For any bloggers supporting the Iraqi employees campaign, Unity has a rather smart set of blog banners.

How you can help:

1. Watch the video.
2. Write to your MP.
3. Let us know if you get a response.
4. Sign the petition.
5. Join the list of supporters.

This from today’s Times, via Tim W:

Mohammad’s body was found dumped in wasteland on the outskirts of Basra. His killers had burnt cigarettes into his back, broken one of his hands and legs and shot him three times in the head and twice in the chest. His crime: to have worked as an interpreter for the British in Iraq.

How you can help:

1. Watch the video.
2. Write to your MP.
3. Let us know if you get a response.
4. Sign the petition*.
5. Join the list of supporters.

*Speaking personally, I doubt very much the petition will sway the conscience of a politician or career civil servant but as a tangible show of solidarity it is very important.

Update: This can’t be stressed enough…

This is not solely about the 91 translators currently employed by the UK forces in Basra. Even they have not yet been guaranteed their safety despite the increase in media attention- but there are many more Iraqis facing the same threat of a horrible death for their work for British personnel. The Government must grant Asylum rights to any Iraqi who is seriously at risk of being murdered for having worked for this country.

Over at Tim’s place.

Anyone actively supporting the campaign and wishing to be included on the list should drop Tim a line at manic AT bloggerheads DOT com.

Press release begins

Survivors and relatives of the people killed in the July 7th London bomb attacks have warned the Government that they will seek a Judicial Review into its continued refusal to grant an independent enquiry into the attacks.

They will outline their legal case in a letter, which will be presented to the Home Office at noon on Wednesday 15th August 2007.

Graham Foulkes, whose son David Foulkes, 22, was murdered at Edgware Rd said:

“We were very disappointed that the Government rejected our call for an independent enquiry. We believe that our country can only benefit from an independent investigation into the largest ever terrorist attack on mainland Britain.”

He continued:

“There have been reports into the bombings. None of these have been independent. And as time has gone on it has become obvious that much of what we were told was untrue. For instance, we have gone from being told that the bombers were unknown to the authorities (”clean skins”, as Charles Clarke, the then Home Secretary said in the wake of the bombings) to finding out through the “Crevice” trial that at least two of the bombers were known prior to July 7 th 2005 and that one of them, Mohammed Siddique Khan (the Edgware Road bomber) had been followed home by the authorities.”

This concern has been supported by the Greater London Assembly who, on May 28 th 2007, passed a motion calling for an independent inquiry following the conviction of the Crevice Defendants “given the conflicting accounts of what happened in the months leading up to 7th July 2005″.

The legal case for an enquiry rests on Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This requires the state to protect life and to undertake an independent and effective investigation of the issue if the article is breached. Even if the requirement to protect life was not breached, the Article allows for an enquiry because of the obvious need for public protection.

Rob Webb, whose sister Laura Webb, 29 was murdered at Edgware Rd said:

“The drip feed of information since the attacks probably doesn’t give the whole story. But it is now clear that the security services knew far more about the bombers and the possibility of an attack than we had originally been led to believe. So the state looks to have breached its duty to protect life. We all – Government, Security Services, survivors, bereaved and of course the public at large, who remain at risk of terrorist plots, need to learn all we can about the 7/7 attacks. We need to know what could have been done to help prevent them and so help prevent innocent people from suffering the fate of all those who were caught up in the awful events of that day in July 2005.”

Should the Government once again turn down the request for an independent investigation, the signatories of the letter will seek a Judicial Review into the decision.

Rob concluded:

“We don’t wish to take our Government to Court. But we need to ensure that everything is done to prevent further attacks. We believe that an Independent investigation will help do that, which is why we are prepared to go to Court to ensure that one happens.”

