'Sanctuary for Zahrieh, Alirezah and Navid' and Sanctuary it is!

How small a cage is for a bird!
How boring a fish bowl is for a fish !
How scary and dark a grave is for a living and breathing boy!
How ugly detention is for a child !
Hand cuffs, iron locks, closed doors, fences
I was just six years old.
I felt great sorrow, as I had been doing very well at school And they didn't permit me to go to school
when they took me to Yarlswood prison
For what crime? I don't know.
We came from a far land
with exhausted feet,
to this strange land
I want to smell calming flowers,
I want to search for secure moments,
I wish that I could fly!

Navid wrote this poem after spening 32 days in detentiion at Yarl's Wood IRC

Zahrieh, Alirezah and Navid; nationals of Iran, were taken from their Wolverhampton home on Monday 16th May 2005 and taken to Yarl's Wood IR. The following day they were taken to the holding room at Heathrow Airport for removal. However, when the time came to board the plane, Zahrieh, Navid's mother, refused to leave the building as she was determined not to allow her family to be returned to Iran from where they had fled in fear of their lives.

They were brought back to Yarl's Wood and Zahrieh went on hunger strike for 32 days until the family were released, which began a three year battle with the Home Office, ending in victory for Zahrieh, Alirezah and Navid on Monday 12th May 2008

"How can we thank you all very much for your strong support. Actually it is your support which win. This campaign was really a new experience for us that how we can unite together and stand against inhumanity in the world when we are from different countries and different cultures. I will never forgot the voices and letters which gave us strength to be strong in terrible situation. This all your hard work result which is really grateful for us."

Lots of love ,
Navid , Zahrieh and Ali

Trude, Barbara and Trevor Must Stay !
My name is Trude Ndagire. I came to the UK in 2001 from Uganda when I was 17 years old and applied for asylum the next day. I had to flee Uganda because my father wanted me to marry a man from the Sebei culture who was twice my age and would have forced me to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM). When I refused, my father started abusing me; beating me and locking me up in the house. He raped me and as a result I gave birth to a baby girl who he wanted to kill. My claim for asylum was refused when I turned 18; even though the immigration judge believed how I had been persecuted, he still refused my claim. Read more and see how you can help

Citizenship, Immigration and Borders Bill

The purpose of this Bill is to replace all existing immigration legislation with a simplified, clear and coherent legal framework to control our borders, manage migration and reform the path to citizenship.
The main elements of the Bill

* support the concept of earned citizenship - setting out the eligibility requirements for UK citizenship * support the establishment of the UK Border Agency * replace ten separate pieces of immigration law, of which some of the earlier provisions have already been partially superseded by subsequent Acts, with a single Act of Parliament * provide for sharper and more consistent immigration rules, which can continue to be quickly adjusted in response to changing circumstances

NCADC Train-the-Trainer Cardiff Seminar - Monday 19th May - 9.30am to 4:00pm
Assisted by : Harris Nyatsanza, Cardiff-based Zimbabwean refugee and founder of Medical Justice (photo above right), and Constance Nzeneu, Cameroonian refugee, member of Refugee Voice Wales (photo above left). About NCADC Train-the-Trainer seminars - In 2005, NCADC started giving workshops on how to set up an anti-deportation campaign which has helped enable communities to build up their own capacity to establish campaigns. Over 1,500 people have attended the NCADC workshops - many new campaigns have been established and the "community of resistance" has swelled as a result. But it's still not nearly enough to meet the needs of those facing deportation who need advice about establishing anti-deportation campaigns. With help from Barrow Cadbury, NCADC set up the "Train-the-Trainer" project to train and support people to hold their own anti-deportation campaign workshops in their communities. More info and how to book a place at the Cardiff seminar