Radio Calais: Episode 33 | The War on Refugees

This Radio Calais episode is a little different. We usually cover the brutality of push backs of refugees at UK and EU borders and the treatment of refugees once they arrive within these borders. We tell local examples of repression that we know are widespread. Reproduced over and over at every border. We cover resistance, because we are part of it, because it happens, because it brings hope. But this episode, we are taking an overview of border violence and giving it a name. There is a war against refugees. It is an undeclared war against a people that never carry weapons, have very few possessions at all, they are homeless, they are all civilians, many are children.

A small example to begin. In a 2021 UK Department of International Trade report Border Security and Introduction to UK Capability, there’s an image at the beginning that represents an idealised border showing three people preparing to get out of an inflatable dinghy. There’s a label:

“Equipment to engage with targets and stop them, as well as equipment to facilitate successful arrest and detention of suspects.’

Refugees are targets.

Evidence of this in our rather figure heavy Radio Calais episode to follow.

Ms. Lauryn Hill - Consumerism Baloji - Koffi - La Tache ft. Bongeziwe Mabandla Akalé Wubé, Genet Asefa - Alègntayé Z.E.P. - Palestine Slimane Azem & Cheikh Nourredine - La carte de résidence Gaby Zgheib ft. El Far3i - Tghayarti (Official Remix) _ تغيّرتي Menstrual Cramps - Class War Ndox Electrique - Lëk Ndau Mbay Souleymane Diamanke, Seyda Sana - Moment D’Humanité THEE SACRED SOULS - SORROW FOR TOMORROW