THE GUTTER PRESS descended into the sewer last week. Taking advantage of the plight of hundreds of Headlines about 'Asians' at Britain's premier airport were a loud reminder of Thatcher's own racist jibe made in 1979 when she spoke of Britain being 'swamped by an alien culture.
Can anyone imagine such a description of white holiday makers stranded for whatever reason Barcelona or Nice?
The official title is 'visitors' people coming famies yey had beer had been tamiles. forced to opt for an earlier flight than planned by the government's DIctibilale announcement that its new would Visa come into affect The visitors found themselves exploited by airlines who charged them as much as three times the normal cost of the flight.
Then when they arrivea tney and inclas relatives waiting to meet floods' 'swamps' of them were herded around like animals. One man, Mr Acker Israel was quoted by Quentin Cowdry the Telegraph, October, on his two day wait for his son-in-law arriving I arrived here on Sunday afternoon with my invalid LWU sons thinking it would be just a few hours before the passengers would be allowed through' he said, idding I've been sieeping with the kids in the airpor car park at £14 a day' Before the latest restrictions all Commonwealth countries were exempt visa All, that is, with the exception of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was put on the controls list last year allegedly because of an increase of refugees there. "This was the start of down' LUC Cialu Bobby Chan the Camden Black Workers Group told us. There were no visa restrictions placed white visitors when there was an political refugees from lan nor should there have been.
Hew COUSCIOU were announced on They apply to Bangla Desh, India Pakistan, Nigeria Ghana. They were roundly denounced as racist.
The Indian delegation the non-aligned conterence Harare, including prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, accused Britain of racism and said the measure would cause 'hardship and harassment' to black visitors.
'The delegation's state. ment pointed the hypocrisy that 'while restrictions are placed on that immigration appeals Indians citizens ot four other Asian South countes Africans are freely allowed to enter. It is difficult avoid the conclusion that this discriminating measBOLIVALCU by con siderations of colour' The TUC Congress in Brighton passed an emergency resolution condemning the new measure. And the Labour ship announced that wone revoke me educ coming into government Unfortunately, there WaDd deafening silence from the same quarters when the press machine was spewing scare-mongering about 'floods and 'swamps' last week. No statement was forthcoming, defending Labour Party policy of a pledge repeal the 1968 1972 immigration acts.
Insofar as statements were made they were simpcontest the figures produced by the Tories on the number of visitors. But plays into the racists' hands. Onopposing all immigration controls can the 'alien culture' argument be countered effectively.
Labour's home affairs spokesperson Kaufman, did rightly pro test at government plans to limit the right of MPs to SHite vent SCCUIC the temporary admission Britair of passengers refused entry at air and sea ports.
Kaufman described the proposal to abolish the right of MPs Hitake representations to ministers in immigration case.
'simply the latest in a bad faith bundling imcompetence by this Home Secretary' Black Section chair, Mare Wadsworth: It gives Black Section no pleasure to note that our prediction of the inhuman misery that these racist visa controls would cause has come true. The government must respond by immediately abandoning this divisive policy, uniting black families and compensating them for the severe hardship they've suffered at the hands of ruthless immigration officers.' Douglas Hurd A recent case brought to our attention by Hafiz Urrahman of the Islington Muslim Association shows how denial of this right is yet a further strengthening of the racist controls.
Awtad Hussein Chowdhury arrived at Heathrow His Spon SOT, Ismail Ali, was told over the airport loud speaker system not to wait at the airport but to await a phone call al home. Iw days later the call arrived sayllig that Chowdhury's entry had been refused.
MPS Peter Shore Chris Smith were enlisted assist.
Shore's secretary confirmed to the Muslim Association that Chowdhury could not be sent back to Bangla pending Shore's intervention Monday Finally ine Association discovered noon on Tuesday from immigration otticials that Chowdhur had in fact been put on a Britain the previous Friday!
• Plans are underway for a national conference in Birmingham on 30 November lo orgamise acton agaus. the racist controls. The conference is sponsorea D) the Indian Workers the Kashmiri and Bangladeshi Workers Associations and the Campaign Against Racist Laws.
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black visitors at Heathrow they launched the most disgusting racist campaign in Britain for a decade.