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Bolivians in London – CHALLENGES and ACHIEVEMENTS of a LONDON COMMUNITY

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Bolivians in London – CHALLENGES and ACHIEVEMENTS of a LONDON COMMUNITY Bolivians in London – CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF A LONDON COMMUNITY A RUNNYMEDE COMMUNITY STUDY BY KJARTAN PÁLL SVEINSSON BOLIVIANS IN LONDON – CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF A LONDON COMMUNITY About Runnymede Community Studies In reflecting on the changing nature of ethnic diversity in Britain, it becomes increasingly clear that we have to move beyond binary notions of white and non-white to explain the ways in which racisms operate, identities are formed and people live out their lives. The societies in which we live are becoming more diverse and will continue to diversify as migration patterns change, and the impacts of globalisation are reflected in labour markets as well as in transnational movement of capital. This series of community studies aims to promote understanding of the diversity within and between different ethnic groups. Our intention is to build up a collection of studies which focus on communities; their demography, links to civil society, and key political and social issues. We hope that over time this will provide a rich resource for understanding how diversity is lived and experienced away from the necessarily crude ethnic monitoring form, in a vital and dynamic multi-ethnic society. Published by Runnymede in January 2007 in electronic version only, this document is copyright © 2007 the Runnymede Trust. Reproduction of this report by printing, photocopying or electronic means for non-commercial purposes is permitted. Otherwise, it is not permitted to store or transmit the electronic version of this report, nor to print, scan or photocopy any paper version for dissemination or commercial use, without the prior permission of the publisher. Researchers and commentators may quote from this document without charge provided they cite the author, title and the publishers when they acknowledge the source of the material quoted. The publisher would prefer that no individual quotation should exceed 400 words, and that the total material quoted should not exceed 800 words. BOLIVIANS IN LONDON – CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF A LONDON COMMUNITY Bolivians in London – Challenges and Achievements of a London Community KJARTAN PÁLL SVEINSSON Bolivians in London at a Glance Population and Geography Education • According to the 2001 census, there were • Little is known about the educational level 525 Bolivian-born people living in London. of Bolivians in London. However, according • The Bolivian embassy estimates that around to the interviewees of this study, a large 10,000 Bolivians live in London. number of Bolivian migrants are university • According to calculations based on educated. remittances sent to Bolivia from London, there are 15-20,000 Bolivians living in Employment London, the majority of whom have arrived • Recently arrived Bolivians often find work in the last 5 years. in the cleaning industry, but also private • The majority of Bolivians in the UK live in nannying or serving in restaurants. London. Long-term residents tend to be • Although exact figures are unavailable, a geographically dispersed across the city, large part of recent arrivals are even living in neighbouring areas, such as undocumented, thus working with limited Surrey and Kent. Recent arrivals are permits in the UK. somewhat geographically dispersed, but •Deskilling is common, with university have congregated around Elephant and educated Bolivians often finding work only Castle and Seven Sisters. in the cleaning industry. • English is a barrier to employment, and Immigration often keeps non-English speakers in a • Bolivians have been arriving to and settling vicious circle: not speaking English, the in Britain at least since the 1960s. only work available are jobs where no • Bolivia has long been a country of net English is required, which gives no emigration. Traditionally, most Bolivians opportunity to learn or practice English. have emigrated to Argentina and the United States. However, with the unstable economic situation in Argentina and ever tighter border controls and visa regulations of the United States, Bolivians are now coming to Europe in greater numbers. •Within Europe, Spain receives more Bolivian immigrants than any other country. • The last few years have seen a sharp increase in Bolivian migration to London. •Alarge proportion of Bolivian migrants in London have irregular immigration status. i BOLIVIANS IN LONDON – CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF A LONDON COMMUNITY Relevant Organisations and Websites Bolivia Solidarity Campaign Indoamerican Refugee and Migrant Latin American Social Web: www.boliviasc.org.uk/ Organisation (IRMO) Fund 2000 Plus 493 Cambridge Heath Road Suite Q E2 9BU Friends of Bolivia Second Floor Tel: 0207 7298833 Web: www.friendsofbolivia.org.uk 135-143 Stockwell Road Email: [email protected] Web: www.irmo.org.uk SW9 9TN Anglo-Bolivian Society Tel: 020 7207 1500 Web:www.angloboliviansociety. Latin