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Glasgow: 100+ Protest at Removal to DR Congo

CH | 22.02.2007 13:37 | Anti-racism | Migration

Over a hundred Glaswegian asylum seekers and supporters, most of African origin, held a lively protest outside the Home Office Reporting Centre at Brand Street yesterday (Wednesday). They were protesting against the detention and attempted removal of Eddie Ngienga, Angelique Lukombo and their children, here since 1999.

Protesting in Brand Street
Protesting in Brand Street

Pastor Daly and Brigitte on the PA
Pastor Daly and Brigitte on the PA

We Belong to Scotland!
We Belong to Scotland!


In unseasonably sunny weather, the mood was defiant and upbeat. A PA system was there for speakers, who include Pastor Daly from Angola and Brigitte D, who won Leave to Remain after a hard fight just before Xmas. The protest was the biggest seen outside Band Street for some months and the singing could be heard halfway to Paisley Road. Two police riot vans rolled by but disappeared, leaving 4 beat cops to play with the many kids from the families.

Eddie and Angelique were picked up in the Home Office’s sweep of Congolese families in preparation for a mass removal by charter flight by XL Airlines, coded XL4334. Families were taken from Middlesbrough, Leeds, London, and Birmingham, as well as Glasgow. The flight is scheduled for Monday 26th February at 21:00 and there is a joint campaign by all the families to have this stopped. See  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362906.html for details and a model protest letter / fax that you can use to register your disgust.

DR Congo is one of the most deadly places in the world. Since 1998 over four million lives have been lost in the DRC and though the war is over there is no 'peace' and deaths continue at the rate of 1,200 a week. Recruitment of child soldiers in the DRC continues unabated. The infrastructure of the country's hospitals, roads and power supplies are archaic and in some areas non-existent. One of the most incomprehensible things about John Reid’s action is that last month he brought in a number of people from DRC under the “Gateway Protection Programme” and gave them refugee status. Is it about appearances rather than sense, John? Surely not.


See also:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362906.html
 http://www.unitycentreglasgow.org
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/newszine79/charter2.html

CH
- Homepage: http://www.ncadc.org.uk/newszine79/charter2.html


Additions

Emergency demo against DRC deportations - MON26TH 1-3PM

24.02.2007 19:10

STOP DEPORTATIONS TO DRC - CONGO IS NOT SAFE
19 Children and 23 adults from DR Congo are to be deported by Charter Flight

Home Office snatch squads have detained a number of families and individuals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who have been living in Briain for several years. All those detained have been served with the same removal directions: "Directions have now been given for your removal from the United Kingdom by (flight/ship) OTTHxla4334 to Congo Democratic Republic at 21.00 hrs on Monday 26 February 2007".

Emergency protest Monday 26 February 1-3pm.
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
(nearest tubes St James Park and Westminster)

Congo Support Project/Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!/LSE FRFI Society/NCADC

Nicki
mail e-mail: defendasylumseekers@yahoo.co.uk


Comments

Display the following 4 comments

  1. looks arctic there! — papa razi
  2. cheers! — mama mobi
  3. Congo is not that bad — AS
  4. Concerned — Concerned

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