URGENT Christine must stay!
Christine Nakato Nankya HO Reference N1172128

Previous attempts by the UKBA to remove Christine led to spontaneous protests by over 100 woman detainees at Yarls Wood detention centre after guards in riot gear dragged her naked out of her room in one failed attempt to remove her from the UK.

Christine has now been moved to Colnbrook Detention Centre, a primarily male detention centre with only a small female detainee population. During this move, all of her legal documents went “missing”.

Campaigners are alarmed to hear that today Christine was restrained by 6 male guards holding her down on the floor by her arms and legs in her room after trying to take her mobile phone away from her.

Christine URGENTLY needs your help

Christine left Uganda in 2011, fleeing a campaign of sexual abuse, violence and intimidation at the hands of her family. Following the death of her father, her brothers, who are members of Uganda’s Internal Security Organisation (ISO), began to dispute the ownership of land Christine’s father had gifted to her. When they began to threaten to kill her, she decided that she was no longer safe for her in Uganda, and escaped to the UK.

Christine had begun to rebuild her life in Glasgow, with support from the Unity Women’s Group, and counselling at Rape Crisis, when she was detained by the Border Agency and sent to Yarl’s Wood. Her health is now deteriorating fast, and she is suffering from depression and anxiety.

Christine claimed asylum almost immediately after arriving in the UK, and attended regular meetings at the Home Office on Brand Street. She did not use false documents nor did she attempt to work illegally whilst she was claiming asylum. People claiming asylum are expected to provide extensive documentary evidence from their home countries detailing their situation. Remarkably, Christine managed this; she has the land deeds, and letters from the Ugandan Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development which show that her father bought and then gifted her land after the birth of her son. However, the Home Office has dismissed this evidence as fake, on the grounds that “the Ministry of Lands letter has as its address only “P.O. Box 7096” when their website states that their address in “Plot 13-15 Parliament Avenue P.O. Box 7096”.

To make matters worse, Christine has been systematically denied legal representation throughout the process and is the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice. Because of changes to Legal Aid in England, it’s now incredibly difficult for people in Immigration Removal Centres to see a lawyer quickly. Because of a mix-up Christine has unable to access legal representation for several weeks whilst in Yarl’s Wood detention centre.

Christine has done everything the UKBA ask of asylum seekers, and there is absolutely no reason to believe that she is not telling the truth about her ordeal in Uganda.

The UKBA have attempted to forcibly remove Christine 7 times, each time the flight has been stopped by legal intervention, public support for Christine and an intervention by her MP.

She is due to be removed on flight QR76 tomorrow (27/11/12) at 15.05 hours.

She urgently needs your help:

Please send a fax or email to these three places:

1. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, asking her to halt the forced removal of Christine Nakato Nankya HO Reference N1172128 and allow her to return to safety in Glasgow.

You can use the attached template letter or write your own, if you do please make sure to quote her HO ref number N1172128

Contact the Home Secretary:
Theresa May, MP
Secretary of State for the Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1 4DF

email:  mayt@parliament.uk
 UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
 CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
 Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk


2. Please fax or email or phone Christine’s MP in Glasgow Ann McKechin for the North Glasgow constituency asking her to intervene on Christine’s behalf so that she has time to arrange for fresh evidence to be sent from Uganda.

If you live in any of these areas in the North Glasgow constituency: Acre, Cadder, Cleveden, Dowanhill, Firhill, Gairbraid, Hillhead, Hyndland, Kelvindale, Kirklee, Maryhill, Maryhill Park, North Kelvinside, Ruchill, Summerston, Partick, Woodlands, Woodside & Wyndford please contact Ann McKechin immediately making sure she knows you are a constituent.

Ms Ann McKechin MP
You can email her via this webpage  http://annmckechinmp.net/contact-ann/email-ann/
Or using this email address:  ann.mckechin.mp@parliament.uk

Or fax the MP’s London and Glasgow offices using these numbers 020 7219 1770 and 0141-946 1412

If you live in Ann McKechin’s constituency it is vital you make sure she knows this.

3. Finally please fax, phone or email Qatar Airways asking them not to take Christine on the flight.
Please make sure to quote the flight details which are flight QR76 to Doha on 27/11/12 at 15.05 hours.

Contact them at:
3rd Floor, Victoria Buildings, Albert Square 1-7 Princess Street Manchester, M2 4DF, United Kingdom
Telephone: 0844 846 8380
Fax: 0161 838 5398
Ticket Counter/Traffic Office Telephone: 0208 976 5621
Traffic Office Fax: 0208 976 5623
Other Telephone: 0844 846 8380
Fax:0161 838 5398