.

The public hi-tech racist media lynching.

As most people will know, others and I were the victims of a sustained and ruthless campaign led by the London Evening Standard. From Dec 2007 until May 2008 both Ken Livingstone the then Mayor and I as his political adviser, were subjected to a relentless and deeply racist media smear campaign. The length and breadth of this campaign was and remains unprecedented in British political history. For nearly 7 months the media whose real agenda was to defeat Ken Livingstone, used London’s black communities and me as their whipping boy to undermine Ken. Effectively we were nothing more than political road kill in Boris Johnson’s remorseless drive for power.

Initially many from our community defended and publically supported me. But as the campaign intensified and month after month those attack increased so that support began to wane and fall away. As time wore on I saw people physically wilt under the weight of continually defending me from scurrilous and unfounded allegations.

To be attacked for a week or a month is one thing to be attacked for nearly 7 months on a daily basis took its toll on that support. Quite simply it was beyond the experience of most black people and organisations. It was one of the most sustained racist media campaigns ever seen in British political history.

Supporters were threatened with similar ‘exposure’ by the press and understandably as a result were increasingly reluctant to speak out. Organisations concerned for their funding for the most part kept quiet. As the months passed it became clear that the Standard was intent on targeting anybody who spoke out in my defence.  Others seeing an opportunity to make good their own political fortunes or settle old scores began to feed the racist media firestorm with more smears, lies and innuendo.

In the end all but the most principled and strongest stood by me.  Tribute needs to be made to those like Lester Holloway and others too many to mention here who were resolute and unflinching in their support. Many paid a price for doing so, some losing work, some being targeted and marginalised and others were simply exhausted with continually publically defending me from a barrage of allegations.

Most damaged were those innocents who were caught up in the initial media campaign by association with me. The press attacked them leaving families psychologically damaged, politically marginalised and financially ruined as a result. To see peoples lives destroyed in such a callous and malicious media driven racist attack was excruciatingly painful for me. It is that pain of family, friends and colleagues that will remain with me all my life. More than 17 people were arrested and had their lives ruined.

I lay claim to being the most forensically investigated black man in Britain having endured 18 month investigations by Boris Johnson’s Forensic Audit Panel, Metropolitan Police Services, Financial Services Authority, DLA Piper Forensic Accountants, London Development Agency, the London Assembly, Companies House and the Charity Commission all of whom declared that  “there is no case to answer”.  Not that you saw that in the news to any large extent. Such things are routinely ignored or relegated to a small paragraph next to the horse racing results.

Despite a myriad of serious accusations being made not a single person was charged with any offence.

As a hardened activist even I was taken a back at the ferocity, length and forensic nature of the campaign. This continues to pain me most, to have witnessed the dire physical, emotional and financial effects on close friends and colleagues. To witness great black organisations who had done nothing other than defend me and challenge the racism of the press and to see them driven into the ground watching helplessly as their funding evaporated like the morning dew.

Under attack we don’t fight back.

The consequent effect of this campaign was to frighten and intimidate black and anti racist organisations from speaking out against injustice. Ultimately it was an exercise in control, intimation and discipline.

In addition during the last 4 years we have seen massive cuts to the black voluntary sector that has substantively reduced our capacity to organise effectively.  Organisations have closed, services lost, staff and client teams dismantled and management committees disbanded.

Why the ant racist movement has run out of steam.

In addition, we have seen a sustained and on going political attack led by the PM David Cameron and his Cabinet on the principles of multiculturalism and anti racism. Race equality as a policy priority has been relegated and marginalised. A new crop of Tory Black right-wingers have conspired with the press to pathologise black communities, identifying black people as the authors of our own misfortune and dismissing the reality of racism as a fiction.  Our networks were wiped out and those that do remain are much reduced in their capacity to do anything meaningful and sustained.

Meanwhile post 9/11the left in general has focused on Islamaphobia at the cost of campaigning on wholesale institutional racism of the state. The immergence of the racist English Defence League targeting Muslim communities reinforced that trend. As a result the issues of stop and search, school exclusions, deaths in custody, racism in the workplace and in recruitment have been ignored.

In 2008 during and after the elections I was asked to resign as the chair of Operation Black Vote and Equanomics both mentioned in Lester’s article. The 1990 Trust board refused to consider my return as a Trustee. All argued that politically I was a ‘toxic’ brand. Having been asked to stand down by people I respected I had no choice but to comply. In essence they were right although I disagreed with them at the time I came to value their counsel, allowing me more time with my family and to recuperate from the battering I had taken.

