Pastor Daly and Family Here to Stay
Pastor Daly originally fled Angola because he refused to inform on members of his congregation to a brutal government. Pastor and his family settled in Glasgow, they were arrested and detained several times; but after massive public protests the Home Office were forced to release them.
After years of waiting and worrying, having his asylum case repeatedly rejected and being locked up on three occasions, Pastor Daly and his family has been given permission to stay on in the city indefinitely. Pastor Daly says he feels like he has been freed from prison.
Pastor
Daly and family Judicial Review, Thursday 18th May 2006 [Posted Wednesday 17th
may 2006]
Edinburgh High Court
High Street
Edinburgh
10am-4pm Thursday 18th and Friday 19th May
The legal case for Pastor Daly and his family will reach the judicial
review stage in the High Court on Thursday the 18th and Friday
the 19th of May 2006.
Pastor Daly's asylum case has become one of the best-known cases
in Scotland because of the massive campaigning support the family
has been given from the African Scottish community and also the
people of Glasgow and Scotland more generally. His contribution
to the life of the city in terms of helping refugees and others,
particularly in his local area, Sighthill, has been enormous.
The children have spent more than 5 years in education in Scotland
and all have done very well in their exams. Rachel is at college
and could attend university if the government allowed it under
the asylum laws.
Pastor Daly originally fled Angola because he refused to inform
on members of his congregation to a brutal government. Twice in
the last year and a half, Pastor and his family have been arrested
and detained and twice the Home Office have been forced to release
them. This was due to the legal work carried out by his lawyers
and also because of the anger that spread across the city of Glasgow
at the treatment of this family.
The family has widespread support from politicians of different
parties, trade unionists, various churches and religious organisations
and a huge number of ordinary people in the city.
Commenting on the case, Sandra White MSP said
"This family are a great asset to our community and of course
should be allowed to stay in Scotland".
The case has now become one of the most important human rights
cases in relation to government immigration policy in the whole
of Britain.
Friends and supporters will accompany the Pastor and his family
to the hearing, which is, of course, open to public and press.
Margaret Woods
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
078 7028 6632
Pastor
Daly and Family - freed from detention [Posted Thursday 20th
January 2006]
Pastor Daly and Family have been freed from Dungavel Detention
Centre they were granted bail yesterday after the community raised £4000s
for surety.
They are now back in their home in Glasgow. The campaign would
like to thank you for all your help and assistance in this happening,
the demonstrations/faxes/emails, just making noise have made the
difference. If these things had not happened the family would have
been deported.
The importance of solidarity amongst community/religious groups,
politicians, trades unions and concerned individuals is highlighted
by this case. Mark Brown, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
The fight to keep the family in country will continue until they
are given indefinite leave to remain, so we still need you.
Thanking you all again, on behalf of the campaign,
Jose Sana Bumba
Daly Family Campaign c/o
lisalisiprojectscotland@yahoo.co.uk
Pastor
Daly - returned to Scotland but still in Detention [Posted Tuesday 4th January
2006]
Monday the 3rd of January 2005, with the new year hardly started
Glasgow had a magnificent turn out of 150 people calling for the
release of Pastor Daly from detention and urging the granting of
refugee status to him and his family.
The usually sedate St Enoch Square in Glasgow found people
singing and dancing to the throb of djembe drums and all supporting Pastor
Daly and his family, on a cold and windy first Monday in January!
The atmosphere was electric and the music fairly cheered
up what could have been a very sombre occasion.
Speakers were two MSP's plus a written message of support
from two others, even at this holiday time when Scotland traditionally celebrates.
Plus representatives of different churches, trade unions and refugee groups.
In a world where natural disasters and the man made ones of poverty,
oppression and Imperialist wars are causing the displacement of
hundreds of thousands, a rich nation such as ours should be welcoming
asylum seekers and making immigration decisions based on the premise
that people do not flee their homeland without good cause.
Immigration assessments should be founded on a presumption to
grant asylum and not, as they are currently, on finding any excuse
to deport asylum seekers. Decisions should also be colour-blind:
I do not believe that they are. Elaine Smith MSP
Sandra White MSP, SNP, Griff Dines from St Mary's Episcopal
Cathedral and also representing various united groups such as Churches Against
Racist Marion Hersh from the Assoc. of University Lecturers (Glasgow Univ branch)
Elaine Smith MSP, Labour Party and Convenor of Campaign for Socialism - written
speech read for her as ill (and attached) Mohammed Naveen Asif, Afghan refugee
and refugee spokesperson Pastor Olivier from the Pentecostal Church of Redemption
and Pastor Daly Support Campaign Rosie Kane MSP, SSP had message of support
read out but she was away Carolyn Leckie, MSP, SSP and Sheila Arthur from the
Campaign to Welcome Refugees
Speakers all called for British government to allow Pastor Daly
and his family to stay here in Glasgow. Individual speakers also
talked of the Scottish Executive's stated aims of wanting "fresh
talent" but not having the power to influence immigration
decisions taken in Westminster, the issues that cause conflict
in the communities that refugees flee from and the current government
making an issue of being tough on immigration.
