This post repeats some information from the Social Justice Issues Digest 1 post and includes new information in light of the increased violence in October 2023.
Since the late 1940s, Palestine has been occupied by Zionist colonial settlers. Plans to do this predates the 1940s. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration was drawn up by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, and sent to a leader of the Zionist movement, Baron Rothschild (Rawan Damen).
(Alt text included & image description below resources)
In 1948 two thirds of the Palestinian population were ethnically cleansed in the Nakba (Palestine Solidarity Campaign). The ethnic cleansing continues today, with Palestinians being forcibly removed from their homes, which are often demolished, for example in neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem and the al-Araqib village in the Naqab (Palestine Solidarity Campaign). The forced, violent, removal of Palestinians from their homes has created over 7 million refugees under UNRWA’s mandate, as of 2022 (UNRWA, 2022).
At the time of publishing, in October 2023, there has been increased violence, some of the worst that people in Gaza are saying they have experienced. There has also been a significant amount of misinformation and disinformation by news outlets. It is therefore important for us to educate ourselves and remain informed by people in Palestine. There is a list of resources and social media accounts to follow below.
Palestinians have been subjected to violence, apartheid and ethnic cleansing by colonial settlers for 75 years. There is no space for neutrality in the fight for Palestinian freedom.
I have much pleasure in conveying to you. on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet
His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
This is an impromptu post as I’ve been forced to rest after taking a shower whilst being unmedicated for PoTS (big oops). With that in mind, this post will be heavily ladened with the foggiest of brain fog. It’s not planned and I am typing as the thoughts come.
I’m sure most people find that they compare themselves to others, and I am not immune to this. I draw comparisons to those who are of a similar age to me and are doing what I wish I could. My memory momentarily lapses and I forget how heavy the past 7 years of my life have been. It’s suddenly blank and I accuse myself of idling, being dispassionate and lazy. It’s as if the past few years of my life are a huge empty space. I try to imagine what others experience and learn between the ages of 19 and 26, but my imagination fails me. I’ll never have those experiences, that time has passed.
That time has passed. And it wasn’t empty. I say my memory momentarily lapses but in truth, it’s difficult to fully comprehend everything that has happened. I remember that I’m unwell and that I have been disabled since the age of 19 and cut myself some slack. Then I distract myself, until the next time.
So, what has happened in the past 7 years, if I really forced myself to think about it (maybe this is me trying to break the cycle)? My whole worldview completely changed. Also, prior to April 2015, I was a brown Muslim woman – I suddenly became a disabled brown Muslim woman. My use of labels here isn’t necessarily how I view myself but how the world views, or pigeonholes, me. How I view myself, maybe more importantly, changed and is constantly evolving.
It’s evolving, meaning there is susbtance to the past few years that has informed how I view myself. My mind immediately turns to the multiple forms of loss and grief, and the loneliness and distance when experiencing it all. But there’s also community – collective mourning, uplifting and support, that help to prevent feeling overwhelmed in this moment. There’s also the few things that I have achieved – but I won’t detail them right now.
I was only diagnosed last year (with 3 conditions and 1 suspected condition – quite a lot for just a year). The impact of being diagnosed was greater than I anticipated. I thought I would be relieved to finally have something confirmed that explained my symptoms. I was relieved for a little while but it didn’t last. The diagnosis confirmed for me that my whole life, however long or short it’ll be, was going to be this. My conditions are unpredictable, misunderstood and healthcare workers are ill-informed. In a country where the healthcare system is in crisis, I am justifiably worried.
Then I remember – where I am right now and where I have been these past few years is exactly where I am supposed to be. I have my own outlook of the future, overshadowed by all my concerns and worries, but that doesn’t neccessarily mean it will happen that way. This is something I have to constantly remind myself of. My life is controlled by God – who loves me more than any person ever could. My shoulders relax and I can stop typing.
“Allah says… if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running…”
Welcome to the second Social Justice Issues post. I have decided to do things a bit differently with this post (and probably future posts) as I will be focusing on one issue but in more detail, instead of briefly explaining multiple issues (hence no longer including “Digest” in the title). This post will focus on a global issue that we are all in someway associated with: modern slavery.
Slavery surrounds us every day, it is intertwined in our lives. We eat it, scroll on it, earn a living on it, clothe ourselves with it, get our cars washed by it, get manicures done by it. We are all connected to some of the 40 million people in modern slavery today.
In 2020 it was revealed that workers in garment factories in Leicester who tested positive for covid-19 infection were forced to continue working, risking their long-term health and their lives (Labour Behind the Label, 2020). The exploitation of workers in these factories prior to 2020 was already known, as it had been reported that they were paid below minimum wage, at £3.00 an hour, and were subjected to illegal working conditions (Labour Behind the Label, 2020). The National Crime Agency annouced in 2020 that they would assess the information regarding the allegations of modern slavery and exploitation in the factories (National Crime Agency, 2020).