Since then attempting to rebuild new movements such as Operation Hope & Recovery and Black Activists Rising against the Cuts (BARAC) has been hugely difficult. Personally challenged financially as a consequence of legal costs associated with clearing my name, and carrying the burden of being politically marginalised, makes this task comparable to climbing Everest without any shoes. 

Despite this I have sought to continue to support families suffering injustice and represent black people struggling to confront racism and injustice. Without the basic requirement of an office and resources this becomes a task of herculean proportions.

We need fresh leadership.

Where I do agree with Lester is the need to help facilitate the next crop of young black radical leaders. We must do more in helping that young talent onto the national stage and provide the necessary support, advice and guidance that will allow them to benefit from the experience of seasoned activists.

Comparisons with the USA and leaders such as Reverend Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are unfair. African Americans are more homogeneous and have the benefit of Affirmative Action legislation that created a black middle class that has more political leverage than we do here in the UK. That is in addition to their huge numbers, their iconic civil rights struggle and their political and economic power developed over 300 years of campaigning.

Black communities in Europe and the UK have been around in significant numbers for a significantly shorter period. Most are relative newcomers who are much more culturally and religiously diverse than the African American community. This means the shared political, historical religious, cultural narrative and understanding of the lived experience of racism in the UK differs for many Diaspora black communities. This lack of a national single shared political narrative is disabling and makes building consensus among UK’s black communities much more difficult as a result.

Our most fundamental weakness, our real Achilles heel if you will, is the absence of a strong black economy capable of funding and sponsoring our own struggle. I cannot emphasis this enough, without our own financial base our fight for equality and justice is comparable to carrying water in a basket.

The future: Where do we go from here?

My thoughts are that there is an urgent need for a unifying national anti racist conference that can inject some greater level of organisational cohesiveness to a movement shattered and broken as a result of a sustained attack by the ascendant right and their allies in the press.

I have argued for the adoption of an admittedly defensive ‘circle the wagons’ strategy for at least two years. In 2009 I wrote to all national black organisations and suggesting a joint meeting to discuss how the cuts would impact our communities. Suffice to say that such was my fall from grace in some people’s eyes that I did not receive a single reply. Despite that I remain convinced that UK black organisations need to be unified and working together on a shared political agenda for radical change.

These organisations made the political calculation that they would be better off financially working with Government rather than building mass movements to radically challenge state racism. I can understand that they had employees with families and mortgages to pay. The real tragedy was, as a result of them keeping silent nobody heard them scream when the cuts eventually came.  Ironically today most of these black organisations have closed, are on the verge of closing and politically muzzled on a short lead.  Throughout the last decade the black struggle for race equality and anti racism became depoliticised: reduced to nothing more than a safe series of ‘diversity management frameworks’ devised by consultants.

With racism in the UK getting worse as the economy declines, the need for a fresh impetus and new tactics is abundantly clear. BARAC has joined hands with the Occupy Movement and UK Uncut in recognition of the need to develop new alliances in the struggle for equality.

We have established these strong alliances in an effort to recognise the need to reach out to young people. 

My real fear is that we will be the first UK black generation that bequeaths to its young people a society that is more, not less racist, than that gifted to us by the Windrush generation.

They self sacrificed to ensure we, their children, had real opportunities that they did not. As we contemplate the future for our children we must consider what is the legacy we wish to leave them?  I say the only legacy worth leaving is a strong commitment to achieve equality in our lifetime, not in 50 or 100 or 300 years but now. As British citizens our children deserve no less and if we fail then so we shall be rightly cursed as the generation who abandoned their prime historical and moral imperative to push their children on. 

Moving on to the future and how we no respond to the challenge we face as outlined in part in Lester’s article I do think it important to outline a possible way forward in the struggle for race equality.

BARAC has agreed a major discussion framework for a major push next year to address some of these issues and take this debate forward.

Equality in our Life Time: A National March on for Jobs and Justice

2013: The 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther Kings famous “I have a dream” speech.

On August 28^th 1963 Dr Martin Luther King led the historic civil rights Jobs and Freedom March on Washington. The march attracted over 300,000 people in a unique and historic effort to end racial segregation, racial prejudice and Jim Crow legislation in the United States.

