Demo in Manchester against deportations to DR Congo
“Home Office must stop sending our brothers and sisters to the killer regime”
19th March 2009: The Congolese communities in the UK are holding a demo against deportations to DR Congo. The demo will take place on Saturday 21st March in Manchester.
The organizers of the demo say that it is extremely dangerous to deport failed asylum seekers to the DR Congo because of the country’s poor human rights records. They say that many who have been deported in the past are being detained by the country’s secret service while others have had to pay bribes in order to be released.
There are also returned failed asylum seekers who have had to escape to the neighbouring countries such as Congo Brazzaville and Angola.
“The Home Office must stop sending our brothers and sisters to the killer regime,” the organizers say, appealing to all to “Demonstrate with us to protest against deportations to a country that has never truly known independence.”
The demo has been organized by: Congo Support Project, Congo Action Group, UDPS, APARECO, BUNDU DIA KONGO, Supported by: Refugee & Asylum Seeker Participatory Action Research (RAPAR), NCADC, Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST), RESPECT, Green Party, Manchester Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers (MCDAS), and the Greater Manchester Campaign Against Climate Change.
Demo against deportations to DR Congo
Saturday 21st March 2009
Time: 11:30
Starting from: All Saint Building opposite student union Oxford Road
Ending at: Peace Gardens
For further information, please contact:
csp_manchester@yahoo.co.ukThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ;
John Kalubi on Tel 079 6061 7309 or 079 0339 0746;
Innocent Empi on Tel 079 3964 3084;
Sabin Kaleta on Tel 079 0392 8616;
Richard Biladi on Tel 078 4256 7326.
Saturday 21 March 2009
Do Not send Them to be Killled
Campaign To Stop Deportations to DR Congo - three Manchester Events
The Home Office deports DR-Congo "refused" asylum seekers despite evidence indicating that they may face imprisonment and torture on return.
An Immigration Appeal Tribunal case on the 7th March 2007 will challenge the current DR Congo Country Guidance in which the Home Office claims there is no risk on return to "refused" asylum seekers.
The Tribunal previously established that asylum seekers with a "political or military profile" deported to the DRC face a "real risk" of persecution (1). Most DRC asylum seekers we know should fit that profile, but their claims are largely disbelieved by immigration judges and solicitors drop their cases without making any further legal challenge.
Even if a deportee had no history of persecution in the DRC, they may be branded a political dissident simply because they claimed asylum in Europe (2), and as such, could face imprisonment and torture on return. The DRC authorities know which passengers are deportees because a UK officer personally hands them over in the airport (3).
ALL DRC deportees are in danger because they risk being interrogated at the airport to see if there is a political "charge" against them, or just to extort a "fine". Some don't have any means to pay a "fine" and may be imprisoned (4), possibly indefinitely. The Home Office admits that DRC prison conditions are "life threatening", synonymous with disease, hunger, abuse, torture and death (5), and, are "likely to reach the Article 3 threshold" (6).
Public Meeting : Saturday 3rd March - 3.30pm to 5pmFriends Meeting HouseMount StreetManchesterM2 5NS
Speakers will include ;* Liz Atherton, Congo Support Project* Congolese asylum seekers from Manchester, Bolton and beyond* Update on the DR Congo Country Guidance case coming up
Purpose of the campaigning meeting is to:* Explain the significance of the Country Guidance case * Ensure the legal team is provided with as much of the appropriate type of evidence as possible from the Congolese community * Presentation of an info pack including a petition that has been organised by the solicitors and barristers involved in the case, a campaign letter to all MPs, Lords, trade unions (in particular those with members working in detention centres and airlines), NGO's etc. * To plan build for the demonstrations at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in Manchester and Dallas Court Enforcement Unit, and other awareness raising activities.
Demonstration : Wednesday 7th March - 10am to 12.30pmAsylum and Immigration Tribunal in Manchester2 Piccadilly PlazaMosley StreetManchesterM1 4AH
Demonstration : Tuesday 13th March - 12.00 noon to 2pmDallas Court Enforcement Unit in SalfordSouth Longworthy RoadSalford QuaysSalfordM50 2GF
Congo Support Project North West calls all Congolese people and their supporters to attend the two demonstrations to challenge this position and demand the Home Office and the UK Government ;1. Immediately stop all deportations to DRC2. Stop subjecting DRC asylum seekers to the "Fast Track" asylum determination process.3. To produce evidence of fulfilling their responsibility of monitoring returns to DRC !
