A-Infos (en) Freedom 6404 22 Feb, 2003 - Fear of the unknown

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A proposal to open an asylum-seekers' induction 
centre in Sittingbourne has brought fascists on to the 
streets and stirred up racial tensions in the area. Last 
month over three hundred people packed a meeting 
opposing the government's attempt to buy the 
Coniston, a local hotel. Another five hundred were 
locked outside. Five thousand people have signed a 
petition opposing the centre, while several hundred 
have marched on the hotel itself, shouting 
'asylum-seekers out'. These included members of the 
British National Party and the National Front. Signs 
have appeared in pub windows saying 'no refugees', 
while a handful of NF boneheads have held their own 
demo and leafleted the town's High Street.

Racial tension in the area is rising. The local paper 
reports 15 year old Sanny Muhith as saying "the 
protests have already got the National Front down in 
Sittingbourne, which is the reason my dad left London 
in the first place". A reporter from The Voice was 
subject to racial abuse during a protest meeting.
The town's Labour MP, Derek Wyatt, has fuelled the 
fire, saying Britain has too many asylum-seekers. 

When challenged by a local anarchist about this, he 
admitted that such statements heighten tension. "I 
accept", he said, "that when MPs talk the chances are 
they add to the issue and may encourage the BNP". 
Appallingly, though, he went on to say, "if you ask most 
Labour MPs, they'll tell you there are too many 
asylum-seekers".

Yet again a Labour MP plays the race card and tries to 
outdo the Tories in the vain hope of picking up some 
votes! Yet the only people likely to benefit from this 
are the fascists. Local Tory councillor Andrew Bowles 
has admitted that it's now likely the BNP will stand 
candidates in the May local elections.

But anti-racists in this mainly working class town are 
fighting back. By a twist of fate, the owner of the 
Coniston himself is the son of a refugee who fled 
Poland in 1940. He hit the nail on the head when he 
told the local newspaper that most people's response 
was based on "rumours, presumptions and fear of the 
unknown".

The new centre would house a maximum of 111 
refugees, each staying for only a couple of days. Some 
120,000 people live in the area, making talk of refugees 
'swamping' local services ludicrous. Equally ludicrous 
is talk of the town losing a 'much-loved' facility when 
the hotel goes. One local on last month's march said, 
"this is about a hotel, not a racist thing". But the 
reason the owners of the hotel are putting it up for sale 
is that local people aren't using it. It's also lost out to 
a new, modern hotel which opened three years ago.

Kent anti-racists and asylum-seeker support groups 
have been active in support of refugees and in 
confronting the fascists. Leaflets have been handed out 
at meetings and counter-demonstrations have been 
organised. As time goes by, more and more local 
people have been willing to stand up against the 
racists and support asylum-seekers. "Do the people of 
Sittingbourne actually understand the plight of 
asylum-seekers?", one asked.

It is, though, an uphill struggle. David Turner, an 
anti-racist from the town, says that at one recent 
meeting, "one person who tried to put a different point 
of view was howled down and had the microphone 
taken off him. So much for free speech".

An anarchist who lives in the area says, "it's important 
that we work in the community. Many people in 
Sittingbourne oppose what's going on. It's encouraging 
that many are now willing to say so at public meetings 
and to write to the local paper. The tide is turning. 
What's so pathetic is the position of the Labour Party. 
More union support would be welcome too."

At the start of this month, Tony Blair said that Labour 
would halve the number of people seeking asylum. As 
well as a war against 'terrorism', New Labour is also 
waging a war against refugees. In a world made 
unstable by capitalism, religion and imperialism , it's 
hardly any wonder if the number of refugees is growing. 
The reality of Labour's onslaught against them can be 
seen on the streets of towns like Sittingbourne.
R.P.G.

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