Dr Kings now legendary “I have a dream” speech was the most articulate and urgent clarion call for justice envisioning the future arrival of a just and non-racial America. The March on Washington with Dr King has become the most defining and resounding image of the US civil rights struggle and the reference point for international campaigns for the adoption and promotion of global human rights.

50 years later and here in the UK racism and prejudice continues to plague human relations and violates human rights across the world. The dream of a world where the antiquated and ideas of racism and irrational prejudice were consigned to the dustbin of history have yet to be realised in the 21^st Century.  That’s why we have to march again to revitalise a new anti racist movement and ensure we push our issues back onto the political and media agenda.

Racism and injustice continues to blight the lives of millions of British citizens and as a result of the current economic is both exacerbating and increasing rates of racism. We are in real danger that yet more generations of our people will be subject to a lifetime of discrimination.

The challenges for this generation are to embark on a sustained national political campaign to end structural social and economic racism and deliver the dream of real race equality in our lifetime.

We are calling for a recreation of that famous iconic march on Washington with a march in 2013 in London. 50 years after Kings enigmatic speech we are free but not yet equal. Racism in 2012 is on the rise and the very future of our children and grandchildren is at stake. Our community cannot afford to see its black voluntary sector demolished, we cannot afford to see more of our young people unemployed, rotting in jails or becoming depressed with mental illness nor can we be denied justice at the hands of the police and the courts.

Lester’s article has ignited a debate of which this response is but one part. BARAC is suggesting this discussion continues within the context of the 50^th Anniversary of the historic 1963 march on Washington. We want to move the debate onto where we go from here in the run up to a general election due to take place on the 7^th May 2015.

BARAC is inviting black organisations nationwide to sign up to a broad discussion that explores the potential of reaching consensus agreement to:

• Attend the National Coordinating Committee for the March and help us develop the main anti racist demands and produce a mobilisation strategy for the march. 

• To join with us in helping to formulate a national set of demands for jobs and justice.

• To explore the possibility of holding major black organisations AGM’s and or national conferences during one week in 2013. We are suggesting a National Black Convention to be held during one week at a residential venue in early September 2012.

This initiative will be presented and discussed at the forthcoming BARAC public meeting on 27th July. Speakers include Marcia Rigg, Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign, John McDonnell MP (invited), Zita Holbourne & Lee Jasper, Joint National Chairs of BARAC and more speakers to be confirmed.  We hope you will join us.

Venue: Stratford Advice Arcade, 107-109 The Grove, Stratford, London, E15 1HP, 5 minutes walk from Stratford Rail, Tube and Bus stations.

Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/253975948046675/

Lee Jasper

Email: lee-jasper@live.com

DOLE QUEUE PROTEST 14 March: No To Workfare – REAL JOBS NOW!!

Please support this action and share the link. 
Supported by Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC)  
Lee Jasper, Zita Holbourne

 http://righttowork.org.uk

The Tory government is continuing with it’s brutal cuts agenda even as the jobs crisis continues to grow. February’s unemployment figures revealed another 48,000 tossed on the unemployment scrapheap. 20,000 of them aged 16-24The government’s ‘solution’ to this problem is to view the 1.04million young unemployed people as cannon fodder for their friends the bosses. By threatening to remove their only source of income they have already forced tens of thousands into unpaid ‘Mandatory Work Placements’ and ’apprenticeship’ schemes with no real full-time job at the end.

This is a disgrace when the government could and should be spending the billions it has poured into the bottomless pockets of the bankers and workfare profiteers like A4e to provide the unemployed with real training, real jobs and a real future.

Protest has forced big companies like Burger King and Tesco to drop out altogether or offer to pay the minimum wage to those it takes on via the schemes – we hope it can also make the government bring a complete halt to the schemes and start investing in people’s futures.