Background / sources(1) Immigration Appeal Tribunal, 25/02/05, AB and DM DRC CG [2005] UKIAT 00118 - "there continues to be a real risk for those with a political or military profile"
(2) IAS Research Analysis, DRC (May 2006) - "According to the Independent Race and Refugee News Network returnees to the DRC are "handed over to the offices of the Director-General of Migration (DGM), ostensibly the Congolese immigration service but, in reality, an arm of the government's security services." The source goes on to state that returnees who have claimed asylum in Europe are "automatically regarded by the ANR [the National Security Agency] as threats to national security in Congo. Simply because they have claimed asylum in the West is enough for the Congolese authorities consider them political dissidents." Although no figures are available on the numbers of deportees detained it is reported that "even those who are released face insecurity. The DGM records details of all deportees' family members and agents often arrive at their houses weeks later to make arrests."
(3) Home Office, Freedom of Information Act response, 04/12/06 - "the detainee and the Detainee Custody Officers (DCOs) are usually the last people to leave the aircraft. The detainee is personally handed over to the local authorities by the DCOs. The documentation identifying the detainee is passed to the local official accepting the detainee."
(4) The Tribunal concluded that "If someone is identified as a failed asylum seeker but there are no known political charges against him, there is a risk that they may be required to pay a "fine". The country expert giving evidence stated that "failed" asylum seekers arriving with travel documents issued by the Home Office would be "interrogated at the airport" to see "firstly whether they were of interest to the authorities and secondly to extort money. Both the police and immigration services were ruled by arbitrariness. There was a risk that someone might be detained until they could raise money for their release. The going rate used to be about $500 but could be up to $1,000 depending on circumstances."
(5) The Home Office Country of Origin Information Report, DRC, 27/10/06 references the US State Department's 2005 report that conditions in various prisons and detention facilities were "extremely harsh and life threatening", that an "unknown number of persons died", that "There usually were no toilets, mattresses, or medical care, and inmates often received insufficient amounts of light, air, and water ... Prison guards frequently required bribes from family members and NGOs to visit or provide detainees with food and other necessities .... Infectious diseases were widespread ... Prisoners frequently were subjected to torture, beatings, and other abuse with no medical attention." A report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the DRC in March 2004 also noted that there were still small dug out punishment cells (cachots) in a number of locations in the Kivu provinces, where military and civilians were often detained in inhuman conditions and torture was practised.
(6) Home Office Operational Guidance Note, DRC, 05/05/06 concludes, "Prison conditions in DRC Š are likely to reach the Article 3 threshold."
Contact:Innocent Empi on 07871 676129 / innocentmuststay@yahoo.co.uk, Honoré Efandje on 07910 668465 , or René Manduya on 07944 342049 / r_lundonga@yahoo.fr
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:Congo Support Project
Must Stay Campaign
National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)110 Hamstead RoadBirminghamB20 2QS
The Home Office deports DR-Congo "refused" asylum seekers despite evidence indicating that they may face imprisonment and torture on return.
An Immigration Appeal Tribunal case on the 7th March 2007 will challenge the current DR Congo Country Guidance in which the Home Office claims there is no risk on return to "refused" asylum seekers.
The Tribunal previously established that asylum seekers with a "political or military profile" deported to the DRC face a "real risk" of persecution (1). Most DRC asylum seekers we know should fit that profile, but their claims are largely disbelieved by immigration judges and solicitors drop their cases without making any further legal challenge.
Even if a deportee had no history of persecution in the DRC, they may be branded a political dissident simply because they claimed asylum in Europe (2), and as such, could face imprisonment and torture on return. The DRC authorities know which passengers are deportees because a UK officer personally hands them over in the airport (3).
ALL DRC deportees are in danger because they risk being interrogated at the airport to see if there is a political "charge" against them, or just to extort a "fine". Some don't have any means to pay a "fine" and may be imprisoned (4), possibly indefinitely. The Home Office admits that DRC prison conditions are "life threatening", synonymous with disease, hunger, abuse, torture and death (5), and, are "likely to reach the Article 3 threshold" (6).
