The Iraqi asylum seekers were escorted by Home Office guards on to a German aircraft from a UK airport; there was one guard per asylum seeker.  On 27 March 2008 the British government forcibly deported 60 Kurdish asylum seekers back to Hawler (Arbil) airport. 

The Iraqi asylum seekers were escorted by Home Office guards on to a German aircraft from a UK airport; there was one guard per asylum seeker.  By forcibly deporting the Iraqi asylum seekers the UK Home office turned a blind eye to humanitarian principle and human rights laws.   The asylum seekers arrived at Arbil airport at 3am in the morning. When they landed they were confused, tired and did not know where they had landed. When they refused to leave the plane the Home Office guards called the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) guards. Approximately twenty five KRG guards with guns boarded the plane. The KRG Guards pushed and threatened the asylum seekers off the plane on to two waiting coaches. From the airport they were transported to Ain Kawa Bridge. (Ain Kawa is a small place near Erbil.) They were left under the Ain Kawa Bridge, many of them injured and all having lost their lugguage (including their mobile phones).

The asylum seekers who are victims of war now face severe problems in Iraq. The
deportation may also encourage other European countries to take similar
action.

We call on individuals who are fighting for freedom and human rights condemn forcible deportation of Iraqi asylum seekers and join our protest:   

11 April 2008,

from 12 to 2 pm,

outside the Home Office,

Marsham  Street,

London, SW1P  4DF

For more information regarding the lobby please contact:

Dashty Jamal 07856032991, Adnan Kochar 07709435998,Aram Saeed 07729182083
Twana Saeed 07743570772, Sarwar Gharib 07761218015, Saman Sardam
07799507141, Zana 07955674802

We ask all human and refugee rights organisations, labour and
anti-war organisations to support the International Federation of Iraqi
Refugees and the Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq as actively as
possible in our struggle for refugee rights, and ending forcible deportation.

We invite you to sign the list of organisations calling the demonstration and making the following demands for Kurdish asylum seekers:

1-   To  immediately  stop the  forcible  removal of  Iraqi Kurdish asylum seekers.

2-    To formally recognise Kurdish and Iraqi asylum seekers as victims of
war and grant them the right to asylum.

3-    To release all Kurdish asylum seekers from detention centres.

Organised by: International Federation of Iraqi Refugees(IFIR), Kurdish
Culture Centre KCC, Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organisation.(KRWO),CHAK,
Kurdistan Forum, Federation of Iraqi Refugees in Nottingham, Kurdish Project
Art Centre, Wolverhampton Kurdish Community Association , Kurdish Culture
Centre- Kirklees. Federation of Iraqi Refugees in Leicester, Kurdish Syrian
and British Friendship -Leeds Kurdish Community, Kurdish Communities
Federation-Kirklees, Kurdish  Women’s Organisation- Kirklees, Re-live
Magazine, Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq

supported by John McDonnell MP, Jean Lambert MEP, Doug Holton from Stop
Deporting Children, Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, No Sweat, George
Binette &Liz Leicester International officers of the Camden branch of
UNISON, Estella Schmid from peace in Kurdistan Campaign &CAMPACC.

IFIR in the UK and Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq are also planning a
meeting in Parliament hosted by John McDonnell Tuesday 29 April.  For
information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Sarah Parker from
csdiraq.on 0208-809-0633 email  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Karen Johnson on
07804891082 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Dashty Jamal
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel:07856032991

POBOX1575,ILFORD  IGI 3BZ  LONDON UK