NO TO WELFARE CUTS – NO TO WORKFARE – NO TO ANOTHER LOST GENERATION

JOIN THE DEMONSTRATION: Help us form a mass dole queue outside the DWP in Westminster on 14 March when the next unemployment figures are released.Assemble 9am outside DWP, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London SW1H

FaceBook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/330420440334340

Click here to download leaflet:
http://righttowork.org.uk/2012/03/dole-queue-protest-leaflet/dole-queue-protest-a5-bw/

DAVID LAMMY'S SMACKS OF HYPOCRISY, A POEM BY ZITA HOLBOURNE, POET~ACTIVIST~ARTIST

A poem by Zita Holbourne, copyright January 2012



David Lammy’s smacks of hypocrisy smack of hypocrisy
He seems to have forgotten his roots and history
If he thinks beating the young into submission
Is the way to instil order and discipline

David Lammy seems to believe the saying ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’
And that if you don’t beat little children, later on they’ll turn violently wild
Boris Johnson has now giving his backing
To Lammy’s call for working class parents smacking

According to Lammy middle class children can play tennis to learn discipline
But if you’re a poor child with working class parents you need a regular beating
The riots would not have happened if only parents had given smacks
The world would be free from disorder, violence and attacks

The cuts to youth centres and slashing of EMA
Tripling of tuition fees and frozen pay
1.2 million Youth unemployed and deprivation
Police attacks, deaths in custody and discrimination

Would all have been acceptable
If mummy and daddy had felt comfortable
Distributing smacks as discipline
The riots would never have been

Perhaps if smacks had been given to all the little aspiring money makers
They wouldn’t have grown up to be greedy irresponsible bankers
And if smacks had been given to those with political ambitions
They wouldn’t have grown into expenses cheating politicians

And if smacks had been given to all the little Davids, Gideons and Borises
They wouldn’t have got involved in gang culture acting so amiss
Joining the Bullingdon Club
And acting like violent thugs


Perhaps if Lammy and his cronies had been smacked in their youth
They’d have learned to act with integrity, conscience and truth
They’d stand up for workers, justice and equalities
And not be so fast to destroy communities

Making and endorsing cuts
And instead they’d have some guts
To stand up against the real criminals
Instead of attacking the most vulnerable

David Lammy smacks of hypocrisy
With his smacks of hypocrisy

STEPHEN LAWRENCE 19 YEARS ON RACE AND RACISM TODAY- BARAC PUBLIC MEETING

BARAC will be holding a public meeting to discuss race and racism in the UK following on from the sentencing of 2 of the killers of Stephen Lawrence 19 years after Stephen was murdered.

The meeting will take place on Thursday 9th February, starting at 6.30pm.

 University of London Union Malet Street, WC1E 7HY, nearest stations Euston, Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street and Russell Square.

FaceBook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/243400699069381/
BARAC FaceBook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/108132359239521/

On Tuesday 3rd of January we saw 2 of the killers guilty of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence sentenced to imprisonment for their crime.

Doreen and Neville Lawrence fought an 18 year battle in their quest for justice for their son and whilst this was a positive outcome, it has come 18 years too late and the battle is still not over as at least 3 of those who were part of the gang that murdered Stephen are free.

We commend Doreen and Neville Lawrence for the inspiration, strength, hope and determination they have brought to so many others facing racist attacks and race discrimination – whilst enduring their own prolonged battle.

10 years after the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and MacPherson Report, Dr Richard Stone who was a panel member of the Inquiry produced a review report which exposed the failure of government to implement the vast majority of the original recommendations.
Chair: Lee Jasper, Co-founder BARAC

Panel: Dr Richard Stone, Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Panel Member
Zita Holbourne, Co-founder BARAC, PCS NEC
Michael Abatan, Justice 4 Jay Campaign
Samaira Anjum, NUS Black Students Campaign

Discrimination is impacting on all aspects of our lives, cuts to jobs and services, attacks on terms and conditions, in access to education, the criminal justice system, policing to name but a few.

Come along and hear the views of our panel speakers and debate the way forward in addressing these issues including the MacPherson report recommendations that are yet to be addressed.
 

UPDATED: JUSTICE FOR JAY ABATAN, 29th January PRESS RELEASE

VIGIL, JUSTICE FOR JAY ABATAN, 29th January  PRESS RELEASE

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK supports the Justice 4 Jay Campaign. The Justice 4 Jay Abatan campaign will hold a vigil this Sunday 29th January in memory of  Jay Abatan from 8am to 1pm outside Brighton Police Station. *Update - Sussex police have issued a press release, scroll down for details.
Jay Abatan, a 42 year old black man was murdered in a racist attack by a gang in Brighton in January 1999, at the end of a night out to celebrate his recent promotion.

Jay was accompanied by a friend and his brother Michael, who were also attacked.

Five days later, Jay died in hospital, having sustained severe head injuries.

Thirteen years on, no one has yet been tried for Jay's murder. Jay's family continue to campaign for those who killed him to be brought to justice.

