The Country Guidance Tribunal set for 28th March has been moved to Thursday April 12th. There wil be a demo on Wednesday as planned and a further, hopefully even bigger demonstraion on April 12th. Watch this space for details.
Read more for leaflet and more details.
* Asylum seekers in Nottingham need your help in putting pressure on the government to admit that its deportation policy is wrong.
XL Airlines are the company deporting people to Congo.
Stop Deportations to the Congo!
A meeting between Congolese asylum seekers and No Borders Nottingham on Monday March 19th decided to draw up and distribute the following leaflet.
PLEASE COME ALONG TO THE PLANNED EVENT IT ADVERTISES FOR
NEXT WEDNESDAY 28TH MARCH AT 1.00PM IN THE MARKET SQUARE
AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
“The Home Office plans to deport more Congolese people from the UK in spite of evidence that it is not only still unsafe for them to return but that the situation is worsening. In March a United Nations report described the situation there as ?deteriorating?. The Bishop of Winchester objected recently in the Lords to government claims that the country was now safe, noting that every independent organisation with first-hand experience finds ministerial assurances of safety ?simply incredible?. He said that the Country Guidance Case on March 28th, at which the situation could be re-evaluated by the government, ?will hear fresh evidence of ill-treatment, torture and rape of returned refugees, both at the airport and at associated holding centres?.
No Borders Nottingham and Congolese people and ask you to attend a rally to show solidarity on March 28th at 1.00 in the Market Square. Please come and show solidarity with us”.
Asylum seekers in Nottingham need your help in putting pressure on the government to admit that its deportation policy is wrong. For more information see www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk
www.nottsrefugeeforum.org.uk
www.ncadc.org.uk
Nottingham refugee network
Nottingham Congolese community
Contact: Patrick Essalo 07877489626
Discussion of situation in Democratic Republic of Congo in the House of Lords.
This shows the willful ignorance about the situation in Parliament
The Lord Bishop of Winchester asked Her Majesty?s Government on what evidence they have concluded that asylum seekers returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo will be safe from harm….
XL Airlines are the company deporting people to Congo. See No Borders Brighton action:
https://www1.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/363179.html
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): “My Lords, every
asylum claim is considered on its individual merits, in accordance with our international
obligations and taking full account of the conditions in the country concerned. Information
obtained from a wide range of sources is provided to asylum decision-makers in country
information reports, which are published on a regular basis. The latest report on DRC was
published on14 February 2007 and can be accessed on the Home Office website”.
The Lord Bishop of Winchester: “My Lords, the Minister and her department?including in
the material that it publishes?always make Kinshasa sound like Dorking, in my experience.
Have the Minister and her department asked themselves why every individual and body with
first-hand experience of Kinshasa and N?Djili airport?and I was frightened there myself
when I passed through it, and I am large and male?and who know the DRC, find the
mantra-like assurances of the department simply incredible?
Has the Minister checked the Answer to my Question? The evidence given to me that all
the assurances on which all the EU countries and the UNHCR base this advice is very
probably based on the evidence of a single individual, who gains financially from it, and whose NGO, Voix des Sans-Voix, does not have a presence at N?Djili, although the Home Office regularly says that it does. Is the Minister aware that a country guidance case, listed for
28 March, will hear fresh evidence of ill-treatment, torture and rape of returned
refugees, both at the airport and at associated holding centres? Will she say that returns will be ceased until that hearing at the end of March? Will she give an assurance that the safety of those returned this week will be carefully monitored?
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My Lords, of course I hear what the right relevant prelate
says about the DRC, and I share with him the concerns in relation to any country that has
had difficulties. But I have to tell him that all the reports that we have?and they do
not come from just one source?reassert and reinform the information that we have that there is no objective evidence that those returning to the DRC are being specifically targeted for abuse simply because they have sought asylum. The right reverend prelate knows that
that decision was arrived at by the EU Heads of Mission investigation and by all who have
entered into this field. But I can certainly assure the right reverend prelate that we
are anxious to make sure that the information on which we make the in-country assessments is genuine”.