People were pleased to hear that Pastor Daly had been returned
to Scotland and was now being held in detention in Dungavel (since
Sunday evening).
Update
On Pastor Daly & Family
Wednesday December 7th 2005: The removal
has been stayed again and the family should be released from
detention and returned to Glasgow sometime today
(00:01am Tuesday
66 December 2005) It is understood that
that a hearing has been granted for Pastor Daly and his family
who are currently being held in Room 241 of Yarls Wood removal
Centre. The removal directions set for 9 December have been
cancelled.
The Lisalisi Project Scotland has been supporting Pastor Daly
and his family from the outset. A project worker informed Positive
Action in Housing that there is a possibility that the home office
may decide to let the family out on Tuesday 6 or Wednesday 7 December
but it depends on the chief immigration officer’s decision
(CIO Dave Thompson based in Dungavel removal centre). If the family
is not released on Tuesday or Wednesday then a bail application
will be lodged in Glasgow for Thursday and the whole community
and supporters of Pastor Daly are prepared to attend and show their
support. Pastor Daly and his family were previously detained in December
2004/January 2005. Members of his congregation, including asylum
seekers who count amongst the poorest in Glasgow, raised £4,000
bail for his release. A judicial review was set for January 2006. The review was based
on the fact that asylum seekers from Angola are not accepted back
to that country. (Those that do return are routinely imprisoned,
tortured and finally killed). We are informed that the home Office
had requested that Pastor Daly withdraw his judicial review and
instead lodge a fresh asylum claim. Believing this to be a goodwill
gesture, Pastor Daly’s solicitors withdrew the judicial review
and lodged a fresh asylum claim. This claim was then rejected by
the home Office. At 9.30 am on Saturday 3 December 2005, Pastor Daly and his family
went to sign at Brand Street. People at the weekly vigil at the
gates of Brand Street on Saturday grew worried as time passed and
the Daly family did not reappear. At around 10:30am a Securicor
van moved to leave the Centre. Some protestors tried to blockade
the gates, but after a couple of minutes police arrived from the
back of the centre in an unmarked car, and moved people off the
road. The van sped off, with the police car as escort. People coming out after signing on confirmed that the Daly family
was no longer in the building, so calls were made to friends of
the family to alert them that pastor Daly, his wife and family
had been detained again. The Daly family’s Red Peugeot remains
standing outside Brand Street where it was left on Saturday 9.30
am when the family went to sign weekly. Robina Qureshi, Director, Positive Action in Housing said: “For the past year Pastor Daly and his family have been
subjected to fear of detention and removal. It takes a lot of courage
for an entire family to undergo a fear-ridden visit to Brand Street
immigration offices every Saturday morning. The younger children
had to be literally dragged by their parents to sign at Brand street
such was their fear of the place. They knew every week that they
could be bundled in caged vans to be incarcerated in a detention
centre. And even when they were allowed to return to their home
after signing at Brand Street they went home fearing a visit by
immigration snatch squads and dawn raid vans every night. “Pastor Daly gave time and a listening ear to people in
communities that have never been listened to. How degrading and
humiliating for this entire family to be treated in this way. “The home office would like Scottish people to think this
is about a bunch of asylum seekers. In fact this is about Scotland’s
future and where we are going as a society. And we as a society
with a declining population are deporting our future. Pastor Daly
and his family are our future. Scotland needs people to grow and
it doesn’t matter what colour they are, what accent they
speak or where they came from. A country needs people to grow and
we are sending them back.” After the attempted blockade of the van, a security guard threatened
violence against a protestor, who had stayed by the side of the
road the whole time, away from the gates. A complaint was made
to the police, the guard was taken off gate duty, and he was charged. A weekly protest takes place at brand Street every Saturday between
10 am and 12 Noon. It is led by consultant psychiatrist Ahmed Khan
who has stood alone outside brand street every week for over a
year., We are calling on others to support Ahmed by joining his
peaceful protest outside Brand Street this Saturday and every Saturday
between 10 am and 12 noon. Please brings flasks of hot drinks and
warm clothing. Please also bring banners. For further details, please contact: Robina Qureshi 07773321727 The Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees 07870286632 Lisalisi Project Scotland
House 1/3
55 Kirkton Avenue
Glasgow G13 3RZ
Tel: 07932252411 / 07944393424
Fax: 0141 558 1652
Daly Family detained again (posted Monday 5th
December 2005)
Pastor Daly and his family went to sign on at brand street immigration office
on Saturday 3 December at 9.30 am. He and his entire family were then detained
by immigration at Brand Street. Around 10.30 am a van carrying the family was
seen to leave the gates at Brand Street. Pastor Daly’s red Peugeot car
remains outside Brand Street where he left it when he and his family went to
sign. The family are now in Yarl's Wood Removal Centre. (African
pastor and his family face deportation this week)
Pastor Daly and Family - freed from detention
Pastor Daly and Family have been freed from Dungavel
Detention Centre they were granted bail yesterday after the community
raised £4000s for surety.
