Mabel G Must Stay!
Stop Deportation of Yarl's Wood Freedom Fighter and Victim of Torture
On 9th April Mabel G was one of the Yarl's Wood women who defended Kenyan torture victim Lucy N from forced deportation and were assaulted by Serco guards in full riot gear; Lucy was not deported and is now free. Previously she had spoken out in a meeting with local MP Richard Fuller and taken him to the IT room to demand staff print off a statement she had written on behalf of all the Yarl's Wood women. Mabel has remained a determined freedom fighter. She organised successful collective action to support a Chinese detainee whose poor health was being ignored, called an ambulance and got her taken to hospital. Last month, in the run-up to the parliamentary she was part of the 3-day courtyard protest by over 100 women that surrounded and prevented the deportation of fellow detainee.
Now the Home Office plans to deport Mabel to Namibia on Tuesday 6th October. Mabel faces deportation although she is a victim of torture, has lived in Britain for many years and has a 6-year old daughter here. She has been incarcerated for the past 16 months - first in prison as a result of a domestic dispute with her former partner, then in Yarl's Wood. She is a victim of the vicious circle of racist scapegoating policies that keeps adding new categories of people the Home Office can deport. For all of us fighting the Government's anti-immigrant & anti-poor policies she is exactly the kind of leader and organiser we sorely need.
The Home Office aims to deport Mabel despite the serious health problems caused by her detention - and despite a forthcoming appointment at Bedford Hospital and an assessment by the Helen Bamber Foundation due on 27th October.
Mabel's deportation is scheduled for this Tuesday, 6th October at 8.00pm from Heathrow Terminal 4 on Kenya Airways flight KQ101 to Nairobi, transferring to Air Namibia flights SW2373 to Lusaka & SW413 Lusaka to Windhoek.
TAKE ACTION...
REMEMBER: In all communications quote Mabel's Home Office Reference - G1194349/5
1. Contact Kenya Airways and demand they refuse to take Mabel on Flight KQ101 on Tuesday
Make clear that there is no legal requirement for them to fly someone in the case of a forced deportation, as a victim of torture Mabel is fighting for her life and will do everything she can not to fly - they can make a decision on the grounds of the health and safety of passengers and staff aboard the flight, not least Mabel's own health and safety. Point to the case of Jimmy Mubenga who died at the hands of home office 'escorts' while on the plane - do they want to risk the same thing happening again?
CALL: 020 82831800
TWITTER:@kenyaairways
Kenya Airways Marketing Director, Chris Diaz @diazchrisafrica
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/PrideofAfrica
2. Contact the Kenyan High Commission in London: [email protected]
T
ell them that as Kenya Airways is their national flag carrier they must tell Kenya Airways to stop cancel Mabel's ticket for Friday evening, that they must make a stand against the continued harassment and deportation of African nationals living in the UK.
3. Tell Air Namibia not to accept Mabel on the connecting flight from Nairobi....
FAX: Head Office in Windhoek, Namibia - 00 264 61 299 6146
4. Demand the Home Office cancels Mabel's removal
Copy to these Home Office email addresses:
