No-Deportations - Residence Papers for All

                                                    News & Views - Monday 5th to Sunday 11th March 2012

Patrice Ndjonssy - Still Here
Didn't Fly he knows not why and UKBA won't tell him as is their want. He was taken to Colnbrook IRC Short Term Holding early yesterday in preparation for removal, around 21:00 he was informed his RD's had been cancelled.

Have been told that their were a few more who never got to the plane, some were taken onto a coach outside the IRC and then taken off at the last minute.

Meanwhile Escort pastings continue unabated. A Jamaican removee Mr. XX due to be bumped on Virgin Airways flight VS69 yesterday is back in detention with lumps and bruises he didn't have when he left the detention centre yesterday. Word from inside the IRC say he filed an asylum claim but his solicitors firm have been disbarred and the solicitor within the firm who was representing him his currently doing five years.

Detainees not removed have sent the following short message:

'To all who Emailed/faxed/rang, your efforts are never in Vain, knowing there are people outside fighting for us inside is solidarity that keeps us strong and willing to fight on until UKBA stop serving Removal Directions and give us leave to remain. Keep up the good work"


EDM 2849: Human Rights in Bahrain (No. 2)
That this House expresses its concern at reports of increased violence by the Bahraini security services in the run up to and aftermath of the anniversary of pro-democracy protests in 2011; notes with deep regret the death of over 50 people during protests since last February as highlighted by Amnesty International; supports the calls in December by the UN Commissioner for Human Rights for the release of political prisoners in Bahrain and reinstatement of all those who lost their jobs as a result of participating in protests; urges the Government to put every diplomatic pressure possible on the government of Bahrain to bring about an immediate end to violence and repression against its own people; and believes the UK should not allow arms, crowd control or surveillance technology to be exported to Bahrain.
Primary sponsor: Katy Clark, date tabled: 08/03/2012


Chronic destitution among young migrants and refugees
Forced destitution has been a deliberate policy by previous and current policymakers so as to deter asylum claims and reduce the supposed incentives for those seeking asylum. The withdrawal of support and funds to refused asylum seekers is a major tool for governments seeking to expedite their return to their countries of origin. Children and families subject to immigration control or irregular immigration status have no recourse to public funds. Existing support schemes are limited and offered under strict conditions, and often, young people are not accessing these services.

The Children Act (1989) requires that all children receive support in their area, and social services has to provide accommodation and assistance to a family of a child in the interest of safeguarding the child's welfare. However, local authority support is often withheld or withdrawn from migrants and refused asylum seekers under provisions in the Nationality, Immigration, and Asylum Act. This ongoing tension between the legal requirement to safeguard child welfare and immigration policies has left young asylum seekers in limbo.
Read more Bedour Alagraa, IRR


UN rights experts urge Pakistan to end sectarian violence

A group of independent United Nations human rights experts today urged the Government of Pakistan to take decisive measures to end sectarian violence and protect religious minorities after a second incident of targeted killings in two weeks.

At least 18 Shia Muslims were killed on Tuesday after they were ordered off a bus in the northern district of Kohistan, the three experts said in a joint press release.

“These killings are extremely shocking and constitute acts that require the strongest response,” said Rita Izsák, the Independent Expert on minority issues. “They have sadly become a recurrent practice in Pakistan, and we urge the Pakistan Government to identify and prosecute the perpetrators and do everything possible to establish strengthened security measures.”
Reliefweb, 08/03/12


The Right to liberty and security

Immigration procedures can favour administrative convenience over safeguarding individuals' rights to liberty and security. Periods in detention can be unlawful if release or removal is not imminent
Read more here . . . .


Hazara People (Quetta)

This debate is about the persecution of the Hazara community in Quetta city in the Pakistan province of Balochistan and its aim is to draw attention to their plight. The ultimate objective is to put pressure on the Pakistan authorities to do more to capture those who are responsible. . . .

. . . . There are about 600,000 Hazaras living in Quetta city and many fled there from Afghanistan, where they were a specific target for the Taliban. Hazaras in Quetta are being killed practically on a daily basis and it has been estimated that about 600 have been killed so far, yet not a single perpetrator has been captured and brought to justice.

. . . . The response of the authorities in Balochistan has been to restrict the movement of the Hazaras themselves-to forbid them entering certain districts and to apply travel restrictions-and to treat the murders with a mixture of complacency and complicity.

. . . . The authorities know that the Hazaras are a target for terrorist groups and that an al-Qaeda affiliate is seeking to make Pakistan, in their words, Hazaras' graveyard. They state that their mission is to eliminate "this impure sect" and people

"from every city, every village…and corner of Pakistan."

