Stop the Deportation of Shirin
and her Daughter Farida Campaign
Donāt let the Home Office Divide Shirin and Farida
Shirin Begum faces being separated from her daughter Farida, her
parents, sisters, brothers and other family members in the UK with
whom she has lived since August 1989. Her father has been resident
in the UK for nearly 40 years and brought his family to the UK in
1989.
Shirin was granted entry clearance in 1989 to come and settle in
the UK. She has lived here ever since with her daughter, Farida,
who was born here. They are now well settled and have established
community ties here. However, at the time she was granted entry
clearance she was divorced and still living in her father's home
as his dependent.
The Home Office has now declared her an illegal immigrant because
she did not tell the High Commission that she was divorced. Shirin
accepts that she did not inform the High Commission of her changed
status but this was an innocent mistake made by a 17 year old girl.
Farida Shirin's daughter, is now 9 years old. She attends school
in Leicester. Farida does not know any country but Britain. The
Home Office are trying to constructively deport Farida who is not
subject to immigration controls as she is a British citizen, born
to a parent settled in the UK. Farida is doing well at school. It
would be unjust to remove Farida from her home and her community.
Free this Family From Fear
Families are the basic building blocks of human society. Strong
families are the foundation of strong communities. But many families
in Britain today are being split or uprooted from their homes and
settlement in communities as a result of insensitive application
of Britain's harsh immigration rules
Families should be able to live together without fear of being torn
apart or expelled from the communities where they have put down
roots.
In its White Paper on Immigration and Asylum, the Government says
that compassionate factors should be taken into account at every
stage in the examination of cases like these.
If a family has children born and raised in the UK, they should
be allowed to stay here. In any family relationship, the interests
of the children are paramount. Children born and raised in the UK
should have the right to live here with their parents.
Families where one or more members face deportation should not be
forced to leave the country or be split up if they have established
a regular way of life here and have established roots in the community.
The Home Office's view is that if Shirin and Farida want to stay
together, they should leave Britain and live in Bangladesh. But
Farida, has never been to Bangladesh, Leicester is her home and
Leicester is where she should stay. We believe it is wrong to punish
a child for the irregular immigration status of her mother.
Please support the Shirin and Farida Must Stay Campaign by:
Writing to the Home Office:
Minister for Nationality and Immigration
Michael O'Brien
Home Office
Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1.
Quoting: Mrs Shirin Begum, Home Office Reference Number: M667399
Write to your MP and ask him /her to make representation to Jack
Straw the Home Secretary
Invite a campaign representative to speak to your Trade Union, Mosque,
Church, college, university, constituency party or other meeting.
Make a donation to the campaign. Please make cheques payable to
Stop the Deportation of Shirin and Farida Campaign.
Please send copies of any letters you send to the Home Office or
your local MP to the Campaign.
Model letter and petitions can be obtained from:
Dr S.I. Chowdhury
Stop the Deportation of Shirin and her Daughter Farida Campaign
C/o Bangladesh Youth & Cultural Shomiti
30-32 Biddulph St
Leicester LE2 1 BF
Tel: 0116-247-1866 Fax: 01162545050
E-MAIL: BYCS@Compuserve.com |
