'United We Stand'Unite Against Fascism Wales Newsletter Winter 2016

email: secretary@uafwales.com web: uaf.org.uk tel: 07704 356894

supported by:

Islamic Societyfor Wales

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Refugees in Calais:Support and Solidarity page 2

➢➢➢page 4➢➢➢Welsh Assembly:

Could UKIP win?

ate last year fascist supporters of the self-proclaimed ‘War onISIS’ and ‘Valley Frontline’ boasted on Facebook of how theywere going to march through Cardiff and ‘sort ISIS out’. It wasclear from their racist postings that they regarded all Muslims asISIS supporters, and anyone who opposed them as ‘red scum’.

The day of the march was December 5th. By midday nearly 200of us turned out, as did quite a lot of police with horses and riotgear, a sign they took it seriously as well. By 2.00 p.m. we wereall still waiting and ended the protest - whether the fascists nevercame or turned up, saw our numbers and disappeared, we don’tknow. The positive outcome is that the backlash againstMuslims and refugees did not find a concrete politicalexpression which fascist’s could build on.

Newport & Anglesey

Soweended the year in awaysimilar to how it started. In Januaryanother fascist group, the ‘Welsh Alliance’, said they wouldmarch inNewport againstMuslims.AgainUniteAgainst FascismWalesorganisedacounter-demoandover 200marched throughNewport town centre.

There was no sign of the ‘Welsh Alliance’ although apparently adozen or so had been directed by the police to stay in a pub. Thefact that any of them still came when Welsh Alliance founder,Mervyn Jones fromDeeside, had just been jailed for 17 years forraping three 8 -10 year old girls, speaks for itself.

Also during the year local people on Anglesey overwhelmed agroup of Infidels from England who mistakenly thought north

Wales a good place to spread their hate message. In the Maygeneral election only one fascist stood inWales. That was AdamLloyd, the local National Front fuhrer, standing in Bridgend…where he got 66 votes.

We should not be fooled into thinking that 2015 was a quiet yearwith few problems for anti-fascists. We not only oppose fascistorganisations but also the wider racism that helps them build -and we saw plenty of that last year around the issues ofimmigration and Islamophobia.

Fascists down but UKIP up

In the general election in May we saw the anti-immigrant partyUKIPwinning over 200,000 votes inWales – just a few thousandbehind Labour. Over the summer we saw the wonderfulhumanitarian response of people toward the plight of Syrian andother refugees, with collections of food, clothes and money. Butthenalso themean-spirited responseofCameronand coand theorchestration of a racist, anti-Muslim backlash from the rightwingmedia.

Stand Up To Racism

This is why in October UAF Wales held a joint meeting toencourage two other organisations who are taking up theseissues: SUTU - Stand Up to Ukip; and SUTR: Stand Upto Racism. On the centre pages we havegiven them some space to discuss theissues they are dealing with.

Fascist 'no shows' in 2015

Coming up in 2016....February 6 - UAF national conference, London go to uaf.org.uk to registerFebruary 6 - UAF counter demo to Pegida UK in BirminghamMarch 19 - March and Rally against Racism in Cardiff organised by

SUTR and UAFWMarch 26 - UAF Wales counter-demo to National Front 'white pride' rally.

2 unite against fascism wales

Refugee's areWelcome Here:from the conflict in Darfur. While I was sat drinkingtea with them in their make-shift social tent in the‘Sudan’ area of the Calais refugee camp (known as‘The Jungle’), Sadiq told me their story.

It was typical of the stories we’ve all becomeaccustomed to, though hearing this first hand, sateye to eye discussing with some of the survivors, isa profound experience. After leaving Sudan, theymade their way through Libya to get on a “very smallboat”. He told us how there were “many peoplethere, maybe a hundred persons”, and he made a‘whooshing’ noise while gesturing an up-and-downmotion with his hand to give an idea of the violentcurrents they experienced while crossing theMediterranean.

I was also told how their part of the camp was nowhuge, with some people having been there for a yearor more. Sadiq said he’d stopped counting the daysnow.

Care 4 Calais

On this occasion we have linked up with the aidcharity ‘Care 4 Calais’, the only UK charity nowoperating there, who organise support for the evergrowing number of people stranded in The Jungle.Our first call was to the groups’ two warehouseswhere goods are collected, sorted and then loadedfor distribution.