They are now back in their home in Glasgow. The
campaign would like to thank you for all your help and assistance
in this happening, the demonstrations/faxes/emails, just making noise have made
the difference. If these things had not happened the family would have been deported.
The importance of solidarity amongst community/religious
groups, politicians, trades unions and concerned individuals is
highlighted by this case. Mark Brown, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
The fight to keep the family in country will continue until they
are given indefinite leave to remain, so we still need you.
Thanking you all again, on behalf of the campaign,
Jose Sana Bumba
Churches
rally round to free Dungavel family
An African preacher and his family seeking asylum
in Scotland were last night freed from Dungavel detention centre
after local churches raised £4000 bail.
Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly, 42, fled war-torn
Angola with his wife and children more than four years ago, but
was detained at the centre in Lanarkshire, last month. Isabell,
his wife, and their children, Rachel, 16, Josue, 14, Linda, 13,
and 11-year-old Isaac, were detained on Monday.
Alison
Chiesa The Herald January 20 2005
Family
of preacher seeking asylum held
The family of an African
preacher seeking asylum in Scotland were detained yesterday,
only days before the government decides whether they
can remain in the UK.
The Herald 18/01/05
Pastor
Daly - returned to Scotland but still in Detention
Monday the 3rd of January 2005, with the new
year hardly started Glasgow had a magnificent turn out of 150 people
calling for the release of Pastor Daly from detention and urging
the granting of refugee status to him and his family.
The usually sedate St Enoch Square in Glasgow
found people singing and dancing to the throb of djembe drums and
all supporting Pastor Daly and his family, on a cold and windy
first Monday in January!
The atmosphere was electric and the music fairly
cheered up what could have been a very sombre occasion.
 Speakers
were two MSP's plus a written message of support from two others,
even at this holiday time when Scotland traditionally celebrates.
Plus representatives of different churches, trade unions and refugee
groups.
In a world where natural disasters and the man made ones of poverty,
oppression and Imperialist wars are causing the displacement of
hundreds of thousands, a rich nation such as ours should be welcoming
asylum seekers and making immigration decisions based on the premise
that people do not flee their homeland without good cause.
Immigration assessments should be founded on a presumption to grant
asylum and not, as they are currently, on finding any excuse to
deport asylum seekers. Decisions should also be colour-blind: I
do not believe that they are. Elaine Smith MSP
Sandra White MSP, SNP, Griff Dines from St Mary's
Episcopal Cathedral and also representing various united groups
such as Churches Against Racist Marion Hersh from the Assoc. of
University Lecturers (Glasgow Univ branch) Elaine Smith MSP, Labour
Party and Convenor of Campaign for Socialism - written speech read
for her as ill (and attached) Mohammed Naveen Asif, Afghan refugee
and refugee spokesperson Pastor Olivier from the Pentecostal Church
of Redemption and Pastor Daly Support Campaign Rosie Kane MSP,
SSP had message of support read out but she was away Carolyn Leckie,
MSP, SSP and Sheila Arthur from the Campaign to Welcome Refugees
Speakers all called for British government to allow Pastor Daly
and his family to stay here in Glasgow. Individual speakers also
talked of the Scottish Executive's stated aims of wanting "fresh
talent" but not having the power to influence immigration
decisions taken in Westminster, the issues that cause conflict
in the communities that refugees flee from and the current government
making an issue of being tough on immigration.
People were pleased to hear that Pastor Daly had been returned to
Scotland and was now being held in detention in Dungavel (since
Sunday evening).
Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly and family
<http://www.ncadc.org.uk/newszine53/daly.html>http://www.ncadc.org.uk/newszine53/daly.html
Sheila Arthur
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees
Suite 432
355 Byres Road
Glasgow G12 8QZ
Ph & Fx: 0141 946 6111
Mb: 07718 896 041
Email: <mailto:sheila@amaconsultants.co.uk>sheila@amaconsultants.co.uk
Good news, still here, Still Fighting - Pastor
Makielokele Nzelengi Daly and his familyaaa
(posted 24/12/04)
After three public protests in five days, intervention
of Members of Scottish parliament, and a large fax protest, the
Home Office have stayed the removal of Pastor Daly and his family.