Jay's brother, Michael Abatan has issued the following statement:

"People will ask why I am still here asking for justice for my brother after 13 years. It is not just for myself and his family but the people of Sussex deserve a police force who are competent and transparent. There are facts that still remain unanswered into the police re-investigating into my brothers death : 1. Why was my brother's original homicide investigation the only one in Sussex that year that was underfunded and so destined to fail. Was it his race or some other reason.

2. I now know Sussex police continue to have links with the men who murdered my brother - drinking with them that night Jay was attacked, giving character references for them, even trying to interfer with the second investigation, and as recently as 2010 I had to warch a senior police officer called to attend to give evidence at the inquest sit with one of the suspects chatting friendly.

The Inquest that took place in October 2010 showed me there is still new evidence out there not gathered by the police. The inquest was somthing police officers didn't want to happen and now despite clear findings by the coroner the police still refuse to look at the evidence and investigate those people it implicates regardless of whether they know them.

Stephen Lawrence family have been through an uphill struggle and it has given me faith that even after 18 years justice is possible, but the police must pursue all avenue of enquiry without fear or favour."More information about the campaign can be accessed here:

Michael Abatan abatanm@hotmail.com

http://www.irr.org.uk/2010/november/ha000012.html

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/campaigns_we_support/justice_for_jay_abatan.cfm

The address for the vigil is:

Brighton Police Station
John Street
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 0LA
Zita Holbourne & Lee Jasper

Co-founders/ National Co-Chairs

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC UK)

Email: barac.info@gmail.com

Web: http://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/BARACUK

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts#!/groups/108132359239521/

UPDATE:

 

JUSTICE 4 JAY ABATAN - PRESS RELEASE FROM SUSSEX POLICE
press release from Sussex police :
Lines of enquiry are still be actively pursued into Jay Abatan's death.

Mr Abatan, 42, died five days after being punched to the floor in an attack outside the Oceans Rooms nightclub, Brighton, in January 1999.
 Officers have been in regular contact with Jay's family and recently held a meeting with them and the CPS to discuss developments in the investigation. This follows the inquest where evidence was heard that had not previously been revealed to police.


Following the inquest, which recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, a man was interviewed regarding the evidence he gave. He is currently on bail.

Chief Superintendent Steve Fowler said:"We understand the frustration of the family that no one has been brought to justice for this crime and we are determined to continue in our pursuit.

"We have taken detailed legal advice from the CPS following the inquest into Jay's death and have interviewed a man regarding his evidence at the inquest. We liaise closely with the family and are updating them on the progress we are making.

Should new information come to light we will investigate."

Sussex Police has apologised both publicly and privately to Jay's family for shortcomings during the initial investigation into Jay's death in 1999. The force now operates totally different procedures for major crime.

Re inquiry by another force:
Jay's family has raised this issue before. There is no mechanism for another force, such as the Met, to have primacy on this live investigation.
We have welcomed ongoing scrutiny around this case and the second investigation was subject to full review by other forces. The ongoing investigation remains a priority and lines of enquiry are being followed. We will be happy for it to be independently reviewed in line with our regular practices for major crime investigations.
We have apologised publicly and often for the failings in 1999, but reinforce that current investigative practice are vastly different.
Sussex Police – Serving Sussex

BARAC MANCHESTER 1 DAY CONFERENCE - Saturday, February 18

 

STAND FOR SOMETHING -  CUTS AND THE COMMUNITY

• • Where:  Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse
  • When: Saturday, February 18, 2012
  • Time: 10:30am until 4:30pm

     

HOW ARE THE CUTS IMPACTING ON THE BLACK COMMUNITIES? The privatisation of Sure Start, the destruction of the Youth Service, scrapping of the EMA, hike in tuition fees, welfare reforms, NHS reforms. And more cuts are coming. Community & Voluntary sector –v- The BS (Big Society) We know the cuts will disproportionately impact on the Black communities; black youth unemployment now over 50%, disproportionate job losses. And with concern about Policing culture and the neglect of consultation with Black associations it has been asked ‘Where is the justice?’ Malcolm X said: ‘Nobody can give you equality and justice you have to take it’ This is an opportunity to be informed about how the cuts, welfare and NHS reforms are being imposed by the coalition government and how local government has responded to their imposed austerity budgets. But as importantly hear the Alternative argument to the cuts and how we as a community can make a stand against them, for as Malcolm X said, ‘If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything!’ Speakers: Lee Jasper; Co-Chair BARAC; Zita Holbourne; Co-Chair BARAC; National Exec PCS Union Kingsley Abrams National Exec UNITE; Independent Labour Councillor (TBC) Merlin Emanuel; Justice for Smiley Culture Gabrielle Samuels; Manchester Active Voices Ratna Lachman; justyorkshire Saturday 18th February registration at 10.30am – 4.30pm close Venue:  Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse 140 Raby Street, Moss Side, M14 4SL Manchester, United Kingdom

