1990s campaigns

This file consists of correspondence; reports; flyers; and press cuttings relating to campaigns which the Indian Workers Association organised or supported during the 1990s and early years of the 21st century. Many of these papers contain information about campaigns against racism and immigration legislation, and there is some material on investigations carried out by Birmingham City Council into the issue of institutional racism, following the 1999 inquiry into the death of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Some of the campaign material dating from 2002 onwards makes reference to the Indian Workers Association's involvement in campaigns against the Iraq war, and there is also a letter concerning the effects on Asian communities of the 7 July 2005 bombings in London.

/1 cartoon published in 'The Guardian' 11 August 1993 showing television cameras filming the arrival of a person on a stretcher, while a man gagged and chained is taken towards an aeroplane by officials, unseen by the cameras

/2 newspaper article published in 'The Guardian' 1 September 1993 on the issue of domestic violence

/3-/4 newspaper article published in 'Workers Power' giving details about a Unity demonstration against racism and fascism to be held 16 October 1993, together with a flyer in English and Punjabi issued by the Indian Workers Association giving information about this demonstration, which was to include a march on the headquarters of the British National Party [BNP] in London

/5 programme for a public meeting organised by several Tower Hamlets community organisations to discuss ways to unite to oppose the British National Party [BNP] and to gain justice for victims of racial violence and those criminalised for resisting racism, at Stepney Green School, 5 December 1993

/6 letter from Mick Connolly, Trades Union Congress [TUC], to Avtar Jouhl, discussing arrangements for the TUC march and demonstration against racism arranged for 19 March 1994 in the East End of London, to mark the anniversary of the Sharpesville massacre in South Africa and to protest against the rise in racist attacks and the popularity of the British National Party [BNP] in East London. The letter goes on to give information about a meeting of a number of national and Tower Hamlets based organisations to discuss the strategy to mobilise support for this event, and includes an agenda for this meeting, 8 December 1993

/7 press statement issued by the Indian Workers Association in support of the Trades Union Congress [TUC] demonstration against racism and racial violence in London, 19 March 1994

/8 photocopy of a newspaper article published in the 'Leicester Mercury' 28 February 1994 reporting on an Anti Nazi rally in Highfields, Leicester, attended by members of the Indian Workers Association, amongst other groups

/9 statement issued by the Indian Workers Association congratulating the Tower Hamlets Anti Racist Committee for organising the National Assembly Against Racism and creating the Charter Against Racism, 1994. The statement also gives a brief history of the aims and objectives of the Indian Workers Association

/10 statement issued by the Asian Chamber of Commerce sending greetings to the National Assembly Against Racism and welcoming the Charter Against Racism. The statement also includes a list of the concerns of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, 1994

/11 founding statement issued by the National Black Alliance of Asian African Caribbean Organisations, founded by the Indian Workers Association (GB); Society of Black Lawyers; National Black Caucus' and Tower Hamlets Anti-Racist Committee. The statement sets out the aims and objectives of the Alliance which was formed to unite black and Asian peoples in Britain in the face of increasing racism and violent attacks

/12 flyer issued by CAPA Tower Hamlets Anti-Racist Committee giving information about a demonstration to protest at police conduct in the cases of Stephen Lawrence, Rolan Adams, Quddus Ali, Muktar Ahmed, Suel Miah and Shah Alam, and to demand a public enquiry into the functions of the Racial Harassment Unit based at Limehouse Police Station, 25 March 1995

/13 flyer issued by the Campaign Against the Immigration and Asylum Bill giving information about a national demonstration to be held in London 24 February [1996]. The flyer includes the names of individuals and organisations who supported this campaign

/14 photocopy of a photograph featuring S. Daljit Singh Sher-Gill welcoming Harkashan Singh Surjeet, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India at Sandwell Council House, 16 August 1997

/15 flyer issued by the Socialist Labour Party and the Indian Workers Association giving information about a public meeting to be held at the Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Centre 20 March 1999 to gain support for a campaign for justice for Lakhinder (Ricky) Reel, an Asian teenager who went missing in October 1997 after being racially abused and was found dead a week later. Relatives and supporters were accusing the Metropolitan Police of mishandling the investigation into his death, and there were allegations of institutional racism

/16-/20 papers relating to Birmingham City Council's Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Public Policy Panel, including a statement by the Indian Workers Association based on consultation with other community organisations and trade unions which includes suggestions about the questions that the panel ought to ask in making its recommendations, April 2000; copy of the Birmingham City Council Review on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Public Policy Review; copy of 'The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and Home Secretary's Action Plan, Initial Guidance for Local Authorities' June 1999; photocopy of the 'recommendations' chapter of an unidentified document advising on the correct procedures for police reporting, recording and investigating racist incidents and crimes; newspaper articles published in 'The Guardian' by several journalists and commentators in a special report one year after the publication of the MacPherson report on the murder of Stephen Lawrence, February 2000

