Stop the Deportation of the Scuka Family

Give their Children a Future

Threatened and beaten for their Romany culture

The Scuka family are Czech Romanies who fled to the UK to seek asylum after years of persecution by neo-fascists in the Czech Republic with little protection from the authorites. After arriving in the North East they quickly integrated into the local community and the children now attend the local school where they are known as hard working, able students with a good academic future. Despite the family's claim that they have been the victims of abuse, violence and death threats the Home Office has denied them asylum claiming that they will not face persecution in the Czech Republic only discrimination. The real victims of this decision are the children who will be deprived of a future where they can study in safety and achieve qualifications which can not only help lift their family from the poverty trap but ultimately be an asset to the Czech Republic if they return. That is why this campaign asks the Home Office to review its decision to deport them and give the family leave to stay until the children have completed their education.

"Her wrist broken for being black"
Lenka (14) has a real gift for languages and wants to train as an interpreter. She already speaks five lan- guages.
"Ihave an interview to go to Teesside Tertiary College," says Lenka. 'I want to be an interpreter. I speak Czech, Romany, Polish, Sloyakian, English and I'm learning German. 1 wouldn't be able to go to college in the Czech Republic. They don't want us there be- cause we're black.'
While at school in the Czech Republic Lenka was the victim of racist abuse and attacks. In one of many incidents she was hit with a stick by her maths teacher because after two months absence with a broken leg she was unable to cope with a maths test. The teacher called her *a black cow. In another incident her wrist was broken by a boy who twisted her arm and forced it up her back because she was Roma. Lenka was also accused of stealing but the real perpetrator turned out to be the boy who made the accusation.
Lenka is very happy in the UK but lives in fear of returning to the Czech Republic: If I go back to the Czech Republic horrible things will happen - I'm scared. They might put me in a special school. If they, do I will run away!'
Her sister Veronika feels the same way: 'The Czech Republic is racist. We were the only blacks in school back home and we're scared of going back.'

Beaten and threatened for being Romany
According to their father, Jan, the family lived in constant threat of beatings and of having their house burnt to the ground. In one incident he was attacked by skinheads while waiting for a bus to take him to work. In another, his sister Maria was threatened with a gun, again by skinheads, who claimed that they would kill her. When she rawto her partner for help they attacked him. Maria and her partner reported the incident to the police who arrested their attackers. However, at the hearing, the attackers were conditionally discharged
As nationalism takes root in the Czech Republic, Rornas are increasingly finding themselves the focus of hate campaigns. 'We took a bus to my wife's parents' house,' says Jan. *Seven or eight skinheads got on the bus and started to abuse us for being Romanies and the driver thfew us off the bus.' The family were also threatened and persecuted in their own home. The doorbell of their apartment was fixed down so that it rang constantly and when they had family barbecues local people would throw stones. The family's car was also vandalised, their windows smashed and they received constant - death threats.The threat of racial attack was so real that the children had to be accompanied to and from school.

Czechs turn a blind eye to racial attacks
Following the 'Velvet Revolution' the Czech Government introduced an impressive list of constitutional rights and freedoms which embraced minority groups. However, there is no doubt that violence towards Roma has increased significantly in the country. Increased freedom of expression has led to individual attacks and public demonstrations of racism which in the past had been held in check by the Communists. In 1992 there were estimated to be 26 Roma deaths from racially motivated attacks and the Czech non-govemmental organisation HOST has documented 1,250 racially motivated attacks against Roma during 1991-2.

Urgent Appeal
Please help the Scuka family by urging the Immigration Minister Barbara Roche, to use her discretionary powers to allow the family to stay in the UK until the children have completed their education. Give them your support by writing to the Immigration Minister quoting the family's Home Office Numbers TN2/98985/98986/98987/98988/98989 at the address below:

Barbara Roche
Minister for Immigration and Nationaliy
Home Office
Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1 H 9AT.

(Please send a copy of your letter to the campaign at the address below)

For leaflets, petitions, model letters, donations and more Information contact:
The Scuka Family Campaign
clo North East Coalition for Asylum Rights
308 Linthorpe Road
Middlesbrough
T51 3QX
Tel. 01642 211117

Messages of support: ScukaFamily@ncadc.demon.co.uk