 

STEPHEN LAWRENCE, RACISM IN THE UK, 19 YEARS ON: BY ZITA HOLBOURNE

On Tuesday 3^rd of January we saw 2 of the killers guilty of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence sentenced to imprisonment for their crime. 

Stephen Lawrence in the words of his mother was a ‘bright, beautiful young man’ in his teens with his whole life ahead of him before he was killed by a racist gang in Eltham, South London in 1993.  

Doreen and Neville Lawrence fought an 18 year battle in their quest for justice for their son and whilst this was a positive outcome, it has come 18 years too late and the battle is still not over as at least 3 of those who were part of the gang that murdered Stephen are free.

The poem I wrote on the night of 3^rd January, entitled ‘Strange Kind of Justice’, sums up how I feel about it.

http://soundcloud.com/zita-holbourne/strange-kind-of-justice-in

 

Zita Holbourne performing at the MLK Day celebration, Occupy LSX London

In 1998 a public inquiry known as the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry took place as a result of the Lawrence family campaign. This was headed by Sir William MacPherson who concluded that the Metropolitan Police Service was institutionally racist. MacPherson’s report and recommendations led to the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 which placed a duty on public sector bodies to promote race equality through the Public Sector Race Equality Duty. This was followed in 2006 with a duty on Disability and in 2007 on Gender.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/feb/24/lawrence.ukcrime12

Through the public sector equality duties public sector bodies were required to publish race, disability and gender equality schemes and carry out equality impact assessments on any new or changed policies to assess any disproportionate impact of their proposals on race, disability or gender. Trade unions have drawn on the public sector equality duties to challenge the disproportionate impact of job cuts, relocation and discriminatory pay amongst other discriminatory policies. Whilst employers have not been proactive in ensuring they adhere to the duties their very existence has given us a route in which to challenge institutional racism and discriminatory practices and policies collectively.

I commend Doreen and Neville  Lawrence for the inspiration, strength, hope and determination they have brought to so many others facing racist attacks and race discrimination – whilst enduring their own prolonged battle, forced to set aside grieving the loss of their son in their quest for justice because they had no choice but to keep on fighting for that justice.

I am proud to have played a small part in supporting the Lawrence’s campaign over many years alongside many other trade union and community anti racist activists.  The TUC established the Stephen Lawrence Task Force which was a high profile campaign with the aim of eliminating institutional racism in the workplace.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/sltg/action_plan.htm

But I am saddened that it was necessary for the Lawrence family and so many more families to have to dedicate their lives to seeking justice for their loved ones and angry that legislation that came into force in order to prevent the type of institutional racism that was demonstrated by the Metropolitan Police Force following Stephen’s death is still in existence today within not only the police forces but other public sector organisations and institutions.

10 years after the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and MacPherson Report, Dr Richard Stone who was a panel member of the Inquiry produced a review report which exposed the failure of government to implement the vast majority of the original recommendations and other reports evidencing the same were produced by other independent bodies. That the recommendations have not been followed through is a disgrace in itself but once the evidence was produced demonstrating quite clearly that this was the case the government should have put in place an emergency action plan to address the situation. The issues that  the recommendations sought to address have not gone away, if anything many of them have got worse and this is why Dr Stone made some new recommendations in his report.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/04/where-are-black-police-officers

In October 2010 a new Equality Act came into force and in April 2011 the public sector equality duty replaced the race, disability and gender duties. Whilst the duty covers other protected characteristics which is welcomed we have seen a significant weakening of the previous duties. There is no longer a requirement for Equality Schemes to be published or for Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) to be carried out. Effectively the new law makes it easier for employers to disregard their duty to promote good race relations and take steps to prevent race discrimination occurring in employment or the services they provide. It seems to be that the onus is on lessening the burden on business and increasing the burden and distress racism brings for those on the receiving end. 

