Chorlton Central Church

Despite the bigotry which stains the history of much of Christian history, both the Old and New Testaments emphasize the importance of welcoming immigrants.

The entire book of Ruth, in the Old Testament, is about the fate of a economic migrant, who leaves her native country during a famine, and subsequently returns, bringing one of her daughters-in-law, who herself becomes an immigrant in Ruth's native country, Israel.

Several years ago Chorlton Central Church signed up to the 'Refugees Welcome Here' campaign. Our government's policy towards asylum seekers and refugees distresses us and members are campaigning for better treatment of people who are being officially discriminated against when they are at their most vulnerable.

Health Care for Asylum Seekers and Migrant Workers

Restrictions have been proposed by government on access to primary health care for refused asylum seekers and many migrant workers. There has been a groundswell of opposition to these inhumane plans.

On 11th April this was ruled unlawful in the High Court in a ruling on the case of a Palestinian who is suffering from chronic liver disease, but whose return home has been held up because of the situation in the West Bank and problems with his documentation.

Adam Hundt, the man's solicitor, said: " He has never broken the law and the Home Office recognises that it has to provide him with accommodation so as not to breach his human rights. It seems perverse that housing is considered a basic human right and that healthcare is not."

Mr Hundt, of Pierce Glynn, added: "The government accepts that my client is doing all that he can to return home yet the government prevents him from working whilst he is waiting for the West Bank travel restrictions to be lifted. As a result my client cannot earn the money to pay for his treatment and if he does not receive the medication he needs his life is at risk."

This judgement may affect 11,000 people, but the government is appealling against the ruling.

For the full Times article follow this link

UK citizens are not usually aware of the costs of NHS Healthcare. As an example, some of the potential costs of pregnancy are given below;

The
Cost
of
Living

Blood Test:
Rubella test:
Standard Delivery:
Caesarean section:
Scans:
Ante-natal:

£20 each
£56
£1,604
£3,080
£200 each (min 2 needed)
£173 for the first, then subsequently £74 each

A Mother's Day card for Harriet Harman

This card, signed by members of the congregation on Mother's Day, 2nd March 2008, reads

'With Women for Refugee Women and other agencies, we call on the UK government to ensure that the persecution women face, including rape, honour crimes and female genital mutilation, is taken seriously in asylum claims; we call on the government not to make destitute, detain or deport women who are at risk of gender-related persecution.

'We, of Chorlton Central Church, Manchester, ask you, Harriet Harman, in your position as Minister for Women and Equalities,

to push for
justice for
women in the
asylum process,

including full implementation of the gender guidelines implemented in 2004;
access to quality legal representation for every woman asylum seeker;
and an end to the detention of families and survivors of torture.'

revised 5 May 2008