Letter of Protest to MAFF

From The Chinese Civil Rights Action Group (UK)
c/o 48 Great Eastem Street London EC2A 3EP

The Rt. Hon. Nick Brown MP
Secretary of State Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

8th April 2001

HAND DELIVERED

Dear Minister,

Chinese catering is the economic foundation of the Chinese cornmunity in Britain. Over 70% of the community is in the catering or catering related industry. It has taken more than half a century for the Chinese community to establish itself in the heart of the British catering and tourist industry. Early Chinese catering establishments were mostly small family-run takeaways. The industry has since grown in strength to include restaurants of high quality and reputation Chinatowns in London, Manchester and other British cities have become major tourist attractions recommended in tourist information centres and travel literature around the world. From sheer hard work and the emergence of the second generation British Chinese, we also count amongst our ranks other essential professionals such as doctors, lawyers, artists, teachers, nurses accountants and many others. The Chinese in Britain are proud to have created employment and wealth in the UK and to have enriched British multi-cultural society.

We are closely linked to British agriculture, fishing and food industries. The effect of the foot and mouth outbreak has affected the Chinese community as well, many, reporting a drop in trade. We also understand and feel connected with the countryside, bearing in mind that many Chinese here were originally farmers who had lost their livelihood when the British government displaced farms in Hong Kong with urban industry. As such, we have first hand knowledge of the hardship being experienced by farming families in the current crisis. We share the concerns and support all the measures taken by the government to prevent and control foot and mouth disease.

However, recent press reports have alleged that the prime source of the outbreak was illegally imported meat that found its way from a Chinese restaurant to pigswill used on an infected farm. This allegation is unfounded but it has affected the British Chinese community profoundly. It has severely set back half a century's worth of work an efforts towards building harmonious race relations. The Chinese community in Britain is outraged by this attack on our livelihood and integrity. More worryingly, the racist overtones of such reports has been followed by an increase in abuse, harassrnent and attacks on Chinese catering establishments up and down the country. We are deeply aggrieved by this allegation and its effect.

The reports were first carried in the Guardian and the Times on 27th March 2001. They suggested that the sources of the allegation were an official scientific report and a statement that your Right Honourable self would make in Parliament on the same day. However, our investigations have found this to be untrue. There was no evidence of any scientific report published or being produced on the issue, and your statement to the House of Commons made no specific mention of the possible sources of the current outbreak. This being the case, we pose the question: where then did the allegation that the Chinese are to blame for starting the foot and mouth outbreak come from?

Your ministry advised us that it did not give any press briefings that linked foot and mouth to Chinese restaurants as suggested by the Times. Such irresponsible reporting in the Times and the Guardian was followed by frenzies in the tabloids, television, radio and local papers reporting this rumour as if it were a proven matter. The scale and intensity of the slander caused an immediate drop in businesses throughout the country; up to 40% drop in business in London and up to 25% drop in Scotland. Chinese supermarkets and food stores have been similarly affected.

A further consequence of such irresponsible reports is an immediate increase in abuses, harassment, and attacks on Chinese restaurants and shops. Such reports have also instigated harassing raids by environmental health officials on Chinese supermarkets, food stores and restaurants, often accompanied by the added pressure of cameras and journalists. The Chinese community is feeling under siege and resents being criminalized.

As the Minister responsible for MAFF' we urge you:

1. to make a statement to exonerate Chinese catering and Chinese food as the source of the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease;

2. to make a statement condemning irresponsible reporting by the press;

3. to investigate the source of the allegation, and take appropriate action to sanction those that are responsible;

4. to alert the Home secretary about increased threatening behaviour by racis elenients in British society and the actual increase in abuses, harassment an attacks on Chinese establishments;

5. to request that the Home Secretary takes appropriate measures to ensure the personal safety of Chinese people and protection of Chinese restaurants, takeaways, supermarkets and food stores against racial attacks;

6. to restrain environmental health officers from over zealous and arbitrary inspection of Chinese food establishrnents incited by the unfounded allegations;

7. to provide compensation and/or assistance to Chinese food business that have suffered financial loss; and

8. to consider measures to rebuild the confidence in Chinese food, and to assist in promoting Chinese catering food.

Because the Chinese community's livelihood, safety and confidence is being threatened, your personal intervention with your governmental colleagues will be crucial in helping us cope with this crisis in the Community. The Chinese Civil Rights Action Group is supported by over 160 Chinese associations who represent all sectors of the community. We believe our joint effort will not only turn this crisis around, it is also a turning point in truly recognising the contribution of the Chinese community in Britain.

As the Chinese Civil Rights Action Group (UK) has not acquired an office yet, please contact our Chief Negotiator, Jabez Lam at 07940 514 268 for further information.

We look forward to working constructively with you and we thank you in anticipation.

Yours truly,

Jabez Lam, Thomas Chan,Harry Cheung, Chu Ting Tang.
The Chinese Civil Rights Action Group (UK)