Press release ends

Signatories to the letter to the Home Office include:

• Nader Mozzaka, bereaved. Nader’s wife, Nazy, died at Kings Cross
• Graham Foulkes, bereaved. Graham’s son, David, died at Edgware Rd
• Rob Webb, bereaved. Rob’s sister, laura, died at Edgware Rd
• Paul Mitchell, survivor. Paul lost part of his leg and had serious hearing injuries at Kings Cross
• Thelma Stober, survivor. Thelma lost her left leg and had other serious back injuries at Aldgate
• Kirsty Morrison, survivor, King’s Cross. Kirsty developed debililtating PTSD.
• Elizabeth Alderton, survivor, Aldgate
• Ros Morley, bereaved. Ros’s husband Colin died at Edgware Rd
• Lesley Ratcliff, survivor, King’s Cross
• Michael Henning, survivor, Aldgate. Michael had facial injuried and developed PTSD
• Judy Mallinson. Judy’s husband, Ross, suffered serious head injuries.
• Ema Plunkett, survivor, Tavistock Square
• Elizabeth Kenworthy, Aldgate. Survivor and first responder
• David Gould, bereaved. David’s step-daughter, Helen, died at King’s Cross
• Angela Iouannou, survivor, King’s cross
• Fiona Crosbie, survivor, King’s Cross
• Mark Elding, survivor, Tavistock Square
• Andy Brown, survivor, Aldgate. Andy lost both legs in the explosion.
• Janine Mitchell. Janine’s husband Paul was seriously injured at King’s Cross
• Janne Palthe, survivor, Edgware Rd
• Thomas Ikemi, bereaved. Thomas cousin, Anthony, was killed in Tavistock Sq
• Ross Mallinson, survivor. Ross suffered serious head injuries at Aldgate
• Sarah Stow, survivor, Tavistock Sq
• Tim Coulson, survivor, Edgware Rd
• Rachel North, survivor, King’s Cross.

As I’ve said before, in the absence of any official support, some survivors have had to, by themselves, fend off voracious conspiracy theorists and journalists. Survivor Rachel North has become a focus, via her blog, of much media attention. She has had to deal with a stalker and a legion of conspiracy theorists who simply refuse to take the facts at face value. Some of them have even imaginatively accused her of being a team of MI5 disinformation agents.

On the question of a public inquiry, the government’s refusal to hold one gives tacit approval to the investigation into the bombings being conducted by gossip. The inquiry into the intelligence failures in the run up to the bombings, along with their causes and ramifications, have been left to the media via anonymous police and MI5 briefings and leaks.

This serves to stoke even more resentment and paranoia while eroding further the Government’s vestigial reputation as a straight dealer and fuelling the not unreasonable suspicion that it has something to hide. And that’s before we even arrive at the vital conclusion that getting to the heart of this atrocity might just prevent another one. The survivors don’t want glory or publicity or revenge; it’s a matter of sparing others what they themselves have been through over the last two years.

Helping the victims’ families and the survivors, and preventing future atrocities, is about simple compassion, reaching out to those in pain. Honour the dead and comfort the living - demonstrate in all the ways we can that we’re better, higher, more civilised beings than the creatures who took their rucksacks to London on July 7 2005 and those who might choose to follow them.

Demand a public inquiry. Write to your MP. Sign the petition. Spread the word.

Update: Rachel North has more.

…

The letter to the Home Office is a 25-page legal document. A summary of its contents can be found under the fold:

(more…)

The plight the Iraqi employees was featured on Five Live’s ‘Pods and Blogs’ slot last night. Dan Hardie gave an interview after the testimony of a former Iraqi translator, Mohammed. You can listen to the whole show here (it includes highlights from this weeks Britblog Roundup).

Alternatively, an MP3 of the part of the show concerning the employees can be downloaded here (very kindly hosted by Unity) or listened to using the flash thingy below:

Don’t forget to write to your MP (some pointers here) and let us know if you get a response. Also, sign the petition.

Here’s the responses so far from MPs about the Iraqi interpreters:

Conservatives (1):
Anne Milton

Labour (11):
Celia Barlow
Hugh Bayley
Wayne David
Frank Dobson
Jim Fitzpatrick
Patricia Hewitt
David Lammy
Chris Mole
Andrew Smith
Dr Rudi Vis
Paul Truswell (via Ian Clenshaw)

Lib Dems (3):
John Barrett
Lynn Featherstone
Robert Smith

If you’ve received a reply from your MP, blog it, let me know and I’ll link to you from the list. Anyone not having a blog can send the reply here and I’ll reproduce it if you like.

