"I
sewed my eyes so others could see, I sewed my ears so others could
hear, I sewed my mouth to give others a voice"
Abas Amini
Abas
Amini: Kurdish poet finds his voice Guardian
Online Saturday May 31st 2003
Abas Amini ended his hunger strike on Friday 30th May
2003 and all the stitches were removed under medical supervision.
Posted Thursday 29th May 2003
Abas Amini is 'Here to Stay' but fights on for all other Asylum
Seekers
The
Home Office have been refused leave to appeal against the adjudicators
decision to grant Abas Amini refugee status. A Home Office spokesperson
said that the Home Office have accepted the decision and will
not pursue the matter any further. Which means Abas has won his
claim for asylum and is 'Here to Stay'.
However, at this time Abas remains
on hunger strike, and continues to raise wider issues about the
treatment of asylum seekers.
200 people, including
refugees and asylum seekers, neighbours and other supporters gathered
outside the home of Abas
Amini on Wednesday morning
to show their solidarity with him.
At the time the Home Office were still pursuing their appeal
against the Adjudicator's decision to grant Abas indefinite leave
to remain.
On Wednesday
afternoon, Abas' solicitor was faxed with the Tribunal judge's
decision not to allow
the Home Office appeal against the Adjudicator to go ahead. The judge argued
that their were no legal grounds for such an appeal, that Abas
had been a credible witness at adjudication, with an account consistent
with country reports on Iran and substantiated by medical evidence. The judge said that Abas had been able
to answer the objections raised by the Home Office in their initial
refusal of asylum.
At the moment,
the priority for the group of friends supporting Abas, including
his comrades/friends from the Iranian Federation of Refugee/Workers
Communist Party of Iran/Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group/Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum, is his deteriorating health.
Needless
to say, the past week has been emotionally extremely difficult
for everyone involved.
Contrary
to the report in the Daily Mail, Abas was not manipulated by the
'asylum brigade'. His
decision to go on hunger strike in this way was his alone.
Friends
and supporters have expressed their deep concern at his course
of action, whilst supporting his outstanding courage.
The last
few days has succeeded in raising some of the most important issues
around asylum, in a graphic and powerful way.
The
publicity Abas has generated has clearly been extremely challenging
for the Home Office.
Abas
wishes to express his thanks to everybody who has supported his
struggle and asks them to take up the four demands he has raised.
Tribunal rejects
Home Office right to appeal against Abas Amini's leave to remain
in UK.
A
tribunal has refused the UK Secretary of State permission to appeal
against a court decision to grant indefinite leave to remain for
Abas Amini.
Abas
Amini, an asylum seeker from Iran, began a hunger strike and stitched
up his ears, eyes and lips to protest against the way he and other
asylum seekers have been treated by the British government. He
has not eaten since last Wednesday and not had water or any other
fluid since last Thursday.
Abas
is continuing with his protest because, as he has said from the
beginning, he is protesting on behalf of all asylum seekers, regardless
of where they are from. He is making four requests of the Home
Office before he is prepared to take some water:
1.
The Home Office must review its asylum procedures regarding refusals
and appeals, and review its policy that challenges decisions granting
asylum seekers the right to remain in the UK, regardless of their
background or previous circumstances.
2.
The Home Office must become more open with solicitors representing
asylum seekers on how refusal decisions are made.
3.
The Home Office must ensure that its staff's attitude towards
ALL asylum seekers is to treat them with respect and humanity.
4.
Mr Amini's main concern is for other asylum seekers who have been
refused the right to remain in the UK and are facing removal.
He says that these people should not be removed - especially to
countries like Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan which have had no human
rights for decades. He is asking the government to recognise any
countries that do not reach human rights standards, and to grant
protection to all asylum seekers from these countries. They should
not be describing Iran as a "safe" country after the
experiences he has had.
Abas has
stressed that he is continuing his protest on behalf of ALL asylum
seekers, regardless of where they are from. "I think the
Home Office ought to come out with a full apology, not just to
me, but to ALL asylum seekers for the way they have treated them."
"When
I heard the news [the Home Office decision to deny the right to
appeal] I was saddened - it did not make me happy. Only when all
asylum seekers facing the same problems have received a positive
decision will I be happy. This is not just my problem. It is the
problem of ALL asylum seekers."
He
said that he was not worried that his family would ask him to
change his mind and take some water. He said having spoken to
his family by phone this morning only made him more determined
to continue with his protest: "This morning I spoke to them
and they gave me hope and aspiration to continue. I felt hundreds
of times better. They prefer that if I have to die in Britain
it is far better than that I am returned to Iran." He said
his family trusted him and shared his beliefs, and that they would
leave the decision whether to continue his protest with him, and
respect his decision.
He
said that asylum seekers did not come to Britain for economic
reasons. "They would not have made the hazardous journey
to Britain if conditions in their own countries were better."
Speaking of his life
in Iran he said: "As far as my own life went, I never had
any happy times. My life in Iran has always been unhappy and difficult."
"The
best thing I would wish for - whether I live or not - is one day
to bring an end to years of oppression and degradation in Iran.
I hope that one day Iran can be admitted into human society. I
hope one day Iran will become an example to the rest of the world."
Even though Abashas
achieved a great deal of positive coverage in the media, he says
he will continue with his protest. "I will never trust these
people [at the Home Office] "How can I trust people who have
admitted they have betrayed us [Asylum Seekers."
He said
that many local people in Nottingham supported him. "A huge
number of people fully understand us [asylum seekers] because
they live in the same conditions we do." He said he was in
contact with many local people and that he had had a lot of support
from them.
In Britain,
he said, "everyone is very respectful and humane in their
behaviour towards me - even people I don't know smile at me in
the street. I think many people care about peoples' rights and
attend human rights rallies. I am very appreciative of the way
I and others have been treated here."
"Even
in Nottingham, in the centre of Britain, all kinds of local people
have told me the government does not treat them fairly. I can
say this because they have told me themselves. They feel let down
by the government."
Sam Azad for,
Iranian Federation of Refugees / Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group/Nottingham
& Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum
Background: Demonstration
to support Abas Amini
Inquiries further information:
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire
Refugee Forum
0115 985 9546
Iranian Federation of Refugees / Nottingham Refugee Campaign Group
Sam Azad
Phone: 07929917756 - 0115 9859546
Messages of support/solidarity for Abas Amini
Jorobdansam@aol.com
