Divided families - international roundup (Sunday night reading)

Sources :Vox, Guardian, NPR, CBS, BBC, Sydney Morning Herald, Jerusalem Post, UNHCR

Vox : 'Meet the attorney who got Uganda’s anti-gay law overturned'

http://www.vox.com/2014/8/21/6005841/meet-the-attorney-who-got-ugandas-antigay-law-overturned

'Nicholas Opiyo is a 34 year-old attorney who lives and practices law in Kampala, Uganda. He was appointed to a team of lawyers that was tasked with challenging and ultimately prosecuting Uganda's infamous Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). In fact, Opiyo was the lead counsel for the issue on which the case was decided. After a four-day trial, the law was officially declared "null and void" by a constitutional court in Uganda on August 1.'

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/01/uganda-anti-gay-law-null-and-void

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Guardian : Florida same-sex marriage ban ruled unconstitutional in federal court

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/21/florida-same-sex-marriage-ban-ruled-unconstitutional

'A federal judge on Thursday declared Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, joining state judges in four counties who have sided with gay couples.'

NPR : Same-sex marriages on hold in Virginia after Supreme Court weighs in

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/08/20/341944611/same-sex-marriages-on-hold-in-virginia-after-supreme-court-weighs-in

'The decision was widely expected and tells little about how the high court will ultimately rule on the issue. It merely preserves the status quo.'

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/with-virginia-on-hold-same-sex-marriage-cases-await-supreme-court/

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BBC : Arrests at protests against Israeli interfaith wedding

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28831114

'Four far-right Jewish protesters have been arrested at the wedding of a Jewish-born woman who converted to Islam and an Arab Muslim man in Israel.

'Several hundred demonstrators rallied outside the reception hall in Rishon LeZion on Sunday, amid high security. The groom, Mahmoud Mansour, had sought a court order to try to stop the protest from taking place but failed. '

'Right-wing extremists can't break the love of a Muslim man and Jewish woman in Israel' :
http://www.smh.com.au/world/rightwing-extremists-cant-break-the-love-of-a-muslim-man-and-jewish-woman-in-israel-20140818-1058hp.html

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-to-be-out-in-force-as-extremists-plan-to-protest-Arab-Jewish-wedding-371338

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UNHCR : Escape to Samos

http://tracks.unhcr.org/2014/07/escape-to-samos/

'Hundreds of Syrian refugees make the treacherous journey to Samos Island in Greece. Only some of them find sanctuary.'

Theresa May MP: Immediately retract Anne's removal directions to Uganda

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/theresa-may-mp-immediately-retract-anne-s-removal-directions-to-uganda

'Anne was forced to flee her village because she has relationships with women, and rented properties to other lesbians. On 21st March she received removal directions for her deportation to Uganda. Her deportation is scheduled for Wednesday 9th April. Anne will face certain danger if she is returned to Uganda.

'Anne's case is the first documented scenario where a landlord letting property to gay tenants has been violently persecuted, since the passing of Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law last month. It is an extremely concerning indicator of the consequences of passing this Law; consequences which can only be expected to accelerate in severity if appropriate support and protection is not afforded to those at risk. The wider ramifications of Anne’s imminent deportation, and consequent danger to her life must not be ignored. The harm certain to befall Anne on her return to Uganda will act as a direct deterrent to landlords currently providing housing for gay people in the country.

'I urge you to immediately retract Anne's removal directions to Uganda. '

Background :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda_Anti-Homosexuality_Act,_2014

Jackie Nanyonjo, and an event for migrant children

http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/03/14/protestors-call-for-uk-home-secretary-to-resign-after-deported-ugandan-lesbian-dies/

A protest outside the home office, called on Theresa May to resign after Jackie Nanyonjo  died in Uganda after being held in a United Kingdon detention center, and then handed to a security agency and then deported to Uganda by UK border agency. Read the full report here: http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/03/14/house-of-lords-calls-for-decriminalization-of-homosexuality-in-commonwealth-because-of-higher-hiv-rates/

Protesters at the Home Office claimed that Jackie Nanyonjo, a Ugandan lesbian forcibly deported to Entebbe in January who allegedly arrived vomiting blood after being restrained on the flight and died on 8 March.

More : http://www.pinknews.co.uk/topic/jackie-nanyonjo/

(January 2013): Everyone is appealing to the UK: Don't deport Jackie Nanyonjo : http://www.everyonegroup.com/EveryOne/MainPage/Entries/2013/1/10_EveryOne_is_appealing_to_the_UK__not_deported_to_Uganda_Jackie_Nanyonjo.html

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Fractured childhoods: the separation of migrant families.

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/events/2013/fractured-childhoods-separation-migrant-families

The removal of migrants from the UK is high on the news agenda. However, inflammatory rhetoric often hides the very real harm which can be caused to children when families are split by immigration control. Join us for the launch of a ground-breaking report and hear from experts in the field and affected families.

Speakers:  - Dr. Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England
       - Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Children’s Minister
       - A mother who was separated from her children by immigration detention
       - Sarah Campbell, author of report, Bail for Immigration Detainees

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Gavin Barwell, Conservative MP : Seven ways of engaging ethnic minority voters.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/majority_conservatism/2013/03/from-gavinbarwellmp-seven-ways-of-engaging-ethnic-minority-voters.html

I tweeted (as https://twitter.com/sjplep) : Engage with people by taking action on rules which divide families.http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/stories