It was an incredibly well organised operation witheveryone having a clear role and operating with realpurpose in their work. But this is despite that the factthat they are, in truth, massively under-resourced forthe tasks at hand. The 40 or so volunteers presentthat day was the most they had ever had since theyhave been open.

Freindly hellos

After an hour or so we left to head out to assist witha distribution of jumpers, having been briefed on howto carry out a distribution by Claire, one of thefounders of Care for Calais. On the way we had aleave the cars behind due to the crowding that nowexists, meaning there is little room to park, and makethe rest of the journey in the back of the van.

As soon as we arrived the doors were swiftly openedand the eight of us were greeted with a friendly“Hellos” from the hundred or so refugees alreadyqueuing. My role involved forming a human corridor

“Sadiq and Mubarak are refugees so that people didn’t crowd too much in a way thatwould have made the distribution harder or end up ina crush.

Freezing

At first I was just saying hello and observing thequeue for a few minutes until I looked up and noticedthe tents for the first time. I couldn’t grasp that thiswas where these people actually lived. Rickety,makeshift structures with no insulation in the freezingcold, all looking as if they would collapse in a stronggust of wind.

Yet at the same time most people were upbeat andthe atmosphere largely positive. People shared jokesand would cheer when someone struggling to pickout a jumper they wanted finally made a decision.

Liverpool FC

Everyone laughed when a young teenager tried tocheekily jump in the queue right in front of us andwas quickly asked to join at the back. Variousdegrees of English were spoken but most tried toengage us in polite small talk at least. I even had thebizarre experience of discussing Liverpool FC’s formand the fact I don’t follow cricket with a number of theresidents. We must have been there for a few hoursbut it seemed like no more than half an hour.

Certainly the most powerful and haunting momentcame towards the end when one of the long-termvolunteers who had built up relationships with someat the camp tapped me on shoulder and said “Youneed to come with me,” before leading me into thecamp and pointing to the tent where Sadiq was satand saying “Go in there, that guy will make some teafor you.”

Sitting and talking with Sadiq and warming myself onthe open fire, while Mubarak cleaned the cups andthe water boiled in the saucepan, is an experiencethat I will without doubt remember for the rest of mylife.

Smell the Smoke

Despite there being a number of holes which hadbeen cut into the three walls for ventilation, I can stillsmell on my jacket the smoke that inevitably stungmy eyes. He was determined to show his gratitude tous by making tea for the entire group of volunteers,though like me, most seemed to feel that theycouldn’t take tea which would keep him warm in thealready freezing afternoon. He repeated that he

"There are 6people here nin the mostconditions;mud, freezinnight, shorteverything. Wnoticed in thweeks that wcan’t give siztrousers awanor money.months agobut people aweight everyJohn, WarehouseCare 4 Calais

Stand Up To Racism ra

unite against fascism wales 3

: an eyewitness to practical solidarity

My trip was organisedby the Cardiff section ofStand Up to Racism(SUTR); a relatively neworganisation set up to takeon the broader racist narrative and actions soprevalent in British politics. It was founded bymany of the same activists who were alsoinvolved in UAF, but who recognised that withthe BNP and the EDL are now essentiallyhusks.

Most fascist organisations no longer posed areal threat in the immediate term, but that thebackdrop of mainstream Islamophobia andscapegoating of migrants was still creating adangerous setting in which the far right hadthe potential to grow, and so there needed tobe a body to take on wider questions.

It put the call out for the magnificentdemonstrations on UN anti-racism day in2014 and 2015 in London, Glasgow andCardiff, and organised an incredible refugeesolidarity demonstration of 100,000 in Londonback in September as well now threesolidarity delegations to ‘The Jungle’.

wanted us to come and see him again next time wevisited. I told him I’d see him in Britain first.

I could probably write a novel about the experience.The work is incredibly important but as Johnexplained, “Everything we do is refugee focussed, sowithout the volunteers we wouldn’t be able to do whatwe’re doing here.” Fortunately through SUTR we andother activists in Bristol managed to raise donationsof over £1,000 to help support the superb work doneby Care 4 Calais.

