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Dear Supporter, I am writing to you about the brutal stabbing of 25 year old Syrian refugee Shahbaz Ali last Wednesday evening.
Shabaz remains critical in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and we have launched a fundraising appeal to help him recover and rebuild his life.
Shabaz was stabbed repeatedly in his chest and stomach after intervening to protect a young female cousin at the Council run hostel. His father Sivan said he could hear his sons' attackers shout "Why are you still here, why are you not back in your own country?" as they struck his son. The family are Syrian refugees from Kobane, Northern Syria, who fled death to live in Scotland 5 years ago. Until the attack, Ali was working as a barber in Portobello, and staying in a hostel as he looked for a new home. His cousin was also living in the hostel, occupying a room two doors down. The fundraising appeal has raised almost £6,000 in less than 24 hours. We hope Shabaz and all refugees feel encouraged that in Scotland we show Zero Tolerance to Racism. We have room for refugees and no room for a hostile environment, which the UK Government has been drumming up for some time now. Shabaz repeatedly expressed concerns about safety at the hostel but the family say that Edinburgh City Council were not listening. We are writing to Edinburgh City Council to urget that they provide Shabaz with safe housing in the city. He will need to leave hospital at some point and clearly cannot return to the hostel. We have also had reports of refugee families in Midlothian suffering racist abuse and stone throwing' which we understand the local MP is aware of. We urge the local authority to get their house in order, find out what is going on on the ground and take a Zero tolerance stance to racist hate crimes. What we cannot do is hide and pretend this is not happening. Many refugee families are suffering racist abuse in Scotland and it's up to decent people to stand up for their rights and ensure that the culprits are dealt with and that the local authorities , and in Shabaz's case Edinburgh City Council, act sensitively to support and if necessary rehouse victims." Positive Action in Housing is gathering donations for Shabaz. The funds from this appeal will help Shahbaz recover and rebuild his life. Please donate at the BTMydonate Link here and show Scotland's refugee and migrant communities that Scotland says NO to racism. Alternatively go to www.positiveactionh.org/donate for other ways to give or donate via PayPal to donate@positiveactionh.org . Messages of support are appreciated. Let's show Shabaz that we reject racism and xenophobia and that Scotland says NO to racism and NO to the hostile environment.
Thank you for your support
Robina Qureshi
Positive Action in Housing Ltd (To remove yourself from further mailings please click unsubscribe at the end of this email) | 
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