Fighting racist laws

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OVER 200 women came to the 'Women, Immigration ana Nationality' Conference in County Hall last October. We shared our experience of fighting sexist and racist immigration and nationality laws - and there was a huge enthusiasm generated to go on doing so, as previously isolated women realised their common strength.

On Sunday, January 30, just over 30 women came to the recall meeting to tackle the problem of how to go on. We came to no conclusion - other than to have another meeting — but this is an outline of the discussion to show the problems we face in setting up a worthwhile common Do we want to set up a place where women affected by immigration and nationality law could seek advice from other women? This war generally rejected. We felt that women generally seek advice from where they live. A national centre would not be much use.

But we did see a need for a body which could provide local centres with up-to-date information and which could assemble information on the law, lawyers, and on individBut we also need a campaigning body. There's a national campaign waiting to be run to highlight the sexism of the immigration and nationality laws, as well as their racism, and to fight them. Such a body could provide Iterature - say, a pamphlet on the question — it could provide the bridge between women campaigning in various areas, and it could link up that work with other It could bring the issues of immigration and nationality into women's groups, Labour Party Women's sections, But how do we organise a national campaign? meetings so far have been completely open, and it's up to the women there to decide what to do.

We can't go on just having national meetings, but if we have a smaller body to run things - say, a Steering Cominittee — how do we organise that?

There was a general feeling that we don't want to continue in the form of a GLC working party (one idea which was put forward). It doesn't give the impression of being an autonomous campaign, and would imply we were a Lundon-based organisation, working for women in London The real problem facing us is how to involve the women who are most affected by immigration and nationality laws. For example, there was one suggestion that if we had some sort of steering committee' that we should make sure all ethnic minorities were represented.

But our black sisters were quick to point out that we didn't want another campaing dominated by white British middle class women, campaigning on behalf of women affected by immigration and nationality laws.

The space exists for a campaign run by the women most affected by the laws themselves, leading the campaign, and directing it. This could provide a forum for all women to act together and campaign against the laws and So, another meeting, more discussion. We need to resolve our differences before we act, but I hope it will be soon. We don't want to go ahead, find we've got it wrong, and be a nine-day-wonder campaign. But there is a will to fight there, and if we don't harness it now, it would be Sunday, March 13, County Hall, London. 1.30-4.30 pm Creche on premises.- All Women Welcome AFIA BEGUM has had an interview with Immigration Officials, and is now awaiting their decision. Just to make sure they remember the support her case has, there has been a picket of the Home Office organised. AFIA WILL STAY! — PICKET THE HOME OFFICE listening had had enough. It was obvious that the resolution to close the hospital would be carried. The frustration of three •hours. of debate had been too much.

The kindly knife in the back, the protestations that "we are sorry and sad but have no other choice" were impossible to swallow.

Some women stormed the meeting area, ripping out the microphone and upturnfight. ing tables and chairs.

The polite chairperson and authority members were suddenly flustered. was co --Closing hospitals had become such a commonplace thing to them that they couldn't quite understand why people were getting so upset. ual campaigns and spread it.

They ran out the back door to another meeting hall, called the police, and took the vote to close the hospital in secret. The vote was nine to six and the "consultation' procedure will now take palce. bodies into a national campaign.

The real campaign must now begin. Petitions and public meetings are a good and women's trade union caucuses. and necessary part of the The fight, but the workers in the been to work for more or less starvation wages, which in the end boosts the profits of big business. their effects.

How do you think it is possible to counter the effect of the press witchhunt against you?

The only way is to go out and meet people per- a great waste. sonally on the doorstep. Jenny And that is what 1 have done. In the last year I Next Meeting: have personally met something like 23,000 people on the doorstep in. 17,000 homes in the constituency.

This has been an enormous task, in all weathers, often for six or eight hours at a time. But the reason why I've done it is because I know it is the only way I February 7, 12-2, Queen Anne's Gate can possibly counteract the [opposite St. James' Parktube] lies of Flect Street.