Many of us are also aware that political oppression, intolerable hardship, war and civil unrest can drive human beings like ourselves to become refugees – people who have lost everything including their country of birth. This means that the same people who receive our compassion and understanding when we see them on television may arrive in the United Kingdom, in Scotland. They may – because they are unimaginably courageous and determined – manage to become refugees in our country. And in our country these same people will be imprisoned like criminals, harassed by a variety of authorities, kept in conditions of permanent uncertainty, stripped of their dignity, their ability to contribute to their new home and sometimes of their health and mental well-being. It seems strange that this is not a source of daily outrage in Scotland and that we can do no better than torment those who have nothing beyond their will to survive even our wilful neglect and abuse.

PAIH is an organisation which works in Scotland and exists to support the most vulnerable amongst us – people constantly portrayed as a threat in the wider media, people hidden from our compassion – refugees and vulnerable ethnic minorities. PAIH helps the people of Scotland to express their humanity and to help refugees become new citizens and contributing Scots, rather than prisoners and victims of governmental insensitivity which amounts to torture. PAIH is part of a long Scottish tradition of humanitarian and open-hearted actions and something of which we can be proud. "

A L Kennedy
http://www.a-l-kennedy.co.uk

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