Anzim Family are here to stay beneficiaries of the Family Amnesty

Anzim Family Must Stay

      The Anzim Family were forced to flee their native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999 due to Mr Sylvain Anzim and his father's involvement in the former ruling party (MPR) headed by the late Mobutu Sesse Seko.

     Their involvement was not only as members but they were also the artists entrusted with the decorating and painting of the former president's messages and emblems. After the overthrow of MPR government in 1997, Sylvain and his father were arrested and imprisoned. Due to the constant violence and beating meted out on them by their captors, his father was taken ill and paralysed. His illness worsened and he was released but unfortunately it was too little too late as a week later he lost his life. After hearing of his father's death, Sylvain did all he could to escape. He succeeded in doing so and came to the UK to seek refuge.

      Sylvain and his wife Rachel have since been blessed with a daughter, Imlah, who was born at Winchester Royal Hants County Hospital on 4th January 2002. Sylvain supports his family by taking two jobs. He is employed by Supportways (Eastleigh) and Carewatch (Winchester) as a carer.

     If the Anzim family are sent back their lives would be in danger as the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office's own report on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is indeed very bleak. The report on the FCO website states: "The conflict has led to abuses of human rights and humanitarian standards by all sides. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights issues with President Kabila during his visit in January 2002. The Secretary of State for International Development also raised these concerns with the Congolese DR Minister for Human Rights, Professor Ntumba Luaba Lumu, on 30 July 2001."

     For more than a year the Anzims have been active members of the local community and are already highly regarded by their new friends and neighbours. They are supported in their fight against deportation by their local MP, Sandra Gidley, Sylvain's bosses and colleagues at work, his trade union, Unison, and the local community in and around Chandlersford and greater Southampton.

   The Anzim Family are asking for your help to remain in the UK. There is a petition which asks the Home Secretary to allow them to remain in the UK on compassionate grounds.

Send messages of Solidarity to: SylvainAnzim_must_stay@ncadc.org.uk

Further background material:
BBC News Online Country profile: Democratic Republic of Congo

Source for this page: Anzim Family Must Stay