If you’d like to write to your MP, some tips for doing so are here. Don’t forget the Downing Street petition.

I make no apology for continuing to post about the Iraqi employees of the coalition facing torture and death.

On this occasion, can I just say:

What. The. Fuck?

Read the comments for the full effect.

Just who is this Neil Clark cock-end? Fortunately, I’ve been previously unaware of his work. Is it always this kind of offal? What utter scum.

I have to say, any blogger who hasn’t linked to this issue so far should do so if only for the rosey glow of being on the opposite side of the argument as Clark.

(Via Alex.)

Update: Nice roundup of things so far from Dan H.

It’s not Iraqi interpreters, it’s Iraqi employees.

Dsquared in the comments over at Jamie’s place:

I think the phrase “Iraqi translators” is a bit dangerous, as it allows Des Browne to chew down the number of visas to the 90 people actually employed as interpreters.

Think on.

The plight of Iraqi interpreters (explained with post-it notes).

Write to your MP (asking them politely to refer your concerns to the Home Secretary). And sign the petition.

(Get your lovely blog button here.)

…and it’s a doozy:

“I will boycott any company that wins a contract to deliver the National ID card but only if 500 other people will do the same.”

Sign it here, text ‘pledge ID-Boycott’ to 60022 (in the UK only) or share and sign the pledge in Facebook.

(via Tim W.)

Thanks to Tim and Clive we now have an online and searchable version of the 2005 Labour Party Campaign return.

Want to know how much Alastair Campbell got paid for two months’ work? Or how much a Party Political Broadcast would set you back? Then get over there - all kinds of interesting nuggets to be discovered.

The clock is ticking, people.

The Downing Street petition for the Iraqi translators is showing 601 signatures at the minute. That’s pretty pisspoor frankly but, let’s face it, what are the lives of a few wog collaborators against, say, road charging? It’s all about capturing the public imagination of course and people can more readily visualise having to cough up a few quid than being drilled in the face. It’s the British disease.

And to muddy the waters further, the Lib Dems thought it useful to split the vote by starting their own petition. Anyway, it only take a few seconds to sign but isn’t sophisticated enough to tell you who and how many have signed up.

BBC:

Gordon Brown says he will review the cases of Iraqi interpreters who have been told any claim for asylum in the UK will not be given special treatment.

…but…

No 10 said the issue would be kept under review, but previous decisions were unlikely to be overturned.

These Iraqi interpreters must be kicking themselves. If only they were millionaire businessmen or long distance runners, they’d be sitting pretty and none of this fuss would have happened.

Then the Defence Secretary, the abject Des Browne, said his piece:

He said about 20,000 Iraqis had helped British forces since 2003.

Nice scary number that. 20,000. It should carve off some support for these potential freeloaders and benefit scroungers. That’ll be the Daily Mail and Express vote successfully neutralised if nothing else. It is nice to see that Des has been thoughtfully counting the number of helpful Iraqi citizens. One wonders if he’s keeping count of those being tortured and drilled to death one by one. What do you think?

And how about this…

“That’s why the prime minister has made it clear that we will review how best to [carry out] our duty of care to these people.

“That’s in hand, I have a responsibility on that, as does the foreign secretary and we will report to ministers in the autumn.”

Mr Browne also said the government would “move at the appropriate pace” to get its policy right in relation to duty of care “to all of those whom we have a responsibility to”.

‘In the autumn‘? ‘Appropriate pace’? This isn’t good enough. These people are dying right now. And not by a nice swift, lights-out bullet to the back of the head. They’re being power drilled in the hands and legs and head so their mutilated bodies can serve as warning to others. Those 91 interpreters could be dead ‘in the autumn’.

Do you really want to be on the same side of the argument as somebody as morally compromised as Des Browne? If not, please write to your MP and sign the petition.

Update: The letters page from today’s Times.

Update updated: The 8.10 slot on Radio 4’s Today programme (RealPlayer required).