Full debate:House of Commons /1 Mar 2012 : Column 536


David Moyo - Didn't Fly
Thank you everyone for your efforts on behalf of David Moyo. I am pleased to let you know that he did not go back to Zimbabwe on Thursday (01/03/12) and is now back in detention. According to his mother he asked to speak to the pilot and the pilot refused to take him. It seems contacting *pilots' associations may be helping. Will keep you posted as I get any news.
Rose Benton / "Zimvigil co-ordinator" <co-ordinator@zimvigil.co.uk>


UNHCR Position on Returns to the Syrian Arab Republic
As the situation in Syria is fluid and may remain uncertain for some time to come, UNHCR appreciates that Governments have taken measures to suspend the forcible return of nationals or habitual residents of Syria, including those who have had their asylum claims rejected. Such measures are intended to be implemented until the situation in the country has stabilized. UNHCR strongly recommends that States adopt a moratorium on all returns to Syria for the time being, pending an assessment of when the changed situation in the country would permit return in safety and dignity. UNHCR Headquarters Geneva February 2012
Published on Refworld, 2 March 2012


Justice Without Borders for Migrants
A multinational network whose mission is to strengthen the protection of migrants' rights and combat human rights violations linked to deportations and refoulements.

Noting keenly the dizzying increase of violations of migrants' rights, in particular in African countries including: racial discrimination, xenophobia, gender based discrimination and violence, raids and physical attacks, inhuman and degrading treatment, torture, killings, sexual assault, trafficking, arbitrary arrest, inhuman conditions in detention, forced and collective deportations, refoulements, violation of due process rights and the right to fair trial;

We, participants of the African NGO Forum, have decided to put into place a Sub-group 'Justice Without Borders for Migrants'on the Rights of Migrants within the Working Group on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants and Displaced Persons.
http://www.jsf-jwb-migrants.org/ENG/index_eng.html


Emergency Applications to the High Court to Stay a Removal

If application is refused on papers only, you have a right to an oral hearing!

21.It is a general rule of our civil procedure that, in the absence of any order or legislation to the contrary, a party who has applied for an order which has been refused by a judge on the papers, without oral argument, has the right to renew his application orally before a judge of coordinate jurisdiction. Thus, where a party applies in the Administrative Court for urgent interim relief which is refused on the papers, he has the right to renew his application orally to a High Court judge. If the case is one of sufficient urgency, and there is no time to apply in court, the claimant may renew his application to the out-of -hours duty High Court judge, although if that judge is not provided with the relevant papers he may understandably be reluctant to come to a different decision from the judge who had the advantage of the papers. It is only if an oral renewal is unsuccessful that the claimant may consider an application to a judge of the Court of Appeal. If there has been no oral renewal to a High Court judge, the judge of the Court of Appeal may well refuse permission to appeal the paper refusal of interim relief, on the ground that the appropriate procedure has not been followed.
MD (Afghanistan) [2012] EWCA Civ 194


DR Congo: Forgotten Rape Capital of the World
The effects of civil strife on the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the attendant sexual violations cannot be gainsaid. The situation is so dire that the Special Representative of the United Nations (UN) Security General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms Margot Wallstrom, has called the DRC ÒThe rape capital of the worldÓ. Indeed mass rape - a weapon of war practiced by both militias and government forces - has been so endemic that about 40 women are raped every day, some as old as 80 years of age and others as young as ten years. The negative forces in the DRC are infamous for committing such diabolical acts as abducting women and young girls and raping them for days on end. These acts of sexual violence have had severe physical and mental repercussions.
Reliefweb, 08/03/12


First they came for the asylum seeker . . . .
The growing and now endemic 'common sense racism' of political and media discourses with regard to asylum seekers and foreigners has meant that a fundamental erosion in the legal rights and status of social citizenship in the UK has over fifteen or so years been piloted by governments in 'the Orwellian world of immigration controls'. As Judith Shklar describes it, a world where there is 'a symbolic glass floor - citizens exist above the floor and can look down on those beneath who are excluded from citizenship and are thus the most deprived in society'.
Read more by By John Grayson, IRR


Complaints: Enforced removal operations
There have been 22 complaints made against G4S and Reliance the UK Border Agency's escort providers concerning misconduct in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011. G4S held the contract for escorting detainees including during enforced removals until 30 April 2011. Reliance were awarded the contract from 1 May 2011 the complaints cover both contractors.


