A Birmingham councillor has spoken movingly of her own family鈥檚 struggle to flee persecution in Iraq during a debate on the refugee crisis.
Labour councillor Claire Spencer gave an emotional account of the difficulties and urged the city to make them feel at home.
Coun Spencer (Moseley and Kings Heath) was speaking as it was confirmed that Birmingham would welcome at least 50 refugees under the Government鈥檚 official resettlement programme.
She told how her mother鈥檚 Chaldean Catholic family had to flee from the city of Dohuk in the 1960s where they were being persecuted for their faith to the capital Baghdad.
And since then aunts, uncles and even her grandmother have fled to make new lives in the 海角视频, USA and Lebanon during the two Gulf Wars and more recently the persecution of ISIS. Other relatives remain and probably live in fear for their lives. She said: 鈥淲ith a mum from Dohuk, I may be one of the few with relatives . Relatives who know all to well what it is to lose your homes, your identities, to flee.鈥 Coun Spencer explained that councillors and the wider community need to back the City of Sanctuary initiative to help those who arrive to settle.
鈥淲e have to understand how much our new citizens will miss their homes. To understand the pain knowing that what makes you feel like you isn鈥檛 there anymore or if it is, is twisted, corrupted.鈥
She said one refugee had found the fact that their had been ruined by ISIS was 鈥渃rushing鈥 and that this pain was worsened when they are not made welcome.
鈥淭hey need so much more than a home, they need support, they need counselling and need new lives where they can work, socialise and feel welcome.
鈥淭hey have watched their homes sink into the dust caught between Isis and a cruel government.
鈥淚n times of peace they would never consider leaving their homes, they loved them as we love ours.
鈥淲hen the choice is leave or die, you leave.鈥
She said it was in our interest to treat then as .
鈥淭hey are better welcomed into Britain, better welcomed into Birmingham than into the waiting arms of ISIS who would kill every man, woman and child in this city if it served their twisted ideology.鈥
Her speech was widely applauded by fellow councillors.
Birmingham鈥檚 council leader Sir Albert Bore and cabinet member for community safety James McKay confirmed that the city was definitely able to accommodate 50 Syrian refugees and said they hoped they could find places for more.
He said: 鈥淢any will feel 50 is not sufficient but it is a realistic number and achievable.鈥 They said they would work with government, aid agencies and community groups to find practical measures to support refugees. 鈥淲e may not be able to solve the crisis in Syria but we can help some of the victims,鈥 Coun McKay added.
There was broad cross party support from the Conservatives and Lib Dems for the initiative, although some argument over the details.
Lib Dem leader Paul Tilsley said he hoped they would be able to take 50 families, not just 50 individuals.
on Birmingham to honour its pledge and allow 50 refugees to settle here.
Fifty members of the group attended the council meeting to show how few the number is in a city of a million people.