Stand Up To Racism

The overarching question remains however; what isgoing to happen to these people? This will not resolvethe situation. The aid work is of paramountimportance, but it will only ever serve to sustain thesepeople where they are. It will not move them anycloser to crossing the border into the safety andstability they are desperately seeking.

Challenge

The challenge now will be to build the political side ofthe movement here in the UK. We need to build both

6,000now, livinghorrificliving inng everyt ofWe justhe last twowe nowize 34”way for loveTwowe could,

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for future convoys but also to ramp up thepressure on our government to open theborder and let them in. That is the fight theSUTR is looking to build.

We will be joining Cardiff and Vale SanctuarySupport and building for their aid convoy inthe New Year but we have to bring the fightback with us. If you agree with that then keepyour ear to the ground to get involved withthe next convoy and future SUTR events.

ally in 'The Jungle' (main pic); making a donation delivers real support (insert)

“by Peter Edwards

http://standuptoukip.org

Can we keep UKIP out of theAssembly? That is the big questionfacingStandUp toUKIPandeverybodyelse who opposes UKIP’s racist, anti-immigrant, anti-union policies.Estimates that they could win 5 – 9seats have been made by variouspeople, and that isnot scaremongering.

Such estimates are based, not on polls,but actual election results. In the 2014Euro elections they did very well,doubling their previous vote to just over200,000 – less than 5000 behindLabour. Last year in the generalelection they not only maintained butslightly improved their vote narrowingthe gap with Labour.

In the general election the first-past-the-post system prevented them fromwinning any seats. In the constituencypart of the Assembly elections they arelikely to face the same problem. In thesix seats where they came second inthe general election they were still atleast 10,000 votes behind Labour.

Penalised

But not winning constituency seatsbecomes an advantage in the regionalsection where there is a weightingagainst parties that have wonconstituency seats. For example, in2011 Labour won 28 constituencyseats so that penalised them in theregional section where they only won 2

seats. In contrast the Conservativeswon 6 constituency and 8 regionalseats. The fact that their vote is spreadout will benefit UKIP. If their generalelection and Euro vote is maintainedthey are likely to win at least one seat ineach of the five regions.

The big question is can their vote bemaintained? Since the generalelection there have been two majorevents that could make a difference.We have seen a great wave ofsympathyandunderstanding forSyrianand other refugees. Across Walesthousands of people have organisedand contributed to collections.

Corbyn

Wehave also seen the vote for JeremyCorbyn and the huge audiences hegathered here inWales and elsewhere.What difference will these eventsmake? Many of the people involvedmay already have been opposed toUKIP - but did they vote?

How big the turnout is will be a crucialfactor. Themore peoplewho vote in theregional section – for any party exceptUKIP – the more the UKIP vote isdiluted. So urging people to vote will bea part of SUTU’s campaign. Anotherpart will be demonstrating that far frombeing a ‘people’s party’ UKIP is arightwing, anti-union, pro-bossesorganisation. In a cynical move the

UKIP leadership is allowing their localorganisations to select candidates forconstituency seats [where they areunlikely to win] but reserving tothemselves the selection in the regionallists – where seats might be won. Howmany of these candidates will be theirex-Tory mates?

BNP

Whilst UKIP is not itself a fascist party,its racist, anti-immigrant, Islamophobicdogmas spread the kind of hate anddivisions in society that fascism thriveson. It is not accidental that so many ex-BNP members have been attracted toUKIP, nor is it surprising to find that oneof their candidates for the GreaterLondon Authority, Anne MarieWaters,has joined the leadership of Pegida UKalongside TommyRobinson the formerEDL leader.

UKIP is not unique it is part the growthof far right parties that we have seenacross Europe - especially since theeconomic crisis of 2008 that ordinarypeople are still paying for. If we do notwant to see a drastic shift to the right inpolitics here in Wales, as well as in theUK we urge you to support SUTU andhelpbuild the local groupsandactivitiesthat will be necessary to keep ourAssembly free of UKIP and the politicsof hate.

UKIP: Could they win?

UAF Conference, supported by Stand Up To Racism, National Union ofTeachers and Communication Workers Union, is taking place on Saturday 6February 2016 at NUT HQ. If you wish to go please contact us.