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Second attempt to remove Elsa and Bethlehem

John O | 26.01.2009 08:54 | Migration | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | Birmingham | World

Friends want them to Stay in Leeds, where they belong

Elsa Temesgen Imbaye and her 11 year old daughter, Bethlehem are currently detained in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre and due to be forcibly removed from the UK tomorrow Tuesday, 27th January 2009 on BMI flight BD913 from Heathrow @ 14:15 to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

They were dawn raided for the second time, in the early hours of Friday 23rd January 2009

As you probably know, a previous attempt to deport them to Ethiopia in October last year failed and Elsa and Betty were able to return to Leeds.

Elsa arrived in the UK with her daughter in December 2004 and has been living in Leeds ever since.

A letter from Bethlehem aged 11
Right now I am scared, sick, tired, horrified, troubled and all of the bad emotional things that a kid would feel. I just want to ask you how you would feel in my position right now. How would you feel if it was you or one of your family at this time. You would try to help them in any way possible, wouldn't you? That is what me and my mum are asking for: peace, freedom, and most of all to live our lives safely.

I do not know what life has in store for us but we can only hope for the best. Since I was little all I hoped for was a good family, good education and a life full of happiness. But I guess that was all a dream, but I believe that dreams come true sometimes and I would like my dream to be fulfilled.

One of the things I don't understand is the fact that people get treated differently because of the colour of their skin. I think that everyone should be treated the same. After all we are all humans. And as humans we should work together not fight against each other.

Right now there is one thing I am worried about, it is that if they send us back to Ethiopia, that me and my mum will be separated and if that happened, nothing would matter to me any more because I would not have someone to comfort me and take care of me.

For the second time this has happened and I don't want it to happen again. And with your help maybe we could stop it from happening again to us and other people too. I would like to ask the Home Secretary and anybody else who has the power to please do it.

Thank you

Bethlehem Abate (Betty), Yarl's Wood Saturday 23rd January

"Once we got inside, it felt as if we were in prison for doing an awful crime"
 http://www.newstatesman.com/africa/2008/09/pack-ethiopia-mum-office

Background: Friends of Elsa and Bethlehem
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/Newszin98/Elsa.html

Please take the time to help Elsa and Bethlehem in stopping their enforced removal by Emailig/writing/faxing/phoning the following (please make sure you quote her details and her removal direction information).

1) Please send urgent faxes to Nigel Turner, Chief Executive Officer BMI Airways, asking that BMI should not facilitate Home Office enforcement policies, using the attached "model letter" (ElsaIMbayeBMI.doc) you can copy/amend/write your own version, if you do so, please remember to include the following details:   Elsa Temesgen Imbaye and her 11 year old daughter, Bethlehem due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Tuesday, 27th January 2009 on British Midland Airways flight BD913 from Heathrow @ 14:15 to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Fax: Fax:: 01332 854875 from outside the UK: + 44 1332 854875

Leave a complaint/concern
BMI Customer Relations: At BMI we are committed to our customers and value your feedback. You can leave a complaint/concern @
 http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/planning-and-information/customer-service/customer-relations.aspx

Ring BMI Head Office and ask to speak to the CEO, Nigel Turner (Tel: 01332 854000). You probably won't be able to speak to him personally, but you should be able to leave a message, at least to say that you have sent a fax.

2) Please send urgent faxes/emails immediately to Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Elsa Temesgen Imbaye and her 11 year old daughter, Bethlehem be granted protection in the UK. Please use the attached "model letter" (ElsaIMbayeJS.doc) which you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include their HO ref: A1248575).

Fax: 020 8760 3132(00 44 20 8760 3132 if you are faxing from outside UK)

Email:  Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
 UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
"CIT - Treat Official"  CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>

Please let the campaign know of faxes/emails sent:
Friends of Elsa & Bethlehem
Carolina Albuerne /  chica_between_worlds@yahoo.co.uk
C/o SOLACE
 http://www.solace-uk.org.uk/


End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Friends of Elsa & Bethlehem

John O
- e-mail: JohnO@ncadc.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.ncadc.org.uk

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