Public Meeting : Saturday 3rd March - 3.30pm to 5pmFriends Meeting HouseMount StreetManchesterM2 5NS
Speakers will include ;* Liz Atherton, Congo Support Project* Congolese asylum seekers from Manchester, Bolton and beyond* Update on the DR Congo Country Guidance case coming up
Purpose of the campaigning meeting is to:* Explain the significance of the Country Guidance case * Ensure the legal team is provided with as much of the appropriate type of evidence as possible from the Congolese community * Presentation of an info pack including a petition that has been organised by the solicitors and barristers involved in the case, a campaign letter to all MPs, Lords, trade unions (in particular those with members working in detention centres and airlines), NGO's etc. * To plan build for the demonstrations at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in Manchester and Dallas Court Enforcement Unit, and other awareness raising activities.
Demonstration : Wednesday 7th March - 10am to 12.30pmAsylum and Immigration Tribunal in Manchester2 Piccadilly PlazaMosley StreetManchesterM1 4AH
Demonstration : Tuesday 13th March - 12.00 noon to 2pmDallas Court Enforcement Unit in SalfordSouth Longworthy RoadSalford QuaysSalfordM50 2GF
Congo Support Project North West calls all Congolese people and their supporters to attend the two demonstrations to challenge this position and demand the Home Office and the UK Government ;1. Immediately stop all deportations to DRC2. Stop subjecting DRC asylum seekers to the "Fast Track" asylum determination process.3. To produce evidence of fulfilling their responsibility of monitoring returns to DRC !
Background / sources(1) Immigration Appeal Tribunal, 25/02/05, AB and DM DRC CG [2005] UKIAT 00118 - "there continues to be a real risk for those with a political or military profile"
(2) IAS Research Analysis, DRC (May 2006) - "According to the Independent Race and Refugee News Network returnees to the DRC are "handed over to the offices of the Director-General of Migration (DGM), ostensibly the Congolese immigration service but, in reality, an arm of the government's security services." The source goes on to state that returnees who have claimed asylum in Europe are "automatically regarded by the ANR [the National Security Agency] as threats to national security in Congo. Simply because they have claimed asylum in the West is enough for the Congolese authorities consider them political dissidents." Although no figures are available on the numbers of deportees detained it is reported that "even those who are released face insecurity. The DGM records details of all deportees' family members and agents often arrive at their houses weeks later to make arrests."
(3) Home Office, Freedom of Information Act response, 04/12/06 - "the detainee and the Detainee Custody Officers (DCOs) are usually the last people to leave the aircraft. The detainee is personally handed over to the local authorities by the DCOs. The documentation identifying the detainee is passed to the local official accepting the detainee."
(4) The Tribunal concluded that "If someone is identified as a failed asylum seeker but there are no known political charges against him, there is a risk that they may be required to pay a "fine". The country expert giving evidence stated that "failed" asylum seekers arriving with travel documents issued by the Home Office would be "interrogated at the airport" to see "firstly whether they were of interest to the authorities and secondly to extort money. Both the police and immigration services were ruled by arbitrariness. There was a risk that someone might be detained until they could raise money for their release. The going rate used to be about $500 but could be up to $1,000 depending on circumstances."
(5) The Home Office Country of Origin Information Report, DRC, 27/10/06 references the US State Department's 2005 report that conditions in various prisons and detention facilities were "extremely harsh and life threatening", that an "unknown number of persons died", that "There usually were no toilets, mattresses, or medical care, and inmates often received insufficient amounts of light, air, and water ... Prison guards frequently required bribes from family members and NGOs to visit or provide detainees with food and other necessities .... Infectious diseases were widespread ... Prisoners frequently were subjected to torture, beatings, and other abuse with no medical attention." A report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the DRC in March 2004 also noted that there were still small dug out punishment cells (cachots) in a number of locations in the Kivu provinces, where military and civilians were often detained in inhuman conditions and torture was practised.
(6) Home Office Operational Guidance Note, DRC, 05/05/06 concludes, "Prison conditions in DRC Š are likely to reach the Article 3 threshold."
Contact:Innocent Empi on 07871 676129 / innocentmuststay@yahoo.co.uk, Honoré Efandje on 07910 668465 , or René Manduya on 07944 342049 / r_lundonga@yahoo.fr
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:Congo Support Project
Must Stay Campaign
National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)110 Hamstead RoadBirminghamB20 2QS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