Cameroon urged to overhaul laws criminalizing gay relationships
Laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relationships must be repealed by the Cameroonian government, Amnesty International said as it called for the release of those currently in prison for homosexuality, "It is time to end the arrest, detention, prosecution and other forms of persecution and discrimination against people perceived or known to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender."
Refworld, 5 March 2012


2011 was a year critical for human rights
It was a year of substantial challenges to human rights linked to the global economic, climate, energy and food crises, famine in the Horn of Africa, armed conflict, racism and xenophobia, and lingering poverty. It was also a year when we witnessed the mobilization of civil society contesting repressive power structures and failed forms of governance, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. In some countries, legitimate demands for freedom, equality and justice were met with extreme violence and repression. The escalation of violence in Syria is of utmost concern. The international community has an urgent responsibility to act to bring an end to the heavy loss of life in Syria. In other countries, new avenues to advance human rights opened. With these opportunities came challenges as we are seeing in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Bahrain and Yemen.
Un Commissioner for Human Rights


Dadaab Refugee Complex: A Powder Keg and It's Giving Off Sparks
Mounting tensions in the Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya have escalated to explosive levels in recent weeks. Built over 20 years ago with a maximum capacity of 90,000 refugees, the complex now houses more than 463,000 registered refugees (largely from neighboring Somalia) and several thousand more unregistered. While the numbers themselves place undue pressure on the complex, the October 2011 Kenyan incursion into Somalia to combat the extremist group al Shabaab led to a sharp rise in attacks from Shabaab sympathizers in the camps, as well as a harsh response and widespread allegations of abuse by Kenyan police. The insecurity has placed several constraints on the operations of nongovernmental organizations in the complex, reducing assistance to life-saving services. Sexual violence has become endemic, and police abuse and inaction commonplace and resented by the refugees. A coordinated response from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Kenyan government, and international community is critical to prevent this volatile stew from erupting into deadly violence.
Reliefweb, 02/03/12


Charter Flight to Cameroon - PVT090 Thursday 8th March 22:30

14th Attempt to Remove Patrice Ndjonssy
UKBA have scheduled a charter flight to Cameroon on Thursday 8th march @ 22:30 hrs; for the 14th time they will try to remove Patrice, there will be a full alert for Patrice Monday or Tuesday. If you know of any one booked on the and want to campaign for them, get back to 'No-Deportation' with full details.


*Kenya Airways - unwritten policy not to carry forced removees
An increasing number of people who have phoned Kenya Airway's to try and stay a removal have been told the following!

When the Home Office serves removal directions on Kenya Airway's in accordance with paragraph 9, of Schedule 2 to the 1971 Act to remove some one we do.

However if a person so served at point of flight, that is boarding the plane informs Kenya Airways, they are being forcibly removed and do not want to fly; they will not be taken aboard as it is not Kenya Airways policy to carry a disturbed passenger as he/she may affect the safety of other passengers and crew.


14th attempt to Remove Patrice Ndjonssy

Say no to his deportation - Removal set for Thursday 8th February

Patrice Ndjonssy is a 40-year-old Cameroonian national is currently detained at Brook House IRC. Patrice fled to the UK in 2008, to escape persecution in Cameroon. His safety is at severe risk, should he be removed.

UKBA plans to remove Patrice on Charter flight PVT090 Thursday 8th March 22:30. This will be the 14th attempt to remove Patrice.

The destination country on Patrice's RD's is Cameroon but he is the only detainee on Charter flight PVT 090 with the destination as Cameroon. Other potential removees with RDs on PVT 090 country of destination is Nigeria; Patrice is extremely worried that if removed he will be dumped in Nigeria!

None of the facts of his case have changed and can be viewed <http://www.no-deportations.org.uk/Media-1-2012/PatriceNdjonssy.html>here . . . .

Attached model letters have been updated for the 8th March

Please act quickly for the 14th time to save him from this unjust removal.

What you can do to help

1. Please fax/phone/email, Secretary of State for the Home Office, Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP. Ask her to exercise her discretionary powers to stop the flight, ands release Patrice Ndjonssy from detention and to grant him protection in the UK.

Download model letter Patrice NdjonssyTM.doc or alternatively write your own one. Please remember to quote Patrice's Home Office Reference number in any correspondence: N1142890/2

Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP
Secretary of State for the Home Office,

Emails:
mayt@parliament.uk
Emails: Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
pscorrespondence@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
"CIT - Treat Official" <CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>


Last updated 10 March, 2012