Last week the High Court heard the case of 'HMGO' on country guidance
in relation to the removal to Khartoum of certain Sudanese nationals.
It seems that the judge said that there were serious errors in the
Home Offices case and gave strong indications that the court may make
it harder for the Home Office to remove anyone to Khartoum. However,
the judgement has not been handed down yet and may not be for a
couple of weeks.

NCADC know of 13 Darfurian asylum seekers being held at Oakington
Removal Centre and 3 of them have removal directions for Wednesday
with British Airways to Sudan. We also know of a number being held at
Manchester Airport and Colnbrook Short-Term Holding Centre.

Some people in campaigning and advocacy groups have the impression
that the Home Office is cynically attempting to detain and deport as
many Darfurians before the country guidance case judgment is handed
down and the law goes against them.

What you can do to help:
1. If you are in contact with Darfurian asylum seekers in
detention/community who are facing removal, NCADC suggest; they
should seek legal advice as to; 'if it would be feasible to ask the
Home Office to defer their removal pending the judgement in the
'HMGO' case being made available, and if the Home Office refuse, to
consider seeking a Judicial Review'.

*** If the asylum seeker wants you to, help them contact their legal
representative, if they have one, about the above information.

*** If they do not have a legal representative, give them the numbers
for various legal advice lines, including:

Refugee Legal Centre general advice line: 020 7780 3220 - open from
10.30 am to 4.30 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, closed for lunch
between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm.

Refugee Legal Centre advice line for Detained Asylum Seekers: 0800
592398 - available from 10.30 am until 4.30 pm on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday. The line is closed for lunch between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm.

Immigration Advisory Service: go to the website page for nearest
office to where the asylum seeker is detained - a number is given for
any advice line service.
 http://www.iasuk.org/C2B/document_tree/ViewACategory.asp?CategoryID=10

Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants: 020 7251 8706 -
available Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2.00pm and 5.00pm

*** Talk to the asylum seeker about them setting up their own
anti-deportation campaign, and consider helping them to form their
own campaign support group. Further info:
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/resources/index.htm

2. Fax British Airways urging them to not carry out forced removals
to Sudan. You can print off the attached model fax Sundan.doc, or
write and fax your own version.

British Airways Fax No: 020 8759 4314

Please notify  ncadc-north-west@ncadc.org.uk of any faxes sent.

Darfur: Europe's leaders respond to demands for action to stop the genocide
Europe's leaders toughened their stand against mass murder in Darfur
yesterday, issuing new threats against the Sudanese government, as
their own 50th birthday celebration summit was thrown off balance by
the unprecedented appeal from Europe's leading writers for action.
Despite the scale of murder since the conflict began in 2003 - the US
has described it as genocide - there has been no attempt to launch
the kind of humanitarian intervention that saved civilian lives in
Kosovo.

Full article: By Stephen Castle in Berlin, Published: 26 March 2007
 http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article2393302.ece

End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
The Independent
NCADC
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Att: British Airways – Fax: 020 8759 4314

Forced removals to Khartoum on BA6533 at 14.35hrs on Wedmesday, 28th March 2007

Dear British Airways,
It has been brought to my attention that the Home Office has for the past five days been rounding up and detaining nationals of Sudan who have been refused asylum in the UK and that they intend to use your airline to deport them to Khartoum.

I know for certain that three of the detainees are to be removed on flight BA6533 at 14.35hrs on Wednesday 28th March 2007, probably with other detainees to follow on subsequent flights.

You may not be aware but last week the High Court heard the case of 'HMGO' on country guidance in relation to the removal to Khartoum of certain Sudanese nationals. It seems that the judge said that there were serious errors in the Home Offices case and gave strong indications that the court may make it harder for the Home Office to remove anyone to Khartoum. However, the judgement has not been handed down yet and may not be for a couple of weeks.

Some people in campaigning and advocacy groups have the impression that the Home Office is cynically attempting to detain and deport as many Darfurians before the country guidance case judgment is handed down and the law goes against them.

To this extent, some solicitors who have Sudanese clients booked on your flights, may seek to legally challenge the Home Office to prevent the removal of their Sudanese clients pending the handing down of the judgement.

Unfortunately some of those Sudanese now booked by the Home Office for removal by your airline may not have legal representation and no prospect of getting any solicitor to act on Legal Aid. Many, being penniless, cannot hire a private solicitor to act for them.

Therefore I ask you as an ethical and responsible air Travel Company, not to carry any Sudanese nationals back to Khartoum against their will, until such times as the legal issues have been sorted out.

The Independent published an article 26th March 2007 ; “Europe's leaders toughened their stand against mass murder in Darfur yesterday, issuing new threats against the Sudanese government, as their own 50th birthday celebration summit was thrown off balance by the unprecedented appeal from Europe's leading writers for action. Despite the scale of murder since the conflict began in 2003 - the US has described it as genocide - there has been no attempt to launch the kind of humanitarian intervention that saved civilian lives in Kosovo.”

In view of this, and the wealth of information available of the conflict in Darfur, many of the Sudanese asylum seekers may be aggravated by their forced removal on your airline which may effect issues of comfort and safety of all your flight’s passengers. I urge you not to carry out these forced deportations.

Yours Sincerely,

Name:

Address:

City: Postcode:

Country: Date: