Tackling the myths about asylum seekers
Jun 19 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
MYTHS about asylum seekers are being tackled in a series of North East events.
Refugee Week is being marked by celebrating the diversity and contributions which ethnic groups bring to the North East.
Today from 10.30am-2.30pm a free event is being held at the Banqueting Hall of Newcastle Civic Centre with performances of song, dance and poetry from people from across the world as well as a buffet of food from different countries.
On Sunday an Off Beat Festival will take place from noon to 6pm at Nuns Moor Park in Newcastle, featuring international music, dance, theatre, comedy, poetry and Iranian, Eritrean, East and Central Africa fashion shows.
Also on Sunday, Sunderland Together Against Racism stages a festival at the city’s Raich Carter Centre in Hendon from 11am-4pm.
Sunderland Museum features a Where Am I From? trail on how Britain has become a multi-cultural society by exploring objects in the collections.
Visitors are asked to find specific objects and decide whether they are as British as they seem.
Your Homes Newcastle’s Asylum Seekers Unit is also holding a food and toiletries collection among YHN and city council staff. There are believed to be around 300 destitute asylum seekers in Newcastle.
The regional events programme is being co-ordinated by the North East Strategic Migration Partnership. Myths which are being challenged include the claim that the region is being flooded with asylum seekers. But the latest figures show there are 3,358 asylum seekers – or 0.25% of the regional population.
There are 1,103 in Newcastle, 378 in Gateshead, 341 in Sunderland, 159 in North Tyneside, and 126 in South Tyneside.
Another myth is the bogus asylum seeker. But the partnership says that International law states that anyone has the right to apply for asylum in another country and remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim.
Asylum seekers cannot choose where to live – this is decided by the Home Office.
Many asylum seekers are skilled and want to work and contribute but the law prevents them from doing so.
A typical asylum seeker gets £6.02 per day to live on.
