WRITTEN ON June 18th, 2006 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Design: Co-creation, What do we want?
Met two interesting charities last week at a session organised by The Funding Network (cheers Tim).
The first was PhotoVoice which trains and equips some of the world’s the most disadvantaged in photography. When street children or HIV/Aids sufferers are themselves the photojournalists they acquire a voice, convey personality and advocacy becomes stronger. It seems to work, just as Koo Stark once turned the tables by turning her camera on the paparazzi.
The other that struck me was Bail for Immigration Detainees which goes into one of the darkest recesses of UK taxpayer-funded public services and tries to get immigration or asylum detainees out on bail. Their descriptions of some of what is done in our name are pretty horrifying.
The obvious thought is to plug them in to each other so UK immigration detainees can photograph their condition so we’re more aware of their suffering, and question whether its necessary. But no – not only are no cameras allowed in, but even diaries kept by detainees are confiscated. So the IND is switched on to the power of sousveillance, but only to the extent it tries to stamp it out. But, as Menwith Hill protester Lyndis Percy put it “you can’t suppress the human spirit.”
Wouldn’t it be better if…we delivered public services in such as way that honest and transparent reporting of what it’s really like at the receiving end was just a normal and constructive feature of life. Pictures, reports, diaries and accounts of life on the receiving end would reinfirce our pride in what is done in our name and on our behalves with our tax monies, and occasionally pointing to where things could be a bit better. Public servants, especially those entrusted with looking after the vulnerable or people rightly or wrongly deprived of their liberty, would be aware at all times that how they treat the public is a legitimate matter for public interest; mindful of this they would always act accordingly.
2 Responses to “IND denies detainees the same voice that a UK charity gives to Vietnamese street children”
Where are the intrepid journalists? So many people are now dependent on government “favours”: Too many people seem too frightened of the current UK government.
In my piece about the horrors of AIT Tribunals, I wrote that I was ashamed that such thing were being done “in my name” but puzzled about the complete absence of publicity: Journalists and the public can attend, but don’t.
Without scrutiny, IND, the Home Office and UKVisas seem completely above the law: Although the AIT Immigration Judge found in favour of my friend, many weeks ago, the “authorities” are still refusing to issue the Visa – or even to reply to letters, emails or phone calls.
The “authorities” are ignoring the Judge’s ruling, UK Immigration Law, and their own published procedures: Although this could seem like “contempt of court” astonishingly there is apparently no mechanism for enforcing the Judge’s decision.
So much for UK “justice”: So much for UK democracy!
Perhaps a more immediately useful introduction would be to Article 19, who could help fight this outrageous breach of ECHR freedom of expression rights…