/21 newspaper article published in 'Sutton Coldfield Observer' 21 April 2000 reporting on recent incidents of racial harassment in Kingstanding and Erdington

/22 letter from the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate to S. Sanghwal, Indian Workers Association, relating to the Government's intentions to introduce a bonds scheme for visitors from the Indian subcontinent and responding to the concerns of the Indian Workers Association about this scheme, 11 May 2000

/23 copy letter from the Indian Workers Association; Overseas Indian Congress UK; Janta Dal UK; Sant Nirankari Mandal; and the Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Centre to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, India, welcoming him on his visit to Birmingham and Sandwell and raising issues of concern to people of Indian origin holding British passports regarding registration in India and the question of dual nationality, 22 May 2000

/24 newspaper article published in 'The Times' 16 May 2000 featuring comments by Gurbux Singh, the new chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, on racial discrimination and the problems faced by asylum seekers

/25 election flyer in English and several South Asian languages for Socialist Labour Party candidate Sheera Johal, who was standing in council elections 4 May 2000

/26 photocopy of newspaper articles published in 'The Asian Age' 15 August 2000 for an Independence Day special on activists including Udham Singh, Bhagat Singh and Madan Lal who were involved in the struggle for Indian independence

/27 letter from Barbara Cohen, Principal Legal Officer, Commission for Racial Equality, to Avtar Sawiq, National President of the Indian Workers Association, concerning the issue of the introduction of fees for family visitor appeals, and enclosing a copy of a letter to the Home Secretary signed by the Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality and officers of other organisations welcoming the reduction of fees charged to people exercising their right of appeal against a refusal of a visa to visit a family member in Britain, but expressing concern about the principle of charging for access to the social welfare tribunal system, 19 January 2001

/28 election leaflet for Socialist Labour Party candidate Avtar Jouhl, who was standing in the Birmingham Perry Barr constituency in the 2001 General Election

/29 booklet produced by the Federation of Sikh Organisations, Leicestershire, containing fixtures lists for the Vaisakhi 2002 National Football Tournament, 25-26 May 2002

/30 statement issued by Avtar Jouhl, General Secretary of the Indian Workers Association, consisting of a tribute to Surinder Kumar Tagger, co-ordinator of the Shaheed Udham Singh Welfare Centre, following his sudden death on 4 August 2002. The statement contains a brief biography, and an account of his funeral

/31-/32 correspondence between Avtar Jouhl and West Bromwich Building Society concerning letting restrictions on mortgaged properties to foreign diplomats posted in Britain, with particular reference to attempts by a diplomat at the Consulate General Office of India to rent property in Bournville, September 2002

/33 information circular to Indian Workers Association Central Executive Committee members and branch secretaries containing details about a national demonstration organised by the 'Stop the War' coalition 28 September 2002 to oppose an impending attack by the USA and Britain on Iraq

/34 correspondence between Avtar Jouhl for the Indian Workers Association and the All India Plantation Workers' Federation on the subject of the Federation's national conference in Chikkamugaloor, Karnadaka State. Jouhl's letter expresses support for the Federation's campaigns to improve working conditions for plantation workers in India, November 2002

/35 statement issued by the Indian Workers Association calling on the Prime Minister of India to reject US requests for Indian troops to serve in Iraq, undated, but probably issued during 2003

/36 letter from Avtar Jouhl to Clare Short, Labour MP for Ladywood, asking her to make representation to the Home Office regarding the imposition of fees for the transfer of 'No Time Limit' or 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' stamps from expired non EU passports to new passports for Indian nationals settled in the UK, 18 August 2003

/37 information brief in English and Punjabi giving details about the formation and aims of the Indian Workers Association, and its current activities, encouraging new members to join. The leaflet is undated, but was probably issued during 2004

/38 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to N. P. Sharma, Consulate General of India, giving details of matters to be discussed at a meeting arranged by the Consulate with representatives of Indian organisations. Most of the issues relate to passport and visa regulations, but one of the topics concerns the backlash against Asian communities in Britain following the 7 July 2005 bombings in London. The letter is dated 11 August 2005

/39 letter from the Indian Workers Association Leamington and Warwick branch to Avtar Jouhl inviting him to a cultural event featuring music, drama, fashion and comedy to be held at the Pump Rooms in Royal Leamington Spa, 22 October 2005

/40 flyer issued by the Kashmiri Workers Association (Britain) Birmingham branch consisting of a statement of this organisation's views about the 'occupation' of Kashmir by Pakistan, calling on people to 'support the right of Kashmiri people to self-determination, sovereignty and independence'. The leaflet is undated, but internal evidence suggests that it was probably issued sometime after 1995

The file also contains a number of press cuttings in Punjabi about Indian Workers Association campaigns during the 1990s