One element was lacking in your tributes after the sad death of Benjamin Zephaniah (The Voice, December 14 2023); recognition of Mr Zephaniah’s activism on behalf of refugees.
This is evident in his novel Refugee boy (2001) as well as an appearance on BBC radio in 2002.
Faced then with an anti-immigration activist, Mr Zephaniah made the dignified and powerful point that the stories of refugees are as important as those whose concerns we hear represented more vocally.
It has to be pointed out that such humanity is not always represented well in this area, especially at the highest level.
When I wrote to a local councillor during the Syrian refugees crisis on behalf of a charity working for refugee rights, I got a reply along the lines of “so what? I don’t care”.
RIP Benjamin, not only a creative and loyal man, but a brave and humane one. The country and the area need more like you.
G Kent
Pinchbeck
