Gashi
Family Must Stay
The Gashi family are Kosovan asylum seekers who have lived
in Britain for almost six years. They are facing deportation to Germany
from where they will be returned to Kosovo. The family left Kosovo eleven
years ago after the situation for Albanians became intolerable. Mr Gashi
was dismissed from his job along with all the other Albanian workers.
The family left Kosovo when the two oldest children, now 18 and 16 years
of age, were very young. None of the children are literate in Albanian
or Serbo-Croat. Three of the children were born outside of Kosovo and
have never even been there. They have no home to return to in Kosovo.
The family have been detained and released twice in the last year.
The children are strongly supported by
teachers from their schools. They have worked extremely hard and are expected
to do well in exams. Bajrush, aged 18, is currently studying for a GMVQ
in IT.
Elvira, aged 16, has just completed her
GCSE's and is a valued member of her school who wrote in a petition on
her behalf,
"she
has worked extremely hard to learn and improve her English and, despite
all the usual truamas of adolescence and being new to a school has managed
to build up excellent relationships with other pupils and staff. She
is now estimated an A-C in English GCSE after only four years and often
writes poetry for her friends. She is a thoroughly likable individual…We
are horrified that a young person can battle so hard against the odds
to become a successful and integrated member of our school community
only to be torn away at such a crucial time in her life".
Albina, aged 11, scores above the nationally
expected standard for most 11 year olds in science and maths and at the
nationally expected standard for English. Her school report congratulates
her on her excellent work;
'Albina
has worked extremely hard throughout the year in all subjects and has
made excellent progress. Her progress in Maths has been most pleasing
and she should be proud of the quality of the work she regularly produces
in Maths and Literacy in particular. Albina has shown a very mature
attitude to learning and shows much enthusiasm for work. Albina as been
a very valuable member of the class, who has made excellent contributions
to our class and school council. She is a kind and thoughtful child
who has been most helpful with other children in our class. I am sure
that Albina has the skills and ability to continue to achieve high standards."
Albina is at a crucial stage in her academic
life as she is about to leave primary school for secondary school, a difficult
transition for any young person. It is important she is able to make that
transition smoothly.
Adelina, aged 9, attends the Mullberry
School in North London.
Egzon,
aged 8, is a popular member of the Mullberry School. His report states;
"Egzon
has a lot to say in class and is always willing to share his information
and excitement. He has a fantastic art skill and great general knowledge,
especially about dinasaurs. He is fun to have in the class and the other
children enjoy his company. He has worked hard to develop his story
writing and his effort has paid off. Egzon is a happy and cheerful member
of our class. He is patient and polite, he is eager to learn and further
develop his understanding. He is currently working incredibly hard on
his hand writing and is beginning to make an improvement. He listens
carefully and is always willing to volunteer both answers and his support
of others. Well done Egzon, a lovely report"
The children's mother Mrs Rujike Gashi
is suffering from depression. Her father was executed in Kosovo in 1999
and the family have noticed a deterioration in her mental state since
then. She has difficulties sleeping, does not eat much and is not able
to participate in supporting the family. She suffers from nightmares and
wakes up distressed. She does not leave the house very often. Her doctors
are concerned about her mental state and state in their report "she
might need to come into hospital against her will should her mental state
deteriorate any further". They add:
"Mrs
Gashi's depressive illness is being maintained by her psychological
stressors, uncertainty about her future, difficulty in settling down,
having been forced to relocate in another country. The recent stress
by being detained by the immigration officers has made her condition
deteriorate even further."
According to an United Nations Mission in Kosovo briefing note on health
care provisions,
"Psychiatric
services are very limited, with an almost total lack of community services
other than those associated with conflict trauma. Patients are mostly
treated pharmaceutically;'rehabilitation' is virtually non-existent…funding
for the gradual reform of the system, including increased primary care
and community services, has not been adequate…no mental hospital
presently exists in Kosovo. The present ratio of one psychiatrist for
every 100,000 inhabitants indicates the extent of the challenge posed…The
current lack of mental health structures for chronic psychiatric patients
and the mentally disabled compels UNMIK to appeal to the host countries
not to return such cases at these times".
The US based group Mental Disability Rights
International (MDRI) published a report entitled Not on the Agenda: Human
Rights of People with Mental Disabilities in Kosovo. You can download
a full copy of this report at www.MDRI.org They documented appaling and
extensive human rights abuses occurring in psychiatric hospitals in Kosovo
including rape, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, physical abuse and
psychological abuse of patients. Many patients are forced to live in filthy
conditions surrounded by excrement and urine. There is a lack of basic
privacy with patients observed to have inadequate clothing to cover their
private parts and in some cases not being clothed at all. Medical and
psychiatric care is inadequate and unsafe with non-professional staff
authorised to administer powerful medications without review by a psychiatrist
for months or years. They found that people were arbitrarily and illegally
detained at mental institutions in violation of international and domestic
law. The authors of the report say,
"We
find that the lack of respect for human dignity, the danger due to unhygienic
conditions, inappropriate medical care, and lack of protection from
physical and sexual abuse renders detention in Shtime (an institution
for people with mental disabilities) for anyone a form of "inhuman
and degrading" treatment in violation of the United Nations' International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (ICCPR)...The lack of protections
against physical and sexual abuse or exploitation at the elderly Home
and the psychiatric wards of general hospitals also constitute inhuman
and degrading treatment under the ICCPR. The lack of protections against
improper civil commitment in these facilities renders detention in these
facilities a form of arbitrary detention under the ICCPR."
Anyone suffering from trauma-related mental
health problems would be extremely vulnerable if returned to Kosovo needing
treatment under these conditions. The general lack of safety and inadequate
treatment in these institutions makes it likely that they could be "retraumatized"
by exposure to the violence and inhuman conditions found there. MDRI are
especially concerned about the vulnerability of women who are particularly
susceptible to physical and sexual abuse. There are many women already
traumatised by their experiences during the conflict as rape and sexual
assault was common.
What you can do to help
Fax/write
to the Home Secretary David Blunkett, using the
model letter 'Attached', which you can copy/amend/write your own.
Fax no: 020 7273 3965 from outside the UK + 44 20 7273 3965
Or write to:
David Blunkett
Home Secretary
Home Office
50 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9ATPlease take time to send a copy of anything sent to:
c/o NCADC
Cambridge House
131 Camberwell Road
London SE5 0HF
Enquiries/further information:
Allison Bennett
Phone: 020 7701 5197
ncadc-london@ncadc.org.uk
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