Campaigning together
All across the UK, local groups are running campaigns against injustice in the system. Click the links for more information, including how you can help - even the strongest campaigns need all the help they can get. And see below for some winning campaigns.
Sandra - 17 years old and facing removal to DR Congo
In the week following the release of an important report documenting the ill treatment of returned asylum seekers to DRC, UKBA are trying to remove 17 year old Sandra there. Once again, UKBA refuse to believe that Sandra is child and seem intent on removing this lone woman back to a country at war, and where sexual violence against women is rife. See the campaign Facebook page for more information, and find out what you can do to help Sandra.
“We are a stable, loving English family with four children. The UK Border Agency wants to take one of our children from us and send him to live on his own in Iraq”
Josh is an orphan who arrived alone in the UK, aged 14. For three years he has been living with his new English family in Colchester. Josh's home is with his family in England. Read more at the campaign page, or find the campaign on Facebook
Playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey are human rights campaigners from Cameroon. Their persecution in Cameroon has been followed by persecution at the hands of the UK authorities.
Lydia and Bernard sought sanctuary in December 2006. Their application was turned down, but with a big local and national campaign and legal challenges they have been fighting for their rights. For the latest news, see the campaign page from their support group at RAPAR
Khethiwe has been in UK since 2002 seeking sanctuary from the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. She has been active a number of groups and organisations in Bristol, including her church, as a volunteer in Bristol Refugee Rights, Bristol City of Sanctuary, and in a local group calling for Human Rights in Zimbabwe.
Khethiwe has a strong campaign group backing her, and you can read the latest here.
YOU CAN HELP
There are many ways you can support people in their campaigns against removal.
If you live locally, contact the group and ask if they need any help. If you don't live nearby, you can still help by signing online petitions, sending letters, "liking" a facebook page, encouraging your friends to lend their support too.
If you have been through, or are currently fighting, a campaign to stay, most groups would appreciate any advice you may have. The more we share, the more we work together, the stronger we become.
Winning Campaigns
These are some examples of successful anti-deportation campaigns. In most cases a combination of a strong campaign group and quality legal action has managed to stop a removal and win the right to stay.
Rima fled Eritrea as a child, but found no refuge in Italy. Eventually escaping to the UK, Rima found sanctuary with Alison and Robert. Together the family fought a long campaign to have Rima's asylum claim heard in the UK. Despite detention and threats of removal to Italy, they never gave up hope. In August 2011 they finally won. Rima's asylum claim was heard and almost immediately allowed.
The Justice for Rima campaign wrote to NCADC to say:
"The Campaign is happy to share that Rima has now been recognised as a refugee, and can stay in Scotland with her adoptive parents. Thank you to everyone from NCADC who was part of the campaign to keep Rima safe and have her case for refugee status heard."
Read about the campaign here.
Mildred Okpara fled a very dangerous situation in Nigeria with her two children, then aged three years and 5 months. She became very active in her local community in Sheffield, and when she was refused sanctuary built a strong campaign.
In September 2011, NCADC met Mildred in Sheffield and she had good news, which we can now share. The campaign group wrote to say:
"Mildred has now received official notification that she has been given leave to remain the the UK. She wants to thank you and NCADC particularly as without your help we would not have been able to build such an effective campaign throughout the country. Keep up the good work."
Read about the campaign here.
Charles is a journalist who fled imprisonment and torture in Cameroon. Seeking sanctuary in the UK, he settled in Glasgow becoming active with his local Citizens Advice Bureau and, importantly, with his branch of the National Union of Journalists.
When Charles was refused asylum, detained and threatened with deportation, the NUJ, Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees and NCADC formed a solid campaign. The campaign was inspiring, and NCADC were overjoyed when Charles won his right to stay in April 2011, and agreed to speak at our summer AGM and conference in Glasgow.
Read about the campaign here.