Community Relations Commission correspondence

This file contains some correspondence between the Indian Workers Association and the Community Relations Commission, largely on the subject of police harassment of black and Asian people, and includes other correspondence and associated material about this issue. The file also contains a small amount of correspondence relating to other campaigning activities that the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association was involved with in 1972

Papers relating to police harassment consist of:

/1 flyer published by the 'Joshua Francis Committee' announcing a public meeting at Lambeth Town Hall to highlight the plight of this man, beaten by police and convicted by an all white jury in March 1972. Speakers from the West Indian Standing Conference; Black Unity and Freedom Party; Jamaican High Commission; Black Panther Movement; Runnymede Trust' and Association of Jamaicans were to attend this meeting

/2-/3 letters from members of the National Council for Civil Liberties concerning police harassment in Handsworth. One letter asks Avtar Jouhl whether he can arrange meetings with people who have recently experienced trouble in this area, February-March 1972

/4-/5 correspondence between the Indian Workers Association and Mark Bonham Carter, Chairman of the Community Relations Commission, relating to 'The Police and You' leaflet, distributed by Community Relations Councils in Warley, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. Avtar Jouhl expresses concern that the leaflet contains misleading information, March 1972

/6-/7 two copies of 'The Police and You' leaflet. One copy is in English; the other is in Punjabi and is stamped by Warley Community Relations Council

Other correspondence consists of:

/8 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to Teja Singh Sahota discussing Central Committee business, 14 March 1972

/9-/10 copy letters from Avtar Jouhl, secretary of the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association, to the Ambassador of the United States of America in London, and the Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam supporting the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam and condemning US imperialism - includes letter to American ambassador in London April-May 1972

/11 circular to all branches concerning payment for the newsletter 'Khabarnama' and the availability of the pamphlet 'Arrest: Know your rights' published by the Birmingham branch of the Indian Workers Association, 1 May 1972