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Amanj
Gafor deported - but not without a fight
Amanj Gafor was removed by boat from the UK on Sunday
13th August after a four-and-a-half year struggle seeking asylum in 6
EU countries. His deportation ended a seven month battle in the UK that
saw activists stop two removal attempts on British Airways and one Lufthansa
flight. At the end the British government was forced to resort to deportation
by sea.
A sea blockade was planned but, in the end, Amanj
made the decision to go - a decision that was painfully respected by his
supporters. Amanj was ground down by wholesale rejection in Fortress Europe,
by hard-faced and cruel governments, and by bogus solicitors that sapped
his earnings without fighting for him.
Amanj has learned to say "asylum" and "goodbye" in
6 languages yet still he speaks softly and with humility. He is now being
held in a refugee camp in Germany awaiting removal to Iraqi-Kurdistan,
from where he fled for his life in 1996. Despite his treatment, Amanj
has retained his dignity saying (the day before his removal from the UK):
"I will not beg those who do not want me anymore, the solicitors, the
governments. I know it is not people's wish but now I want go back and
fight. I leave behind me a newfound family in the UK - those who came
to visit me in detention, the trade unionists that adopted me, the many
supporters that I will never know, the protesters who faced police lines
and the courts for myself and others. Now, I prefer to fight, and pay
the price of death for my beliefs, in Iraq and to stand proud in the face
of tyranny rather than beg for the human rights that Europe doesn't offer
any more."
Protests at the airlines
In a previous attempt to enforce his deportation,
on Thursday 3rd August, the government tried to remove Amanj secretly.
He was booked as a passenger on a Lufthansa flight from Heathrow Airport,
but this was cancelled and Amanj was re-booked on a BA flight from Gatwick,
without any prior communication with his solicitor. Amanj resisted being
put on the BA flight and was taken to Tinsley House Detention Centre.
British Airways, who were initially in charge of
the deportation, were annoyed about the protest at their check-in desk;
they are aware of the bad image they portray with such activities. BA
are making millions from Labour's immigration policies. However the chosen
alternative, Lufthansa, doesn't have a better record as they are the official
German deportation transport.
The campaign against removal
Supporters managed to mobilise people to come to
the airports to stop Amanj’s deportation but, due to the tough action
of the police, the action was fragmented. Airport authorities applied
obscure 1950s bye-laws, and although they were unable to quote which ones,
they demanded protesters leave the airport. The police acted using the
same arguments. A photographer reported: "a scene where protesters were
being dragged away despite no apparent signs of provocation, television
crews were blocked by airport staff from filming the outrage."
When activists unfolded banners at the Lufthansa
check-in point with slogans such as "Amanj must stay", "Deportation is
a crime", "Unfasten your seat-belts! Stand up for human rights" and "Stop
these cruel deportations", they were asked to remove them immediately.
When chanting started they were asked to stop. They did manage to leaflet
the passengers informing them of the kind of action they were planning.
On the leaflet the flight passengers were asked to collaborate, demanding
the pilot refuse to take off and thereby prevent the deportation taking
place. An activist was arrested with his 18-month-old child in his arms.
The scene was quite dramatic as the child and his wife were very distressed
and crying. The police didn't show any compassion. He was released on
bail after five hours having been charged with "refusing to leave the
airport" and "causing an unlawful assembly." Another activist was followed
by the police to the toilet where they forced the cubicle door to get
him out.
An activist managed to get onto the plane but didn't
act because - obviously - he couldn't see Amanj among the passengers.
The plan was to stand up informing the passengers of what was going on
until the pilot decided to take Amanj off the flight. This kind of action
was initiated by the CAGE group who managed to stop the deportation of
the Zairean Salim Rambo.
The intervention of the PSCS (Air Traffic Control
Workers Union) who circulated the campaign's communique through their
affiliates, was very positive. The reaction of the majority of passengers
was great and very supportive. Therefore we think there are still possibilities
for this kind of action at future deportations.
The Future
Though Amanj has been removed from the UK we have
not given up fighting for him. We have contacted the Human Rights Organisation
in Bremen, Germany and they will try to locate Amanj and see if they can
provide any help.
Save Amanj Gafor Campaign (Bristol)
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