My name is Siamak Amjadi. I am here on behalf of the International Federation of Iranian Refugees and I am very glad to be here today.

· In January 2005, just two months ago, 21 people were found dead in a ship, around Shores of Greece. They were Iranian, Iraqi, Afghan, Pakistani asylum seekers who died in hunger and thirst when they were stranded on Mediterranean Sea. They were not allowed to get near any harbour.

· In January 2005, just two months ago, 50 Iraqi women, man and children died when they wanted to pass a mine field and enter Turkey borders.

· In January 2005, an Iranian family, including 3 girls aged 7, 12 and 14 and a boy aged 9 were found dead and frozen in the Ararat Mountain close to Turkey border.

· These are a few examples of hundreds of people drowned, suffocated and killed every year as a result of closed borders.

· Do asylum seekers wake up one sunny morning and decide to risk their lives and get out of the country?!!!

· Do they say I don’t like the colour of the buildings in my town and I want to take my family over the mountains to the neighbouring country?!!!

· Do asylum seekers enjoy being stranded in a ship day in and day out without food?

· Or do they flee war, persecution, torture, arrests, execution, bombs, social injustice and suppression? It is ironic: Asylum seekers risk their lives in order to survive!!!

And those who reach a safe place, they become “terrorists”, “illegal”, “criminal”, “bogus”. They are told, “Stay where you are”, It is your fault you are here, what you did was illegal. You should respect your culture and your religion. You should obey reactionary laws. And you shouldn’t protest and demonstrate, and you shouldn’t express yourself, go back home.

Asylum seekers who refuse to go back to the situation they fled from, have their support cut and they are detained.

Four Ukrainian, Nigerian, Kenyan and Vietnamese asylum seekers found hanged in the UK detention centers last year. Also Ako Mahmmod, an Iraqi asylum seeker jumped from a bridge in Coventry to protest against home office’s anti asylum policy. Why, why would they kill themselves if they knew they would be safe in their country!

Preventing people who are in danger to reach a safe place is a crime. Those who flee from war, from execution, from torture are not criminals! Criminals are those who impose executions; Criminals are those who close borders; criminals are those who make fortress and criminals are those who increase control on the borders and not let those seeking asylum to get in! Closing borders kills people and those who do this must be put on trail for crimes against humanity.

When it comes to issues like refugees, immigrants and anti asylum policies, all western governments are united. They are determined to destroying the right to asylum and close the borders. They are determined to make Fortress Europe where no asylum seeker could ever put foot on the shores of Europe. They are determined to put the last nail in the asylum rights coffin.

And now it’s time to fight back. We have to be united. We have to organise a mass movement by refugees, asylum seekers, progressive individuals and institutions and trade unions. They step up war on asylum seekers; we step up the war on western governments and fight back.

We urge you all to support us and join us. Together we can make a difference!

Thank you!

The above is the speech of Siamak Amjadi at the 2 April 2005 demonstration in London, UK in defence of Refugee Rights.