This was another Anti-Deportation Campaign that
went to the wire. Pastor Daly and his family were to be removed
via Glasgow airport yesterday. On Tuesday Pastor Daly disappeared
from Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre and Scotland. None of
his family was informed that he had been moved and despite enquires
by all and sundry, no one was able to find out where he had been
moved to.
Only after the Home Office had stayed the removal
did it emerge that they had moved Pastor Daly to England. Cynical
of Home Office motives, NCADC would opine that he was moved to
avoid the large protest planned by Scottish communities opposing
the deportation at Glasgow airport.
Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, one of
the many organisations supporting the Daly family said: "It
looks as if in some sense we have a victory, at about 11.30am yesterday,
Pastor Daly was told that his deportation had been set aside, pending
further examination of the case. We're not out of the woods yet,
but hopefully something more can be done. Community resistance
to this proposed unjust and inhumane deportation was essential
in staying the removal."
As ever NCADC would like to thank all who faxed the Home Office
on behalf of the family.
Demonstrate
Glasgow Airport Thursday 23rd December 2004 aaaaaaaaa
(posted Monday 20th December 2004)
Stop the Deportation of Pastor Daly and his family to Angola
Assemble Glasgow International Airport 8.00am, (transport leaves
George Square Glasgow at 7.00am)
.
Pastor Daly and his family are part of the Pentecostal Church of
Redemption in Glasgow and they have the support of Africans from
throughout the African continent, now living in Glasgow. They are
currently detained in Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre, awaiting
removal from the UK this Thursday.
Refugee Community Organisations: The Pentecostal Church of Redemption,
Christ est Roi Church, Lisalisi Project Scotland, Scottish African
Refugee Community Association (SARCO), Karibu,Dorcas Project,UDPS,
Advice for African Community in Scotland (AACOS) and Glasgow Campaign
to Welcome Refugees are all supporting the campaign to keep the
family in Scotland.
Unfinished Democracy in Angola
"Yet, even as peace creates new opportunities for the enjoyment
of rights, there remains a substantial gap between the freedoms
promised by Angola's constitution, by its laws, and by the international treaties
Angola has ratified, and the realization of those freedoms by Angolans. The gap
is perpetuated by the continued denial of those freedoms by the Angolan government
and its agents.
In the interior of the country, the situation remains troubling
from a human rights perspective: opposition activists continue
to be the target of violence by the police, the army, the Civil
Defense Organization (ODC), and supporters of the government. Private
media are almost unknown. The judicial system does not have the
independence to enforce the legislation that should in practice
guarantee basic freedoms." Human Rights Watch Report, July 14, 2004Send messages
of support to Pastor Olivier Mondeke who will make sure they get
passed on: <mailto:olivier_mondeke@yahoo.co.uk>olivier_mondeke@yahoo.co.uk
If you can offer further help or support the contact details are:
Pastor Olivier 07930 881 166 or 07907 866 074
Freddie 07986 261 876
Inquiries/further information:
Claude Djuma
Scottish African Refugee Community Organization (SARCO)
0141 557 1279
078 9133 1638
sarco4u@aol.com
Demonstration
Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre
aaaaaaaaa
(posted Saturday 18th December 2004)
1.00pm Sunday 19th December 2004
Message from: Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees:
Support Pastor Daly and family who have been 'snatched' and taken
to Dungavel
Sunday 19th, meet at 11.30am at George Square in Glasgow.
Two buses are taking supporters of the Pastor down to Dungavel protest
at their detention.
Pastor Daly, his wife and four children have been detained by Immigration
Services in Scotland. The Home Office has served the family with
Removal Directions as a Christmas present: Deportation to Angola
is set for 23rd December, at 9:05am from Glasgow International Airport.
Dungavel House Immigration Centre
Strathaven
South Lanarkshire
ML10 6RF
Protest
against detention and deportation aaaaaaaaa
(posted Tuesday 14th December 2004)
Glasgow, Thursday 16th December 10:30am
In support of Pastor Makielokele Nzelengi Daly and his family
Immigration and Nationality Directorate office
Festival Court
200 Brand Street, Glasgow G51 1DH
Nearest Underground: Cessnock
Pastor Daly, his wife and four children have been detained by Immigration
Services in Scotland. The Home Office has served the family with
Removal Directions as a Christmas present: Deportation to Angola
is set for 23rd December, at 9:05am from Glasgow International Airport.
Refugee Community Organisations:
The Pentecostal Church of Redemption
The Christ est Roi Church
Lisalisi Project Scotland
Scottish African Refugee Community Association (SARCO)
Karibu
Dorcas Project
UDPS
Advice for African Community in Scotland (AACOS)
Have called the demonstration in support of Pastor Daly, and in
protest against injustices to asylum seekers and refugees in Scotland.
Please come along and support the demonstration.
Inquiries/further information:
Claude Djuma
Scottish African Refugee Community Organization (SARCO)
0141 557 1279
078 9133 1638
sarco4u@aol.com |