“Slavery is an umbrella term for activities involved when one person obtains or holds another person in compelled service.”
Labour exploitation in garment factories is a small drop in the ocean of modern slavery practices. There are many types of modern slavery, some of the most common types include human trafficking, forced labour, child labour and debt bondage (Anti-Slavery International). Although any person may be subjected to modern slavery, some people are made to be more vulnerable. For example, migrants are particularly vulnerable in the UK as they do not have sufficient protection, they may be uninformed of the rights they do have and/or experience language barriers (Ireland; CORE, 2017). Children may also be more vunlerable to exploitation due to, for example, poverty and political instability (CORE, 2017).
Exploitative practices are echoed in businesses and supply chains globally, with workers being subjected to violence, unsafe working and living conditions, long working hours and low wages. The industries where modern slavery has been detected include, but are not limited to, cocoa, tea, electronics, jewelry and palm oil. In the United Kingdom, modern slavery has been detected in businesses a person would commonly use, including car washes, nail salons, hotels, shops, bars, as well as at recyling centres and construction sites. According to the Modern Slavery Policy Unit, “there could be at least 100,000 people” subjected to modern slavery in the UK, although “the actual number is likely greater” (Modern Slavery Policy Unit, 2020).
Making people more vulnerable to modern slavery is climate change. People are being forced to move from their homes and either remain in their home country or cross an international border, becoming displaced as a result of the climate crisis (UNHCR; Climate Refugees). Those who are already refugees, internally displaced or otherwise marginalised are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and, consequently, forced displacement (UNHCR; Anti-Slavery International). Research by Anti-slavery International has found that people are commonly forced into displacement as a result of “loss of crops due to flodding, the death of livestock due to sudden freezes and scarcity of water” (Anti-Slavery International). As a result of their displacement, they become more vulnerable to exploitation (Anti-Slavery International).
These exploitative practices in turn contribute to the climate crisis (Anti-Slavery International). For example, a report published by The University Of Nottigham’s Rights Lab states, in regards to fisheries in Thailand, “a complex, cyclical and two-way relationship can be conceptualised: increasing decline of fish stocks in Thai waters and the international demand for cheap seafood is leading to worsening abusive and exploitative conditions for fishing labourers, often in the form of debt-bondage, which later perpetuates and enables further overfishing and ecosystem decline in fisheries…” (The University of Nottigham Rights Lab, 2018). The report also highlights that many of the workers in the Thai fishing industry who are exploited are migrants, many of whom have been displaced as a result of natural disasters (The University of Nottigham Rights Lab, 2018).
The devastating interrelated cyclical relationship between modern slavery and the climate crisis is driven by the desire for profit. In 2014, it was estimated that modern slavery produces $150 billion globally each year (International Labour Office, 2014). At this time, it was estimated that 21 million people were subjected to modern slavery, including children (International Labour Office, 2014). Eight years later, it is now estimated that 40 million people are subjected to modern slavery practices and it is therefore likely that the profits generated are significantly higher (Anti-Slavery International). The commodification of human lives in order to generate profit is something we all should, at the very least, be aware ofand let influence our purchasing habits.
Welcome to the first blog post outlining critical social justice issues.
Every month (or so), you will find a short introductory paragraph and resources on a few social justice issues.
In this month’s post, we will begin by looking at the asylum system adopted by the Australian government and the cases of Ismail and Mehdi, refugees who have been detained for almost a decade. We will then move onto the ongoing Nakba (catastrophe) that has been occurring in Palestine since the 1940s. Finally, we will end with an evidenced argument that the care-to-prison pipeline in England and Wales is overrepresented by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) children.
1. Australia’s Cruel Asylum System
Australia is known for it’s harsh, inhumane asylum system, including transferring people seeking asylum in Australia to offshore processing centres in Papua New Guinea and Nauru (Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, 2021). They are detained in the processing centres, contrary to international law in most circumstances. Asylum seekers, including families with children, have been forced to live in poor conditions and suffer abuse (Human Rights Watch, 2015). The Australian government will not resettle anyone, even refugees (again, contrary to international law), in Australia, leaving those detained in a state of limbo (Refugee Council of Australia, 2022).
In 2013, Ismail Hussain arrived on Australian territory and was taken to an offshore processing centre on Manu Island (Paul Gregoire, 2020). He was detained there until late 2019, when he was transferred to mainland Australia, first to the Mantra Hotel and then to the Park Hotel in Melbourne (Paul Gregoire, 2020; Zoe Osborne, 2022). Also detained in Park Hotel is 24 year old Mehdi. As a child asylum seeker, Mehdi arrived in Australia at 15 years old and has been detained in the hotel ever since (Karl Mathiesen, 2022). There are 31 others detained in the hotel and thousands more throughout mainland Australia (Karl Mathiesen, 2022; Refugee Council of Australia, 2022).