And more: Des Browne on the Today programme. May induce vomiting.

More: Jamie is thoughtful on this:

I think it’s unlikely for opsec reasons that there’ll be a formal public announcement. People need to be extracted quietly so as not to tip off the insurgents that the process is underway, for one thing. What seems to have been achieved so far is getting the issue a bit more front and centre. Next job: keeping it there.

As I say in the comments, let’s hope doing it on the quiet is the plan. It doesn’t detract from the fact however that, from the outset, the Government’s default position on this was “fuck ‘em”. Hence people getting turned away from the UK embassy in Damascus and the power-drilled bodies lying about the place.

Following the letter-writing campaign to highlight the moral obligations we owe to those Iraqis who have worked for the coalition and now face reprisals, I received the following from my MP, Celia Barlow:

By supporting our efforts in southern Iraq, those Iraqis are taking a tremendous risk for themselves and their families.

I agree that we have an obligation to protect Iraqis under threat for supporting the coalition’s efforts to restore order. It is incumbent upon the Government to look at different ways for this to happen, such as studying the US model or discussing this issue with our coalition partners. I welcome your input on this issue and hope to hear a positive outcome for the brave Iraqis contributing to our efforts soon.

So, while good to get a reply, it amounted to little more than a ‘thanks, let’s wait and see’. I think a follow up asking her to refer my letter to the Home Secretary might be in order. Much as Patricia Hewitt did for one of her constituents. Or maybe I should ask for a referral to the Foreign Secretary much as David Lammy did for Davide. Dan Hardie has more.

This is from the Times today:

The Times has learnt that the Government has ignored personal appeals from senior army officers in Basra to relax asylum regulations and make special arrangements for Iraqis whose loyal services have put their lives at risk.

One interpreter, who has worked with the Army since 2004 and wanted to start a new life in Britain after British Forces pull out was told by Downing Street that he would receive no special favours and to read a government website.

If you wrote a letter to your MP and received a reply post it on your blog (or if you don’t have a blog let me know and I can post it for you if you like) and let me know and I’ll link back to as many as I can find. There’s still ample opportunity to write a letter if you haven’t already - some guidelines are here - and a letter can be sent online using Write To Them. (Update: It’s worth stressing the urgency of this situation when writing your letter - these people are being tortured and murdered right now.)

Also, please sign the Downing Street petition. There’s also a Facebook group.

Responses so far:

Conservatives (1):
Anne Milton

Labour (9):
Celia Barlow
Hugh Bayley
Wayne David
Frank Dobson
Patricia Hewitt
David Lammy
Andrew Smith
Dr Rudi Vis
Paul Truswell (via Ian Clenshaw)

Lib Dems (2):
John Barrett

Robert Smith

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to offer asylum in the UK to the Iraqis who have been working as translators and in other capacities for the UK armed forces.

Dan Hardie has suggested petitioning members of parliament on the matter of Iraqis who have worked for the British forces in Southern Iraq who now fine themselves in increasing danger. It seems that, now they’ve done their bit, they’re on their own, thanks. We’re turning them away and they have to make for the borders in the hope of reaching safety in neighbouring countries.

Here’s some guidelines and pointers for writing to your MP.

***

Since British troops occupied Southern Iraq in the spring of 2003, thousands of Iraqi citizens have worked for the British Army, the Coalition Provisional Authority (South) and for contractors serving UK forces. There is now considerable evidence that their lives, and the lives of their families, are at risk: some former workers for the British have been murdered, and many others have fled to neighbouring countries or gone into hiding in Basra.

The British Government, for whom they were ultimately working, has not offered them the right of asylum in the UK. This is morally unacceptable. It is also unnecessary, since we are well able to accommodate several thousand Iraqi refugees, most of whom already speak English and all of whom have already worked for our country.

The most detailed recent report, by Jonathan Miller of Channel Four News, notes the murder of 17 translators in one single incident in Basra. It cites the cases of hundreds of others who have fled to a refugee existence in nearby Middle Eastern countries or are in hiding in Iraq. The British Government response has come from the Home Office, which has suggested that Iraqis put at risk by their work for British troops ‘register with the UN refugee agency’. Other reports provide supporting detail: Iraqis are being targeted for murder because they have worked for British forces. (See here and here.)

