No-Deportations - Residence Papers for All

                                                    News & Views - Monday 25th March to Sunday 31st March 2013

Good Friday - Good News - Christine Won't Fly Today
Hundreds of people have been acting to stop Christine's flight, Kenya Air virtually had to shut down their number because so many people were calling, The Kenyan Embassy were inundated with calls from people asking that Kenya not be complicit in the attempt to deport Christine. John McDonnell MP made a strong intervention and the barrister who intervened relied strongly on all of the public pressure and publicity to getting interim relief meaning that there will be no flight today.

The actions that everyone took were essential to this victory, we must continue to keep up the pressure on the home office for Christine's immediate release from the repeated torture of detention and attempted deportations (this was the 7th attempt to deport Christine.
Many Thanks to all who took Action / 'Movement for Justice'


Self-Harm in Immigration Detention Q4 Oct/Nov/Dec 2012

Brook House IRC had an alarming rise in the number of self-harm incidents requiring medical treatment in the last quarter of 2012 - 8 incidents in Q3 / 20 incidents in Q4 a 150% increase. In Q3 87 persons were on self-harm watch in Q4 this rose to 119.

Overall Brook House had the worst record by far of all IRCs for incidents of self-harm at risk or requiring medical treatment in 2012.

Statistics provided by UKBA

'No-Deportations asked UKBA for figures on self-harm in immigration detention between October and December 2012 inclusive, under the following headings:

1. Number of individuals on formal self-harm at risk.

2. Number of Incidents of self-harm requiring medical treatment.

3. Number of deaths if any.

In Campsfield House, Brook House, Colnbrook, Dover, Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Haslar, Morton Hall, Tinsley House, Yarl's Wood IRCs, any Short Term Hold Centres and Cedars pre-departure accommodation.

The data requested on self-harm in removal centres, Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) and Cedars pre-departure accommodation is detailed in the tables below; it is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.

There has been one death at Harmondsworth IRC in October 2012. The death will be the subject of a Coroner's Inquest and it would be inappropriate to comment on the details in advance of the Coroner's conclusions.

Incidents of Self-Harm requiring medical treatment Q4 - 2012
Oct Nov Dec
Brook House 10 4 6
Campsfield House 0 0 0
Colnbrook 0 0 4
Dover 0 4 1
Dungavel 0 0 0
Harmondsworth 0 2 1
Haslar 0 0 0
Morton Hall 0 0 2
Tinsley House 2 2 2
Yarl's Wood 3 1 2
Cedars 0 1 1
Larne 0 0 0
Pennine House 0 0 0
     
Subtotal 28 5 10 13

 

Individuals on Formal Self-Harm at Risk in Immigration Detention Q4
     
Oct Nov Dec
     
Brook House 34 47 38
Campsfield House 15 8 8
Colnbrook 20 18 27
Dover 7 11 10
Dungavel 10 10 10
Harmondsworth 18 15 3
Haslar 0 1 1
Morton Hall 10 27 21
Tinsley House 16 12 9
Yarl's Wood 17 20 25
Cedars 1 1 7
Larne 0 0 0
Pennine House 0 0 0
Subtotal   468 147 169 152

 

Abu Qatada: The Law Won
The judges who ruled against the Home Office aren't woolly liberals. They're just doing their job. Omar Othman is a resident of this country – guilty of no crime and up to now facing no charges – whose home country wants to put him on trial in a case where the key evidence against him will in all likelihood have been procured by torture. The only reason he probably won't be tortured is because the state concerned has reluctantly promised not to follow its usual routine.

If this person's name were Giles or Gary and the country Syria or Sudan, we'd have outraged Daily Mail editorials and a civil libertarian home secretary. But Othman is Abu Qatada, and the state is Jordan. In politics universal values (the rule of law, the protection of human rights, the prohibition on torture) are fine – so long as they don't get in the way of our diplomatic interests, the career ambitions of our leading politicians or the propensity of our allies to do evil.
Read more: Conor Gearty, The Guardian,   Thursday 28 March 2013


Removal of Chechen from Austria to Russia - Violation of Aricle 3
In today's Chamber judgment in the case of I.K. v. Austria (application no. 2964/12), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously: that there would be a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights if Mr K. was removed to Russia.

The case concerned the complaint by a Russian national of Chechen origin that his removal from Austria to Russia would expose him to the risk of ill-treatment, as his family had been persecuted in Chechnya.

The Court held in particular that there was no indication that Mr K. would be at a lesser risk of persecution upon return to Russia than his mother, who had been granted asylum in Austria, the Austrian courts having found her account convincing. Furthermore, there were recent reports documenting the practice of collective punishment of relatives and suspected supporters of alleged insurgents.


Turncoat Lib-Dems Scrap Immigrant 'Amnesty' Plans
Showing their true colours on immigration, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has scrapped controversial proposals for an immigrant "amnesty" as he unveiled a tough new stance on immigration. And wants to impose a 'bond' surety on anyone coming to the UK legally.

The party's manifesto said: "We will allow people who have been in Britain without the correct papers for 10 years, but speak English, have a clean record and want to live here long-term to earn their citizenship. This route to citizenship will not apply to people arriving after 2010." The Liberal Democrats believed it would help illegal immigrants integrate into the legal economy and contribute by paying taxes.

Now the turncoat Glegg says: "We felt it was an honest and pragmatic solution given the chaos in the Home Office and the obvious failure by Labour to identify where thousands of illegal immigrants were. Better surely, we asked, to get them to pay their taxes and make a proper contribution to our society, than to continue to live in the shadows? But, despite the policy's aims, it was seen by many people as a reward for those who have broken the law. And so it risked undermining public confidence in the immigration system - the very public confidence that is essential to a tolerant and open Britain. That is why I am no longer convinced this specific policy should be retained in our manifesto for the next general election."


