Gatherings of all members of the Poverty Truth Commission
are always special events, bringing people together across social and economic
divides. Yesterday morning’s meeting, however, felt unique and had a distinctively
international flavour, connecting struggles for dignity, equality and justice
throughout the world. They reminded us all of our shared humanity and how we must
work collectively for change for everyone.
We were joined yesterday by a South African and Bolivian
community land rights activist. They told a story of an incredible community’s
resilience and togetherness when a natural disaster had left them with nothing,
and of a collective of shack dwellers coming together to challenge the rising
xenophobia they saw around them.
As well as learning from their experiences, commissioners
shared connections between what they heard and between inequalities and
injustices in Scotland. A story, for example, of a teenager who had fled
violence and persecution in her country of origin, only to be met with further
contempt and brutal treatment in the UK asylum system where she thought she was
safe.
From Powerless to
Powerful
Global problems, such as the current refugee humanitarian
crisis, or local issues, like the need for foodbanks in Scotland, can seem
almost impossible to solve and leave individuals feeling powerless. Dehumanising
language frequently used by certain politicians and newspapers undoubtedly
makes matters worse.
Many across the UK, however, have chosen to ignore this
narrative and instead look for the truth. They have been moved to act by the human
suffering they have seen and heard. At this morning’s meeting, one MSP spoke of
how her office had received numerous offers of help and assistance for refugees
from her local constituents, from both low-income and more affluent families.
Within the next few weeks around 60 Syrian refugees will
arrive in Glasgow. This will be the first instalment of around 20,000 arriving in
the UK over the next five years, and we should be proud that our city will be
the first in the UK to host. The message of the Commission is simple: welcome
them and help them to feel human again.
This does not to mean that there won’t be any challenges to
integrating refugees in Scotland. We know that if done in a top-down government
led manner, where local communities feel excluded, then tensions can develop. We
need, therefore, an inclusive planning process, centred on shifting the
narrative from seeing refugees as a burden, and a further housing statistic, to
seeing them as the human beings they are. We can only do this by hearing their
stories.
We must never stop being human: sharing stories and
learning, treating others with respect and standing up for each other.
Nothing About Us, Without Us, is For Us