Marie Colvin’s report for the Times of April 8 speaks of desperate former workers for the British Army being turned away from the British embassy in Syria by staff who had orders not to admit any Iraqis. These brave men and women have testimonials written by British officers stating that they are at risk from jihadi violence: and yet we are still refusing to admit them to the United Kingdom.

If you feel that this is unacceptable and that Britain should prevent Iraqis from being murdered for the ‘crime’ of working for British troops, could you please write to your MP and ask him or her to press the Government for action. You can use the excellent website ‘Write to Them‘ or post a letter yourself.

Please be courteous when writing to your MP. It would be a good idea to read the reports above, and cite relevant facts. We would suggest that your letter could contain the following points:

• It is morally unacceptable that Britain should abandon people who are at risk because they worked for British soldiers and diplomats.
• This country will be shamed if any more Iraqis are murdered for the ‘crime’ of having supported UK forces.
• Iraqis who worked for British forces should not be told to leave Iraq and throw themselves on the mercy of United Nations relief agencies in Arab countries: these agencies are already being overwhelmed by the outflow of Iraqi refugees, and Iraqi refugees who have worked for British diplomats or troops may well be targeted by local jihadists.
• There is plentiful evidence that armed groups in Iraq kill the families of those they consider ‘enemies’: for this reason we must extend the right of asylum to the families of those who worked for us.
• It is entirely practical for this country’s troops in Iraq, and its embassies in neighbouring countries, to take in Iraqis who have worked for us and fly them to the UK. Indeed, there is already considerable anger among British servicemen that Iraqis are being abandoned in this way.
• This country is large enough and rich enough to accommodate several thousand Iraqi refugees. Denmark has already given asylum to all 200 Iraqis who worked for its smaller occupying force.
• It does not matter what your MP’s views (or what your views) are on the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. People who risked their lives for this country’s soldiers are now being abandoned by the British Government. Their lives can and must be saved by their being granted the right of asylum in this country.
• This policy should be implemented regardless of whether British soldiers stay in Iraq or are soon withdrawn. But it must be introduced soon: applications for asylum cannot be processed in a lengthy fashion, as the security situation in Basra is deteriorating rapidly, and delay is likely to lead to further killings of Iraqis who worked for British troops.

***

It is best that those of us deciding to write a letter do so in a personal fashion - form letters and mass-mailouts are frowned upon by our elected representatives and often end up in the bin.

Dan suggests tagging five other bloggers to pass the message on but I’d like to instead ask that anybody reading this post on their own blogs and write a letter themselves. Feel free to cut and paste this copy into blogs or into emails to non-blogging friends who might also write to their MP.

Update: And there’s this:

The United States ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Cocker, has called for all Iraqis working for the US government to be granted refugee status in recognition of the dangers they face.

Update: Davide has set up this petition. Please sign if you’d be so kind.

Rachel North needs your help.

…petition the Prime Minister to implement a full Freedom of Information Act. There is no justification in Government business being executed in a shroud of secrecy. The Government works in our name, therefore access to ALL business should be free and immediate.

…Poons is hunting fascists. Just who are Navigor?

Hearty congratulations to Troubled Diva, Mike Atkinson, who’s managed to put together ‘Shaggy Blog Stories’ in seven days in aid of Comic Relief.

The book collects amusing pieces from 100 bloggers. I’m in it but you shouldn’t let that put you off.

You can read more about the book here.

The book’s published via Lulu and you can buy copies at www.shaggyblogstories.co.uk.

Go on.

Mike, the troubled diva, is putting together a book of blog hilarity for Comic Relief.

Anyone who fancies publicising, contributing to, buying or pimping the book should head over here.

(via Tim Worstall/Lucy Pepper)

I was one of 60 citizens in Downing Street on Saturday, but the consultation was a sham, says Liam Curtin.

Read the rest

Read this. Sign this. Pass it on.

How to avoid arrest on Red Nose Day.