The promised code of practice of the Public Sector Equality Duty which is even more important because of the watering down of the Duty has yet to be introduced and I am concerned that any delay in introducing this will lead to more public sector organisations failing to take race equality seriously. 

Whilst we must fight to defend the equality protection in law that exists and use it to challenge discrimination, not least in respect of the disproportionate impact of cuts on gender, race and disability grounds we must also strive for improvements because we are seeing an increase not a decrease in discrimination in all aspects of our lives including;

·         at work in respect of  job cuts, pay, pensions, promotion and progression, 1.2 people are unemployed with 1 in 2 young black people out of work

·          in education where the scrapping of EMA means that those from deprived backgrounds cannot afford further education let alone afford the tripled tuition fees of £9000 per annum from the start of the forthcoming academic year, making degree level education a privilege for the wealthy when it should be available equally to all

But the racism we face goes beyond education and the workplace, in the criminal justice system, policing, stop and search, DNA database, service provision with many essential services disappearing due to funding cuts in particular in the voluntary sector, attacks on migrant workers, the Far Right blaming black communities for cuts being made by the Con-Dem coalition, racist hate crime, in sports – not least in football, on our TV screens and disgracefully we saw efforts to detract from the verdict in Stephen Lawrence’s murder trial in the days following. In effect there is no aspect of our lives where racism doesn’t raise its ugly head.

If ever there was a need for robust race equality law, backed up and enforced by the government through the powers held by the Equality and Human Rights Commission which is also facing huge cuts reducing its capacity to deliver on race equality it is now. Access the campaign leaflet  ‘What Price Equality’ and the Save the EHRC petition here.

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/equality-and-human-rights-commission/index.cfm

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was set up in Stephen’s memory supports young people from deprived backgrounds through bursaries to pursue careers in architecture – which was Stephen’s chosen career and wishes to broaden this approach to include law, finance and media studies.

You can find out more about the Trust and make donations via the Trust’s website: http://stephenlawrence.org.uk/ and call upon you all to initiate any fundraising initiatives you can to further the work of the Trust and to continue Stephen’s legacy. 

Doreen Lawrence launched a £2 text campaign this month. You can donate £2 by texting: DLAW02 £2 to 70070.

Progress to me is not measured by what we’ve achieved but what we’ve retained maintained and improved upon and the legacy we are able to create for those who will go after us. A temporary fix does not bring change it simply delays the problem and the time when we have to face it head on. 

There’s never been a more important time for workers, service users, communities and families to come together to challenge the discrimination we face in all aspects of our lives. When we divide we fall when we stay together we have strength and unity, two essential ingredients in the struggle for justice, equality and freedom.

Zita Holbourne is co-founder and co-chair of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts, a member of the PCS Union National Executive Committee and of the TUC Race Relations Committee and a performance poet and artist.

PCS NEC statement on Stephen Lawrence

http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment_archive.cfm/id/EC9D083F-806E-4702-95532257ABBE528C

Information about BARAC including how to join our campaign.

http://blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com/

Information about Zita’s work as a poet and artist.

www.myspace.com/zitaholbourne

Zita Holbourne pictured right, with Lee Jasper

RACE AND RACISM: LET'S TALK - BARAC Meeting Manchester 23rd January

BARAC Manchester invite you to a meeting:

Race and Racism: Let's Talk.

Monday 23rd January
MCCR
Princess Road
6pm -8pm

On January 3rd, two of the gang who attacked Stephen Lawrence were convicted of his brutal racially motivated murder.

We acknowledge and commend the Lawrences’ for their unwavering resolve to seek justice for their son and we also take note of Doreen Lawrence’s statement that ‘racism and racist attacks still happens’: that racism within institutions and society still blights us.

The MacPherson Enquiry, launched 5 years after the death of Stephen, exposed the institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police. The enquiry also further exposed the racist culture and practices within other major institutions in the country. Though the enquiry report’s 70 recommendations have gone some way to eliminate racist practices and culture within these institutions, we are still experiencing substantial issues of racism; low pay, job cuts, unemployment, stop & search, DNA database, deaths in custody, harassment & bullying and discrimination.

BARAC Manchester invite you to talk about the current situation regarding race and racism -
This is an opportunity for Us to discuss

• What significant improvements have been made since the MacPherson Report and the implementation of the 70 recommendations?

• How have other institutions, Education, Health, Local & central government departments recognised and implemented recommendations to eliminate and reduce racist practices and culture.