Yet Another Attempt to Remove Christine Nakato Nankya

Christine Nakato Nankya is currently in detention at Colnbrook IRC. Due to be forcibly removed from the UK @ 19:00 hrs Friday 29th March, on Kenya Airways Flight KQ101 from London Heathrow to Nairobi for onward transport to Uganda.

Christine left Uganda in 2011, fleeing a campaign of sexual abuse, violence and intimidation at the hands of her family. Following the death of her father, her brothers, who are members of Uganda's Internal Security Organisation (ISO), began to dispute the ownership of land Christine's father had gifted to her. When they began to threaten to kill her, she decided that she was no longer safe for her in Uganda, and escaped to the UK.

Christine had begun to rebuild her life in Glasgow, with support from the Unity Women's Group, and counselling at Rape Crisis, when she was detained by the UK Border Agency and sent to Yarl's Wood IRC. Where her health deteriorated fast, and now suffers from depression and anxiety. She has in the last few days been moved to Colnbrook Short Term Holding Centre.

Christine claimed asylum almost immediately after arriving in the UK, and attended regular meetings at the Home Office on Brand Street. She did not use false documents nor did she attempt to work illegally whilst she was claiming asylum. People claiming asylum are expected to provide extensive documentary evidence from their home countries detailing their situation. Remarkably, Christine managed this; she has the land deeds, and letters from the Ugandan Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development which show that her father bought and then gifted her land after the birth of her son. However, the Home Office has dismissed this evidence as fake, on the grounds that 'the Ministry of Lands letter has as its address only 'P.O. Box 7096 when their website states that their address in Plot 13-15 Parliament Avenue P.O. Box 7096'.

To make matters worse, Christine has been denied legal representation and is the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice. Because of changes to Legal Aid in England, it's now incredibly difficult for people in Immigration Removal Centres to see a lawyer quickly. Because of a mix-up Christine has unable to access legal representation for several weeks whilst in Yarl's Wood detention centre.

Christine has done everything the UKBA ask of asylum seekers, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that she is not telling the truth about her ordeal in Uganda.

Christine urgently needs your help, please:

1) Email/Fax/Phone, Titus Naikuni, Group Area Manager, Kenya Airways. Urge him not to carry  Christine Nakato Nankya. Due to be forcibly removed from the UK @ 19:00 hrs Friday 29th March, on Kenya Airways Flight KQ101 from London Heathrow to Nairobi for onward transport to Uganda.

Download model letter <ChristineNakatoNankyaKA.doc> you can copy/amend/compose your own.

Put as much pressure on this airline as you can, to make them consider if it's worth the damage to their reputation to continue as one of UKBA's deportation airlines.

Email: titus.naikuni@kenya-airways.com

Fax: 020 8745 5027 - Phone: 020 8759 7366

2) Email/Fax Theresa May, Home Secretary
Ask her to exercise her discretionary powers to stay the removal and release Christine Nakato Nankya from detention and to grant her protection in the UK.
Download model letter, <ChristineNakatoNankyaTM.doc> attached or alternatively write your own one. Please remember to quote Christine's Home Office Reference number N1172128 in any correspondence.

Fax: 020 7035 4745

Emails:
Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
pscorrespondence@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
<CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>

Please let Christine's support campaign 'Movement for Justice' know of any actions taken, mfj@ueaa.net

Source for this alert: 'Movement for Justice'


Immigration Fears Are Being Stoked By Politicians, Says Bishop
David Walker, Bishop of Dudley, in an interview with the Observer said: "Public fears around immigration are like fears around crime. They bear little relationship to the actual reality. "The tone of the current debate suggests that it is better for 10 people with a legitimate reason for coming to this country to be refused entry than for one person to get in who has no good cause. It is wholly disproportionate as a response.

"Studies show that the vast majority of new arrivals to the UK enhance and enrich our society, both economically and culturally. The true threats to our national wellbeing lie not with those who come to visit or make their lives here but with the increasing gap between the rich and poor among us."
Read more: Toby Helm, The Observer, <>Saturday 23 March 2013


Sri Lanka Accused of Ongoing Torture/Abuse of Tamil Prisoners
According to a new report by 'Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice'. The Sri Lanka government continues to break its international treaty obligations and its own laws through its treatment of Tamil political prisoners. At Sri Lanka's Universal Periodic Review (which periodically examines the human rights performance of all 193 UN members), the panel noted that four pledges made by the government in 2008, in relation to prisoners, were 'incomplete'. Overall, the government rejected 100 of the 210 recommendations made to it.
Download the full report <>  here . . . .


Burma: Corpses Line Streets After Sectarian Clashes
The Burmese army took control of a ruined city yesterday 23/03/13, imposing a tense calm after clashes between Buddhists and Muslims left piles of corpses in the streets and buildings ablaze in the worst bloodshed to hit the South-east Asian nation this year. The official death toll in the worst-affected city of Meikhtila stands at 31 dead, state-run television said, although local estimates put it even higher. President Thein Sein declared a state of emergency in Meikhtila and three nearby townships on Friday after riot police and a dusk-to-dawn curfew had failed to stem violence triggered by an argument between a Buddhist couple and the Muslim owners of a gold shop.
Read more: Independent, <>  23/03/13


Garden Court Chambers - Immigration Law Bulletin - Issue 317


UKBA: Operational Guidance Note: South Africa
This document provides UK Border Agency case owners with guidance on the nature and handling of the most common types of claims received from nationals/residents of South Africa including whether claims are or are not likely to justify the granting of asylum, Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave. Case owners must refer to the relevant Asylum Instructions for further details of the policy on these areas.
Refworld: <> 22/03/13