Violence in the Middle East and the UK: our statement and response

An update on our work to advocate alongside and with asylum seekers and refugees, during and beyond the UK race-riots and heightened violence in the Middle East.

Over the past three months and in the face of race-riots in England targeting asylum seekers, refugees, Muslims, and people of colour, Conversation Over Borders has increased its focus on our campaigns and advocacy work, with the launch of our Safe Homes Not Hotels campaign and Messages of Welcome.

Daily, we witness the firsthand reality of forcibly displaced people across the country navigating the UK’s dehumanising and chaotic asylum system. At the same time, we hear the toxic discourse amongst some parts of the media and politicians, which scapegoats displaced people, protected by international laws and conventions, for the failure of public services.

The UK race-riots, the live streamed killing of more than 40,000 Palestinains in Gaza and the West Bank, and now the killing of civilians in Lebanon through Israeli airstrikes leaves us and the communities we work with devastated.

We must turn our collective grief and exhaustion into solidarity and action. 

“Collectively we are witnessing the mass displacement and killing of people and the creation of more refugees across the Middle East, Sudan, Congo, and many parts of the world. Extreme and lethal militarised violence by the Israeli army, funded by the UK government through arms sales to Israel, is being live streamed to the world and is profoundly impacting our communities. We are proud of the solidarity and resilience of our communities and recognise the need for additional support for people directly and indirectly affected by this heightened violence.”

Colette Batten- Turner, CEO and Founder, Conversation Over Borders

Here’s an update of our work over the past few months.

• Creating therapeutic reflective spaces for our clients, volunteers and all our colleagues, impacted by the racist, Islamophobic and anti-refugee riots in England and the Middle East. 

• Offering enhanced 1:1 mental health and wellbeing support to people we work with.

• Our Messages of Welcome campaign has gathered more than 3,000 messages, written by members of the public, which we are delivering to asylum seekers living initial accommodation hotels.

• More than 10,500 people across the UK have signed our open letter to the Home Secretary, launching our Safe Homes, Not Hotels campaign, which calls for the government to 

• More than 54 organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers across the UK have co-signed to our Safe Homes, Not Hotels campaign.
  

• Both campaigns have attracted national media coverage, forming part of our mission to spread a rehumanising narrative about people seeking asylum in the UK and build communities of solidarity across the country.

We thank all our supporters and everyone who is standing up and raising their voices.

We champion collective humanity, and the power of community and solidarity.