Abdullah Belongs To Salford
Bring Him Back!

VIGIL MARKING 6 MONTHS SINCE ABDULLAH WAS DEPORTED TO AUSTRIA

Steps of Salford Town Hall, Civic Centre, Swinton
6-8 pm, Thursday 26th September

ALL WELCOME - BRING YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY


Who is Abdullah?
It's 6 months since Abdullah Rahmatullah, aged 25, was stolen from Salford and forcibly deported to Austria.

The Salford Constituency Labour Party rightly condemned the Home Office action.

For two months, Abdullah has been kept in a small camp in the Austrian mountains, near the Italian border. He was more that two hours away, on foot, to the nearest village or town. There is nothing for the people in the camp to do: none of the children have been schooled and the authorities have done nothing to progress the situation for anyone.

Now Abdullah is in Vienna staying with local supporters. He receives no money from the Austrian Government, he is not allowed to work, he is not allowed any health care. He has been told that he will not be granted asylum and he will be deported to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is not safe
Life in Afghanistan is not safe for British Troops or the Afghan Prime Minister! Yet European countries are planning to return Afghan refugees to what is still a war zone.
Why Salford Needs Abdullah
Central government is forcibly dispersing people who are seeking asylum to Salford.

They are NOT dispersing enough resources either to help those fleeing for their lives or local people who need more jobs, decent housing, school places and decent health care. None of these problems are the fault of those seeking asylum - the problems were here before they arrived. Among these 1200+ people there are doctors, nurses, educators and engineers. All those who have come are keen to work but forbidden from working.

Abdullah is a mechanic. While living in Salford his ability to speak 5 languages helped people to communicate. He helped refugees and local nurses, doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers, housing and community officers and local people to live and work together.

A friend of Abdullah's asks :

"What made a young man leave his home, his job, his family, his friends and his lover? Why did a qualified person, who can live to a good standard anywhere, wherever he is from, run away from his country?"