Episode 21 - Steve Valdez-Symonds

The invasion of Ukraine has caught the UK public's gaze in a way that no other recent war has. Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen’s brutal wars have resulted in the displacement of millions of people, and yet some have had to seek sanctuary by risking their lives, not least on flimsy dinghies on the channel. Not only do they face a hostile welcome, but a Nationality and Borders Bill that seeks to criminalise them but not so for Ukrainian Refugees. They’ve had empathy on a scale Britain hasn’t seen before, the mainstream media has framed their plight with compassion and humanity. We speak to Steve Valdez Symonds from Amnesty International, they have a proud record of advocating for the rights of all Refugees and Migrants. Most of the people they work with have had to endure an inhumane hostile welcome all over Europe. We ask, what’s changed? So why are Ukrainian Refugees seen as different? 

Om Podcasten

Hello & welcome to the Carag podcast channel. We are a grassroots migrant led community organisation that works to dismantle the UK’s ’hostile’ immigration infrastructure and we focus on helping our communities settle in the UK. We invite you to join us on our new podcast channel, ”Still We Rise”. Together with some very special guests, we will be taking you on a journey across the world without you having to go anywhere. Whether you are interested in why people are leaving their countries, the details of their journeys, the struggles they face in the UK and indeed the successes they achieve. Then you should subscribe to our channel. Visit our website. www.carag.co.uk