Brussels/Strasbourg/International
Comment on Current Affairs - Iraq Deportations
Jean Demonstrating in London against the Iraq Deportations - see comment
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Jean issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks and affirming London's diversity of race and religion.
Jean met representatives of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq to discuss women's rights in relation to the proposed Iraqi constitution and related concerns.
Jean spoke at a demonstration opposing the Home Office decision to deport Iraqi Kurds. Jean issued a statement (see comment) in support of Iraqi Kurds who face danger if deported to Iraq. Jean will continue to support the campaign and speak out against deportations.
Jean supported the RISE anti-racism festival in Burgess Park, South London. This year's event was broadened out to become a festival of London solidarity, following the bomb attacks.
To mark the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima Day on 6 August, Jean participated in a commemoration event with East London Peace and Justice.
Environment
As part of the Environment Village at the Tall Ships Race in Newcastle, Jean spoke on the 'Energy Questions' panel, organised by Switched On Generation. The event promoted renewable energy to a wide audience attending the Tall Ships Race.
Jean attended the Westminster launch of the Friends of the Earth report on how the CBI are 'shouting down the progressive voice of business'. It has put the CBI on the defensive, arguing that they don't represent all business interests in their conservative attitude to the environment and regulation.
Representatives of Jean's office met with local Green campaigners to discuss Crossrail, the proposed cross-London rail service. Whilst supporting Crossrail, Jean, along with other Greens, is advocating some changes to the current proposals to meet community concerns.
In a call for action to preserve more of London's green habitats, Jean visited the unique London Wetlands Centre in the heart of the capital at Barnes. The wildlife at the 40 hectare wetland is under threat from an inappropriate neighbouring development.
Events
In Walthamstow, her home area, Jean gave a talk to a secondary school on EU issues. She participated in the Asian Family Welfare Association fundraising event and Waltham Forest Green Fair.
Jean spoke at the annual meeting of the National Council for Voluntary Organisation (NCVO) Eurogroup and Parliamentary Workers' Group on “Integrating EU and Westminster campaigning”.
Concerns of constituents
Jean has received a number of letters and emails about the Equitable Life Members Action group petition to the Petitions Committee. She will be bringing this to the attention of the Petitions Committee Secretariat and to her Green Group colleagues who sit on the committee.
Jean has continued to make representations to the Home Office on UK asylum policy and individual asylum and deportation/removal cases.
Jean has been opposing the siting of new 3G mobile phone masts in inappropriate areas, and has written to relevant planning authorities. One such site is on Lennox Road, in Walthamstow.
Brussels/Strasbourg/International
Strasbourg
As Vice President of the European Parliament Anti-Poverty Intergroup, Jean called for the fight against poverty to be government necessity - not just a policy, with consistent action on international and local scale, in the short and the long term. She supported the White Band events organised by Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).
Jean met with the Quaker Study Group which runs study visits for Quakers interested in finding out more about the European Institutions. Jean focussed on the issues of how the Parliament works and employment policy.
On the occasion of the 12th inter-parliamentary meeting between the European Parliament and the Republic of India, Jean attended some of the meeting and a dinner held for the Delegation of the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Written Declarations Signed:
Jean signed two written declarations. One on the need to establish more and fairer trade relations with Africa and a second on making the issue of rheumatic diseases an EU health priority.
Brussels
Following information provided by the Greens at the GLA, Jean submitted a Written Question to the Commission on London breaches of EU air pollution standards. Jean highlighted that no reaction from the British government would be a particularly bad message to be sending out under the UK Presidency.
Senior members of the Chartered Institute of Journalists met with Jean to talk about the key issues that she deals with in her Committees.
As part of Lord Freeman's Parliamentary Scheme, Jean met with interns from London to talk about the work of an MEP.
Delegation work
Civil society organisation representatives from some of the countries affected by the December tsunami disaster visited the Parliament in July to meet with MEPs from the SAARC Delegation. They talked to Jean about developments in the area since her visit to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Of particular concern are the plans for tourism in Sri Lanka which could squeeze out the fisher folk, so badly affected by the Tsunami.
Jean met with Tim Gill, the European Campaigns Coordinator from the
Asian Human Rights Commission to talk about the formation of an NGO coalition on Nepal as a response to the worsening political, human rights and humanitarian crisis there. The coalition aims to focus on building an effective and working rule of law, the re-establishment of the democratic institutions and freedom of expression.
International
Geneva
In August Jean delivered a speech on 'Rape as a Weapon of War' for the IHRAAMat a high level event at the UN in Geneva. She concluded that the wider context to all the specific work is the issue of attitudes towards women and that is what has to undergo real, fundamental change in virtually every country. Everything we do to enhance the rights of women and improve international respect for human rights in general can contribute to the prevention of rape as a weapon of war. The speech is available in full on her website.
Denmark
Invited by Danish MEP Margarete Auken, Jean participated in a Summer School for the SF Party in Denmark where she gave a speech on 'the Green vision for Europe - a social and legitimate EU'.
In Strasbourg Jean gave a series of interviews to Slovak Television, French Radio, EBS and others in reaction to the London Bombings and to the BBC on the London Olympics.
Jean was interviewed by ‘The Waste Paper Magazine’ regarding recycling and waste management in the UK and by ‘Third Sector’ magazine on the National Council for Voluntary Organisation event she spoke at.
In response to an article in The Guardian, concerning civil liberties and security in the UK, Jean wrote a letter to the editor that was published the following day. This was followed by an ITV interview on Charles Clarke’s list of unacceptable terrorism-behaviours in the UK. The Interview was televised live on the ITV News Channel.
Jean also wrote a letter to Metro on issues surrounding failed asylum seekers.
Jean received press coverage in the Daily Telegraph commenting on Air Quality Schemes in the EU.
Local press coverage was gained following Jean’s visit to the London Wetland centre in Barnes.
Jean gave her support to The Observer / Glamour Magazine ‘Rape Crisis’ Campaign.
Comment on Current Affairs - Iraq Deportations
Over the Summer Even though Iraq is still in the grip of violence, terror and human rights abuses, immigration officers in the UK began to deport asylum seekers to Iraq. Jean called for action to halt the deportations. During the protest, organised by the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees she said;
Iraq is not a safe place. UNHCR spokes person, Peter Kessler, has said that no part of Iraq can be considered safe for rejected asylum seekers. He has given strong advice to the UK government (and to other countries) not to return refused asylum seekers. But the government is ignoring and rejecting this advice.
We hear daily reports of bombing’s, kidnappings and a whole range of other security problems. The constitution hasn't been agreed, and the future stability and security in the country is highly uncertain. If refused asylum seekers are to be returned to a country, there needs to be a properly constructed program in place to accommodate the returnees. Currently in Iraq there is no such program and they will be entering into an unpredictable and dangerous environment. In short, Iraq is not safe, and people should not be sent back there against their will. The sad and shocking reality is that the UK Government is so keen to reach targets and lower the numbers of refused asylum seekers remaining in this country, that they are no longer treating people as individuals. The result of the UK policy is to put individuals in danger, and that is not acceptable.
8 September, Green Party Conference, Lancaster
15 September, LIBE Committee visit to Lampedusa
21 September, Green Group Enlarged Bureau meeting on Green jobs in Denmark
19 September, EU Turkey Civic Commission Conference on Kurds, Brussels
30 September, EQUAL asylum seekers Event, London