Juno and Meena Vaarki- since leaving their native India- have spent most of their adult lives They have roots here and have made a real contribution to community work Yet, under a technicality in the 1971 Immigration Act, the Vaarki family was for months threatened with deportation and, finally found themselves forced out of the coun try. The fact that doctors ad- it.
vised them that their son- suffering from a serious illnessought not to return to India cut little ice with the Home OfThe experience of the Vaarki family is not unique. Thou sands of black people have, under the racist powers of the 1971 Act, found themselves victimised and harassed by the police, given unlimited powers under the Act's provisions.
Now, to strengthen racist legislation against black people, the Tories intend to bring in their Nationality Act, which could result in hundreds more British subjects being considered 'stateless' - ie deprived of many elementary civil rights.
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racism that CARL- ic Ca":.
paign Against Racist Lawswas set up over a year ago.
Since then, various local groups have appeared around the country, taking up cases period, is that all these initiatives against the Tory offensive should be co-ordinated together into a national campaign against police harassment and the threat of a The framework for such a campaign already exists. Last year, CARL - Campaign Against Racist Laws -was established as a broad move. ment with support from Labour MPs, Black groups, trade unions & left organisations. On November 25th, it mobilised over 15,000 in action against the Tory attempts to tighten the Immigration laws.
Such a campaign has to be concretely built in the coming months on a mass action focus, uniting all those willing to fight the Tories' proposals. Local CARL groups -of which many already exist - have to be set up and national actions Building such a fight-back is not only of concern to Black people whose civil rights will be severely discussion forums Socialist Action holds regular discussion forums on the problems facing the labour, women's and black movements, and also on liberation struggles taking place internationally. If you are interested in coming along to any of these forums, which are conducted in an informal manner- where everyone has a chance to contribute- please contact us c/o 58 Auckland Road, London SE19. We will send you full details of our current programme of forums.