Isaac Macharia-Another Good Reason to End Detention

Isaac Macharia-Another Good Reason to End Detention

Isaac Macharia, from Kenya, spent several weeks in Harmondsworth Detention Centre last year.
At the beginning of March a number of Isaac's supporters who had written to Home Secretary Jack Straw, asking Jack to give Isaac and his family Exceptional Leave to Remain, received replies saying that Jack had done exactly that, he had given the Macharia family ELR.
Overwhelmed they rang the family to congratulate them but Isaac and his family knew nothing about it. Neither had the family's solicitor been notified.
Still Isaac and Salome and their two children are happy and relieved but they said they would wait with the celebrations until they see the official papers.
Meantime they would like to thank everyone who wrote to the Home Office on their behalf and supported their campaign.

Mary Wandia Njuguna, asylum seeker from Kenya and her son Patrick Wandia, who was born in the UK are now both fighting deportation.
Her 5-year old son Patrick, was served with a deportation order on Christmas Eve.
The campaign was able to get lots of publicity in local and the national press.
Mary now has to fight twice as hard but is determined to win her case. In addition to the stress all this is causing her, she has no right to work or claim welfare benefits. For more details on how to help Mary and Patrick, please contact Mary Must Stay Campaign on 0171 388 4346.

The TUC Women's Conference, meeting in Scarborough on 10th March, earned the distinction of becoming the first trade union conference to take a stand against the 1999 Immigration & Asylum Bill. A motion moved by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, condemning the treatment of asylum seekers coming to the UK, was unanimously agreed by delegates.
Moving the motion CSP delegate Lesley Mercer warned that the 1999 Act would lead to "a climate of hate and blame" towards asylum seekers who are already very vulnerable. The conference called for a reversal of the policy of dispersing asylum seekers around the country, an increase in financial support and the abandonment of the voucher system. It also insisted that immigration officers abide by laid down Gender Guidelines on interviewing female asylum seekers, many of whom have been traumatised by experience of rape and violence when fleeing persecution.
Hopefully the TUC Women's conference has led the way for a whole series of union conferences this summer to take a stand to defend the rights of migrants and asylum seekers against New Labour's shameful Immigration & Asylum Act.

Francisco Rose has lived in the UK for fifteen years. In 1994 he went to Jamaica for a holiday. On returning, the person he was travelling with was found to be carrying a large amount of cocaine. Francisco was convicted of being knowingly concerned in the importation of Class A prohibited drugs. Although Francisco was not carrying any drugs, has no previous convictions for any drug related matter and totally denies any involvement in the crime, he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment and in addition he is due to be deported to Jamaica, where he has no family.
He spent five years as a Category A prisoner and in February 1999 he was released for parole at the earliest possible point. However his detention continued although he was moved to Strangeways prison. He has now spent six years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Francisco's father, Edward has terminal cancer. He expressed a strong wish to see his son for the last time. Francisco was released at the end of February, but sadly his father died the day after his release. The threat of deportation continues. This will mean separation from his mother, his three sisters, two brothers and his wife and four children who are all British citizens.