Scottish Afghans to Protest against the government's deportation of Afghan refugees

Called by Scottish Afghan Society

10.30am on Tuesday 6th May 2003

NASS/Immigration Office
Brand Street (near Cessnock underground)
Govan
Glasgow
Scotland

Inquiries/Further information
Scottish Afghan Society
077 7957 3331
glascamref@hotmail.com

Scottish MPs, human rights groups and Afghan asylum seekers are to formally denounce the recent enforced deportation of Afghan asylum seekers, the first since the fall of the Taliban regime, in a protest to be held outside the Home Office’s Glasgow base (Festival Court, 200 Brand Street, Govan, Glasgow G51 1A0 at 10.30 am on Tuesday 6th May 2003.

Deportations to Afghanistan were stopped around eight years ago amid fears of the political and social instability in the country. Under revised rules, the Afghan refugees were sent back on Monday April 28th 2003.

Refugee groups have hit out at the enforced deportations, which they say are too early as there is substantial evidence to indicate that the country remains unsafe and that the safety of deported individuals cannot be assured.

Mohammad Naveen Asif, President of the Scottish Afghan Society, said:

"Our country men and women are being forcibly removed from the UK back to Afghanistan under the pretext that it is safe for us to go back. In fact, Afghanistan has never been more unstable or dangerous, especially for refugees.

"After the defeat of the Tailban, Afghans were promised democracy and human rights but all that happened was that the Americans and British replaced one set of warlords with another.

"It may be difficult for the Home Office to remember - and difficult for us to forget - that these are the same warlords who killed 55,000 innocent Afghans between 1992 and 1996. 

"In place of the rule of democracy, Afghans are being ruled by warlords and mass murderers. Two years on there is no central regime, no basic constitution and, most importantly, no regular army to protect innocents Afghans from the brutality of the warlords. 

"The Home Office is telling us that it is safe to go back to Afghanistan. But if the President himself is so scared that even he needs American body guards to protect him, then how can the Home Office tell Afghan asylum seekers - who fled in the most difficult and tortuous of circumstances and cannot pay anyone to protect them - that it is safe for them to go back?

"As Afghans, we love our country more than anyone else and we know our country much better than David Blunkett or the Home Office. And right now, we know from international news reports that it is too dangerous for us to return forcibly or voluntarily.

"The Taliban are re-grouping in all parts of the country but no one wants to talk about that or otherwise the American/British "democracy" project looks like a sham. Al Qaeda is still active and factional fighting is going on across the whole country.

"According to the UN, Amnesty international and most importantly the foreign office Afghanistan is dangerous place to live in. For Afghan asylum seekers there is no safety whatsoever.

"BUT sadly the British and American close their eyes. We have had 25 years of war with Russia then America, and also internally with warlords and drugs which is now the no. 1 export. The country is on its knees so how can it be safe inside one year.

"The Scottish Afghan Society urges the home secretary David Blunkett to put a full stop to the forced deportation of afghan asylum seekers. Afghans are willing to return to their country if there is democratic government in power and once the country is safe and secure and free of warlords". 

Notes to editors

1.     The Scottish Afghan Society represents the interests of the Afghan community in Scotland. 

2.     Speakers at the protest are: Sandra White MSP, Rosie Kane MSP, Aamer Anwar, human rights lawyer, Mohammed Naveen Asif (Scottish Afghan Society and other MPs/MSPs to be confirmed.

3.     For more information call Mohammad Naveen Asif on 0777-957-3331

Source for this page: Scottish Afghan Society

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