Outreach Activity- BHC - 28/02/2008
The British High Commission has been undertaking awareness-raising work in
relation to the harsh realities of illegal migration - including the
dangers, the exploitation and the physical, financial and personal loss to
families and migrants themselves. The aim is to inform the decisions that
people make about migration plans. This has been implemented through
outreach activity in Punjab, the key source state of illegal migrants to the
UK. The underlying message is "the only way is the legal way".
In 2007, outreach activity was conducted in more than 140 villages in
Punjab. Branded vans visited the villages and outreach workers distributed
leaflets, placed posters and answered questions, played an audio medley
comprising skits about illegal migration, a 10 minute film and radio
advertisements. In addition, advertisements were placed in regional
newspapers.
A key part of the work in 2007 was a seminar held in Chandigarh entitled
"Migration - myths and realities". Punjab Governor, Gen Rodrigues (ret'd)
was special guest. The audience was shown a film entitled "Shores Far Away"
produced by film maker Savyasaachi Jain, which provided an extraordinarily
powerful visual portrayal of the suffering and exploitation of illegal
migrants.
The work continues in 2008 the rural outreach programme taking in a further
800 villages in rural Punjab. The focus is the Doaba region encompassing the
districts of Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Karpurthala and Nawanshahr. The outreach
programme will run from February through to the end of April. We are working
with RK Swarmy to roll out this programme.
We have added a new element to the outreach programme - street theatre. This
is performed by a Punjabi theatre group called Culture Connect. The play is
about two characters "Happy" and "Lucky" - how one goes to the UK legally
and the other tries to go illegally.
The intention is to roll out this information awareness raising activity to
other source states of illegal migration to the UK in due course.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
I applaud the British High Commission for bringing its "Go legal, avoid the
illegal migration route" communication exercise.
Over the last 2 days events have been staged across 4 villages in the Qila
Raipur constituency, based around a short play, which not only held the
audience spellbound but also underlined the core message.
This also sends a clear message to government: act now before more lives are
ruined by agents.
The British High Commission campaign in the Qila Raipur villages strengthens
my campaign to promote the legal route.