The Park Hotel saw Serbian tennis player, Djokovic, detained for a few days whilst waiting for a decision regarding his deportation, after the government revoked his visa twice for failure to comply with covid-19 vaccination requirements. Djokovic was able to return safely to his home in Serbia, whilst Mehdi and Ismail remain.
“We are locked up in a room. I can say 24 hours a day. 24 hours a day [in] a room… You can see through the window. People moving on with their lives… and it’s torture to us. Torture to us… You know, all we want is the same thing that normal people do. But without reason it has been taken away for nine years.”
Since the late 1940s, Palestine has been occupied by Zionist colonial settlers. Plans to do this predates the 1940s. In 1917, the Balfour Declaration was drawn up by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, and sent to a leader of the Zionist movement, Baron Rothschild (Rawan Damen).
If you would like a more detailed account of the history of the occupation of Palestine, read “Al Nakba” by Rawan Damen.
In 1948 two thirds of the Palestinian population were ethnically cleansed in the Nakba (Palestine Solidarity Campaign). The ethnic cleansing continues today, with Palestinians being forcibly removed from their homes, which are often demolished, in neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem and the al-Araqib village in the Naqab (Palestine Solidarity Campaign). The forced, violent, removal of Palestinians from their homes has created over 5 million refugees as of 2019 (Amnesty International, 2019).
Looked after children (children looked after by a local authority for more than 24 hours) are reported to experience negative stigma, which can manifest as the perception that such children tend to exhibit negative behaviour (Darker, Ward and Caulfield, 2008, cited in Katie Hunter, 2019; Hunter, 2019). This stigma adversely affects looked after children when encountering the youth justice system (Coram Voice, 2015 cited in Hunter, 2019). It is consequently arguable that the stigma BAME looked after children experience is compounded by racism. Research carried out in 2016 by the Prison Reform Trust revealed that the number of BAME children who are currently (at the time the research was carried out) or had previously been looked after are overrepresented in the youth justice system. This demonstrates that the multifaceted inequalities resulting from the combination of being in the care system and racism places BAME looked after children at a heightened risk of being criminalised (Hunter, 2019). The care-to-prison pipeline is therefore more likely to be experienced by BAME children who are currently, or who previously have been, in the care of local authorities.
Thank you for reading the first post outlining and providing resources on some critical social justice issues. We will end with a quote by journalist, author and podcaster, Reni Eddo-Lodge:
The mess we are living in is a deliberate one. If it was created by people, it can be dismantled by people, and it can be rebuilt in a way that serves all, rather than a selfish, hoarding few.
Reni Eddo-Lodge, Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race
You may have read my previous blog post reviewing the accessability at Cambridge Botanic Garden (click here if you would like to read it). I visited Cambridge again as it is one of my favourite places to go to for a short break. During my previous visits, I was unable to explore Cambridge on foot and see some of the famous sites close up. When planning my trip this time, I searched for wheelchairs available to hire and the first thing to pop up was Shopmobility, which can be found here. I did not know that this service existed during my previous visits.
Shopmobility is available at both Grafton East car park (which is currently closed) and the Grand Arcade car park. If you use Shopmobility, you can park for up to three hours for free, which is brilliant as parking is quite expensive. There are manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters available to borrow. You can take the mobilty aid of your choice around the city centre within certain boundaries, as stated on the website. I decided to try out Shopmobility and borrowed a powerchair. I am currently looking to purchase a powerchair and so this was the perfect opportunity to try one out. Powerchairs are also smaller than mobility scooters, making it easier to navigate the city centre.
Due to covid-19, users of Shopmobility are required to book an appointment beforehand to ensure social distancing. We went to the Grand Arcade car park and Shopmobility is on the lower level. This level is for Shopmobility users only and no other cars are permitted to enter. There are only disabled bays on this level but you do not need a Blue Badge in order to park. There is an office where the staff were and they came out to greet us once we parked up. After filling in some forms and showing the staff my ID, they let me test out the powered wheelchair. When I was happy with it, I was free to go an explore Cambridge on wheels!
We were advised to go up in the lift to street level and exit by going through the shopping centre. We found the shopping centre to be a bit of a maze to navigate, especially on the way back to Shopmobility, as different lifts take you to different levels – but we got there in the end!
I had planed a circular route that would lead us back to the car park. We had a look at Market Square, made our way to the Cambridge Backs and Coe Fen and finally worked our way back to the car park. I will be talking more about my experiences using the powerchair around Cambridge in part two!