Jamil Parsa Must Stay

Jamil Parsa is 27 years old from Afghanistan. He is a Muslim of the Hazara tribe. He arrived in the UK on 22.12.2001 and claimed asylum on 27.12.2001. He is presently living in Ilford, Essex.

Jamil attended school in Kabul where his father was a successful businessman. The Hazara tribe are a minority in Afghanistan and have faced persecution there for many years. In September 1996 a group of Taliban supporters attacked Jamil's family home killing his parents and three siblings. The house was set on fire and destroyed. Jamil was staying with his uncle that night and escaped death. Following the deaths of his family Jamil continued to live with his uncle and work with him in the family business.

The Taliban were targeting all those who ran successful businesses and Jamil feels this is the reason his family were killed. They now began to demand money from his uncle and over the next three years raided their home and warehouses, removing goods and possessions and accusing his uncle of concealing weapons.

In October 1999 Jamil and other young Hazaras were detained by the Taliban and tortured. Jamil had boiling water poured over him and has permanent scarring on his left arm and both feet. He was also beaten with the butt of a gun. After his release he was stopped in the street several further times and beaten causing injuries which required hospital treatment. He has scarring on his bottom lip as a result of these beatings.

In addition to Taliban and Mujahidden, the Hazara were also persecuted by other armed groups including the Hizab-I Islami, the Itahidi-Islami, the Jamyat-Islami and Shora-I Nizar. In the mid 1990s two of Jamil's cousins and their families were killed by fighters from these groups in Afshar where they lived. Jamil was also attacked by people from these groups in early 2000 and sustained a stab wound to his left hand.

With the support of his uncle, who believed Jamil's life was in danger he fled Afghanistan and arrived in Dover on 22nd December 2001. Jamil had a good job in the family business but he left that because he was genuinely in fear for his life.

Although the Taliban are no longer in control of the country, Amnesty International in their 2003 report states,

"Grave human rights abuses and armed conflict continued. Hundreds of people
were arbitrarily detained and held in poor prison conditions. Impunity remained
entrenched and perpetrators of human rights violations largely went unpunished."
http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/afg-summary-eng>http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/afg-summary-eng

Amnesty describe the situation in Afghanistan now as "an unsustainable and unstable post-conflict environment", not conducive to voluntary repatriation. Ethnic violence and factional fighting continues. Recently the President of Afghanistan narrowly escaped an assassination attempt that killed his driver and the Vice-President, Haj Qadir was assassinated in Kabul.

As a result of his experiences Jamil suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. At times he is too anxious to leave his home. He has flashbacks, insomnia and anxiety attacks. He is presently living close to his aunt, Sanawbar Abdulrazzaq, who lives in Wanstead and uncle, Abdul Samad Turkmani, who lives in Ilford. He has the support of them and his cousins who have leave to remain in Britain.

Jamil fears persecution and possible death at the hands of those who hate people of Hazara ethnicity if he is returned to Afghanistan.

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 9AT

Please take time to send a copy of anything sent to:
Jamil Parsa Campaign
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