Newham Councillor Paul Sathianesan and Plaistow born religious writer and broadcaster Edwin Robertson have been awarded Honorary Fellowships of the University of East London. They were among several hundred graduates from UEL's Schools of Law, Biosciences and Engineering to be awarded their degrees by University Chancellor Lord Rix at a ceremony held on Wednesday 27th November at the Barbican Hall in the City of London.
Mr Sathianesan, Councillor for Wall End and lead member for heritage and tourism in Newham, was honoured for his tireless work for refugees both on the world stage and in East London. Forced to flee his native Sri Lanka in July 1985, Mr Sathianesan settled in East Ham and began voluntary work for the Tamil Refugee Action group and the Refugee Council, while working seven nights a week at a petrol station on the Romford Road to make ends meet. He is active within the World Council of Churches and the United Nations, and founded the Council of European Tamils.
In his speech to the packed audience of graduates and their families, Mr Sathianesan said: "It is a privilege and an honour to receive this award, but deep down, I don’t know whether I really deserve it. As a refugee, and someone who works with refugees, I know that life can be a long hard struggle. But I will never forget the words spoken by one refugee representative a long time ago: 'We do not want your money, food or old clothes – just to be recognised as human!' I appeal to you Law graduates to resist the temptations of wealth, to protect the integrity of natural law, and to work towards a just, free and democratic society."
"I would like to accept this fellowship on behalf of the refugees and the Tamil community who have given me an opportunity to serve them, and on behalf of the dedicated volunteers and workers who have contributed so much, and have given me strength, courage, time, advice, motivation and love. I dedicate this award to the UNHCR, the Refugee Council, and all agencies working on behalf of refugees and the Tamil community around the world."
Edwin Robertson was born in Plaistow in 1912, and remembers taking part in the General Strike of 1926. He told graduates: "In those days we were expected to leave school at 14 and scrounge whatever work we could get." He later studied Chemistry at West Ham Municipal College, which is now UEL's University House, and during World War II, he worked in oil research, developing improved fuel for Spitfire engines and advising on the targeting of German oil refineries.
After the war he served as a brigadier at the Allied Control Commission in Germany where he set up the religious broadcasting service. He became BBC's Assistant Head of Religious Broadcasting and Executive Director of the World Association for Christian Broadcasting from 1964-1975. He is the author of 68 books, notably on the Bible, broadcasting and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He said: "This university has always been close to my heart. It has taken me to all kinds of places, and I hope it will be the same for you."
Civic Ambassador Marie Collier and her consort Ms Griffin also attended the ceremony, the final one of five to be held this month, with over 2,500 students in total graduating from UEL this year.
Ends/.
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Paul Duraisamy Sathianesan was born in Urumpirai, Sri Lanka in 1960. He was educated at St John's College in Jaffna and after leaving school, managed a publishing firm, but the outbreak of civil war forced him to flee the country at the age of 25.
He arrived in the UK as a refugee in July 1985, settled in East Ham and immediately began voluntary work for the Tamil Refugee Action group and the Refugee Council. To make ends meet, he worked seven nights a week as a cashier at the Mobil petrol station on the Romford Road.
He began working full-time for the Refugee Council as a consultant on international refugee law and policy. In this role, and through his active membership of the World Council of Churches, Paul has represented the UK at conferences and within the UNHCR. As founder of the Council of European Tamils, he has helped forge a new identity for a widely dispersed Tamil community.
In May 1998, Paul was elected to Newham Council, the first refugee elected in an East London borough. As the lead member for heritage and tourism, he introduced Newham’s first ever Tourism Strategy, launched in 2001. He also serves as scrutiny commission member for Health and is active in the voluntary sector within Newham, chairing the Newham Refugee Centre, Black and Ethnic Minority Carers' Forum and the Tamil Chamber of Commerce. In January this year, he launched the first International Tamil Festival in Newham and in May, was re-elected with the borough’s largest majority.
Edwin H. Robertson was born in Plaistow, East London, in 1912, of Scottish parents. He studied chemistry at West Ham Municipal College, which is now University House, part of UEL's Stratford Campus but was then affiliated with the University of London. During World War II, he worked in oil research, both developing improved fuel for Spitfire engines and advising on the targeting of German oil refineries.
After the war he served as a brigadier at the Allied Control Commission in Germany where he set up the religious broadcasting service. He then studied theology at the University of Oxford and served in various Baptist pastorates in England.
Mr Robertson was the Head of the Religious Affairs branch of the British Control Commission in Germany (1947-1949); BBC's Assistant Head of Religious Broadcasting (1949-1956); Study Secretary of the United Bible Societies, in collaboration with the World Council of Churches, in Geneva, Switzerland (1956-1962); and Executive Director of the World Association for Christian Broadcasting from 1964-1975. He has also been a broadcaster with the BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
He is the author of several books, notably on the Bible, broadcasting and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He has also written several biographies, including those of John Wycliffe, Paul Schneider, Speaker of the House of Commons Viscount Tonypandy, Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani. Mr Robertson is the minister of Heath Street Baptist Church in Hampstead, London, England.
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