• Have and how things have improved for those impacted by institutional racism?

• What is the current situation in terms of race relations; Is there a culture of racist scapegoating peddled by the government and the media? And has Political correctness ‘gone mad’ and created an undercurrent of resentment and hostility? Or not?

Contributions towards venue costs appreciated
For further information:

 Contact Colette Williams
07984 359894
colettecwilliams@yahoo.co.uk

This Sunday: Occupy London celebrates life of Dr Martin Luther King

I will be co-hosting this event, please share far and wide.  Zita Holbourne, poet & activist (http://soundcloud.com/zita-holbourne) will be performing  at the event with many other speakers. Hope to see you there! Lee Jasper.

(All info from: http://occupylsx.org/)

Occupy the Dream

This Sunday 15 January, on the birthday of Dr Martin Luther King, Occupy London will celebrate his life and legacy from 12.30pm – 4.30pm at its Occupy London Stock Exchange occupation, just by St Paul’s Cathedral. The event will also be streamed live via the OccupyLSX Livestream. [1]

Dr King’s birthday comes at a time when the world is facing a grave economic crisis, which has the potential to lead to increases in racism and all forms of hate crimes. At the same time, racist scapegoating as a means of diverting public attention away from the real culprits responsible for the current economic crisis, is a real danger facing all communities as Jesse Jackson commented when he visited Occupy London recently. [2]

Focusing on how we can ensure that we are inclusive of all communities affected by the irresponsibility of bankers and politicians as we work towards creating a social, economic and politically just world, it promises to be a packed day of music, films and performances with Gospel Choir Christian Life City, Paul Robeson’s music recited by Mike Faulkner and poetry from Zita Holbourne and more.

Speakers will include a member of Mark Duggan family, Marica Rigg (Justice for Sean Rigg Campaign / Death in Custody Campaign), Marica Rigg (Sean Rigg Justice and Change Campaign), Bishop Michael Colcough, Bishop Wayne Malcolm, Lee Jaspar (Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts / Operation Hope and Recovery), Maelo Manning (libdemchild blogger and activist), members of Occupy London including Tanya Paton, Arun Mistry and Muna Hassan, James Meadway (New Economics Foundation), Weyman Bennett (Unite Against Fascism), Viv Ahmun (Operation Hope and Recovery), Stafford Scott (Broadwater Defence Campaign), Kofi Klu (Executive Commissioner of Panafriindaba, an African think tank), Aaron Kiely (National Union of Students Black Students Campaign), Bell Ribeiro-Addy (National Black Students Alliance) and a representative from All Africa Women’s Group.

Occupy London will also host a General Assembly – using consensus decision making and active listening so that everyone’s viewpoint is equal – looking at the issues that we as a community need to address and are facing. Anti racism has been a core value of Occupy London and the occupy movement since their beginnings, and it is hoped that this event will help further explore the issues of racial and economic injustice and the Occupy movement, leading to concrete next steps. [3]

At the same time, Dr King’s struggle for racial equality also encompassed the struggle against poverty and for economic justice for all communities. Many branded Dr King an extremist as the City of London Police have mistakenly done to Occupy London seven times recently. [4] [5]

Today, it is worth considering the relevance of the words that Dr King wrote in his Letter from Birmingham Jail in April 1964: “So the question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be. Will we be extremists for hate or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice – or will we be extremists for the cause of justice? … The world is in dire need of creative extremists.” [6]

*** We are very pleased to have further additions to the programme including Merlin Emmanuel (Justice for Smiley Culture Campaign), Munera  performing poetry (one half of Poetic Pilgrimage), comedian Ava Vidal, Mario Joseph (Haitian human rights lawyer), Black Women’s Rape Action project as well as occupier Ed Greens ***


Notes
[1] OccupyLSX Livestream – http://www.livestream.com/occupylsx
[2] Jesse Jackson at Occupy London – http://occupylsx.org/?p=2748 / Video – http://occupylsx.org/?p=2609
[3] Initial statement – http://occupylsx.org/?page_id=575
[4] How Police branded OccupyLSX and UKUNCUT as “Terrorists”
http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/police-branded-occupylsx-ukuncut-terrorists/
[5] Police in City see occupiers as ‘terror’ risk http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-in-city-see-occupiers-as-terror-risk-6272434.html
[6] Letter from Birmingham Jail – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_from_Birmingham_Jail