American Association org.uk Priory House Praxis Kingsgate Place Pott Street Carnaval del Pueblo/Noticias London E2 0EF Web: www.noticias.co.uk NW6 4TA Tel: 0207 7297985 Tel: 02073728653/ 02076246409 Email: [email protected] Knowledge is Power Project Email: [email protected] www.praxis.org.uk Email: [email protected] Web: www.casa-latina.org.uk Web: http://www.the-kip- project.co.uk Latin American Disabled People’s Latin American Women’s Aid Project ( LADPP) The Print House Latin Front PO Box 43412 18 Ashwin Street Email: [email protected] SE17 3WZ E8 3DL Tel: 0207 7938399 Tel: 020 7275 0321 Email: [email protected] Latin American Women’s Email: [email protected] Rights Service (LAWRS) Tindlemanor Latin American Elderly Project Latin America Co-op 52-54 Featherstone Street Ring Cross Community Centre, Development Project EC1Y 8RT Lough Road Tel: 0207 3360888 N7 8RH Suite 2-12 Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 7609 6661 11 Marshalsea Rd Web: www.lawrs.org.uk Email: [email protected] SE1 1EP www.laeplatin.com Tel: 020 7357 9091 Campaign Against Repression in Latin America ( CARILA) Latin American Golden oneLondon 6 – 9 Manor Gardens Years Day Centre 53 Brixton Station Road N7 6LA 1-29 Cancell Road Tel: 02075611931 SW9 6HN SW9 8PQ Email: [email protected] Tel: 0207 7930469 Tel: 020 7737 6170 Web: www.carila.org.uk Email: [email protected] Web: www.one-london.com ii BOLIVIANS IN LONDON – CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS OF A LONDON COMMUNITY Introduction As a number of commentators have recently purport to present a comprehensive ethnographic pointed out, the nature of Britain’s ethnic account of the Bolivian community in London. diversity is changing.1 Amongst those who have Based as it is on data collected through 15 in- in recent years found their way to London in depth interviews with Bolivians, this would be ever greater numbers are various Latin American impossible. Rather, it is intended to identify and groups. The presence of these groups can clearly map the main issues facing Bolivians. For be seen and felt on the streets of London. Cafes, example, the report identifies a gap between bars, clubs and restaurants run by Latin long-term residents on the one hand, and recent Americans are steadily on the increase; money arrivals on the other hand, where one has little transfer agencies catering to Colombians, contact with the other. However, how this split is Ecuadorians, Bolivians etc. can be spotted on lived and understood is beyond the scope of the various high streets throughout the city; the sample size. Similarly, class distinctions prevalent annual Carnaval del Pueblo in Burgess Park – in Bolivia were said to have continued relevance which this year attracted tens of thousands of amongst Bolivians in London. While it is likely Londoners – has been dubbed “Europe’s largest that these issues are of importance to most celebration of Latin American culture.”2 Bolivians living and working in London, this In spite of this evident impact Latin Americans report cannot make any accurate or conclusive have on the cultural life of Londoners, their statements about the structure or dynamics of presence has to date gone fairly unnoticed – these distinctions. In other words, where the albeit with notable exceptions – by both local purpose of this study is to map out main issues authorities and national government; nor has it identified by Bolivians, it will be up to later generated much academic interest. As a result, studies to fill in the ethnographical details for a little is actually empirically known about Latin comprehensive understanding of the Bolivian Americans, and their interests are often community. overlooked by the authorities as a result of being What is presented below is a ‘snapshot’ of consigned to a category of ‘Other.’ Thus, while Bolivians in London. Following a brief outline of the numerous Latin groups are highly visible as the methodology used to carry out the study and participants of and contributors to the every day some background information about Bolivia and life of London, they remain both hidden and Bolivian migration generally, we turn our unrecognised in political, economic and social attention to the main findings of the report. The discourse. Migration chapter outlines the interviewees’ This report presents a rudimentary depiction of reasons for leaving Bolivia as well as their one of the Latin American groups: Bolivians. The accounts of the migration process. This is information deficit on Bolivians is particularly followed by a chapter on Documentation, where acute; virtually no studies have been conducted we discuss the connection between nationality on Bolivians in the UK, and even information as and irregular4 immigration status, and the impact basic as the total number of Bolivians living in of immigration policy on the life chances of London is missing, although some estimates are recently arrived Bolivians. Identities examines available.3 This study does not by any means the multiplicity of Bolivian identity, and the interplay between Bolivian-ness and London- 1 See Ashley (2005); Berkeley (2005); Grillo (2006);Vertovec (2006); Zetter et al.
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