Unity in purpose in Suffolk

Yesterday, an inaugural Black Congress conference was held by ISCRE (the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality).

The Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality was formed in 1996 (the same year as OBV) and has been working in partnership with OBV for some years. In the last twelve months OBV Director, Simon Woolley has spoken at their AGM in Autumn and Deputy Director, Ashok Viswanathan at a hustings meeting that they organised in the Ipswich constituency which was also attended by the current MP, Ben Gummer.

OBV Deputy Director, Ashok spoke again at yesterday's event about the election and the battles to come for the BME communities of Suffolk. He talked about how every vote counted in the last General Election. With a majority of just over 2000, Ipswich has become a top 10% marginal constituency. Yet, at the last election the turnout in Ipswich was lower than the national average. Furthermore, there were more OAPs that went to the ballot box, than 18-24 year olds. One in three people on the electoral register didn’t go to the polling station and almost a quarter of the population didn’t even register to vote. Imagine the power they would wield of they acted with greater purpose?

The conference heard that BME communities - while a minority in areas like Suffolk - can make great strides if they are organised and mobilised and registered to vote; holding their politicians to account and engaging in the wider democratic process. However, this can only happen by BME communities being united and working together despite differences. That appeared to be the main and important, but not only outcome of this conference.

Tanesha Wedderburn, the conference coordinator, Director Jane Basham and the whole ISCRE team deserve great credit for organising this important first conference bringing diverse BME communities together with a unity of purpose; to eliminate discrimination and strive for greater equality over the whole region.

This conference was the first step in that direction, but the critical truth is that with the predicament many BME communities and BME groups face in the current financial climate this mobilisation is only the end of the beginning in the battles ahead.

Rob Berkley quoting Archbishop Desmond Tutu perhaps put it best when he said he asked Tutu ‘How do you keep the faith, stay positive about the potential for change and not tire?’ Tutu replied: How do you eat an elephant? ... One step at a time.

Ashok Viswanathan