Secretary Committee Thursday the seventeen year old Abdul Azad came to an end. Returning routine day at the textile factory he was not to know that victory was so close.
When be got home he was visited by his tormentors from the Oldham police. must have whether they'd come deportation order. But their mission was a different one.
They informed him that the Home Office had allowed him to stay in the country on compassionate grounds.
Abdul Azad was overjoyed. hugged his old father Marifatullan. Word of the good news spread rapidly through the Bengali quarter. youths gathered at the home to join in ine celebratons.
Older Bengalis were overjoyed. They kissed Abdul hugged each other. They all knew that it was a victory for the community as a whole.
Readers will recall the details of the Abdul Azad scandat. arrested from his factory after his mother was found murdered in her AN He was charged Sillegal immigrant', incommunicado for nine days."
was subjected to ill-treatment and racist abuse. The fact that he was heartbroken because of his mother's death was exploited by police.
The Bangladesh Association, the Oldham Anti Nazi League and others, mounted a An Abdul Azad Defence Committee Committee was set up and the struggle commenced.
Michael Meacher, a local Labour MP, took an active interest case. The JCWI (Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants) in London began bombarding the Home Office with missives.
Two big public meetings were held in Oldham These drew in scores and scores of Bengalis. For the Bengali community the case of Abdul Azad became one of crucial importance.
For if he could be framed, brutalised and deported, then so could hundreds of others.
The behaviour of police (outrageous even by the normal racist standards) aroused through embol or became a symbol the against the hated immigration laws.
The left press publicised the story in all its gory details. Under the pressure of the campaign the local press was forced to report what had taken place.
Most important of all was the fact that Abdul Azad and his aged father decided to fight back. After massive pressure Abdul was released from the notorious Risley Remand Centre. He had been in prison for thirteen weeks.
page 4 Socialist Challenge 2 August 1979 agony of outside Risley Campaign home after a Laws.
The effects obviously shook sign deportation wondered serve brutality and racist abuse TV put out He complete whitewash.
Sue Deardon, Bengali equally leaders that they and what Abdul is complaining about.
dent liu ully.
Meacher, MP, agreed to participate.' He was and participate ordinating committee immigration laws.
Bengaldeshi
immediately. supporters.
Mr Khan, Bangladesh in the compensated. And that. now"
tired, but very pleased that thankful for see a change in the law Get them out!' Anderton's hostility Abdul Azad struggle Co-ordinating West Indian Centre, He threw himself into the campaign with a rare fervor. He spoke at public meetings. On 7 July he joined a picket organized the Against Immigration campaign the tameless bureaucrats in the Home Office who Abdid went onestep furs er. He filed orders every a complaint against the police alleging Because of the publicity (Granada La special programme detailing Abdul's plight) the Cheshire police started an investigation. But all the indications are that it will be a Secretary of Oldham ANL, said: What the police do to blacks in prison has become widely accepted. That is why pouce chiefs have been telling community can't understand 'We are organizing an indepenThe NCCL Michael and Colin Barrett, Secretary of North West TUC, have The Defence Committee met to celebrate last Friday night. The mood was euphoric. It is not often that we | get victories. It has been agreed that we in the Defence Committee will the regional coagainst the The main lesson of the campaign is simple. It is not British justice which saved Azad but the struggle of the and president the Association, told WE ARE beginning to feel isolated. 342 of us are charged. some have been sent to prison. others have been fined and hound over. The overwhelming majority of us will be tried in September and October.
The question arises: what is the British lahou? going 1o do about il.
Не кпон full well that if wen half of the 342 had been *hite workers. there hase been some action. know that if a quarter had been members of the SWP or IMG there would have been more interest.
But the bulk of the Southall 342 who work in local factories, Heathrow Airport ог shops and cafes in Southall, are black.
We do not expect from the trades unions os the Labour Party. They interested in collecting our dues and marshalling our during elections. expect much more organisations like the SHP and the IMG and from Chailenge and Worker.
When one white anti-racist Wolverhampton framed. your paper waged a regular campaign broad support.
Southall 342 (who include the Editor of Socialist Challenge) equally important? movement Socialist effective campaign to get John Work marchers released. They would Southall 342 as important as John Deason?
We know your answer in advance. We can almost hear the indignantly: 'of course are. They are more important. going to do about it, borthers much Is not the Anti Nazi League London hranches to defend the votes But we do the ANI. and the SWP/IMG 10 launch a rational campaign. with meetings in the towns and Socialist Socialist for us in Southall!
importans and built Are not the President Wort me Workei rai campaign this situation. credibility September to mobilise support This becomes even mort because of the problems inside Southall itself.
We were very interested to read in last week's Socialist Chailenge that Vishnu Sharma.
of the Indian Association, the trials stopped. One of our problems has been getting hold of Vishnu to use the strength of the IWA in Southall and get a the ground.
There is growing discontent at the failure of the IWA to act in On 10 September the trials will start again. We would like a mass picket of the court in Barnet to show solidarity with the political prisoners. One of those coming up for trial on that day will be Clarence Baker of Mists, who was nearly killed by the police at Southall.
want your help. The of socialists in Southall will depend to a large extent on whether we get it or TEN DEFENDANTS
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ARDHE AZAD with bein had