Asylum Seeker Oxford Student Deported

Peanut | 21.01.2005 01:58 | Education | Oxford

An Afghan asylum seeker studying at Oxford University is to be deported, despite a 2,000 strong petition for him to stay.

Azim Ansari came to Britain on the back of a lorry 3 years ago, escaping the opressive Taliban regime in war-torn Afghanistan. He couldn't speak English and had no money.

3 years on, he had gained AAB at A-Level, speaks fluently and was studying Engineering at Oxford University.

However, he was not granted indefinite leave to continue his studies, and was told he would be going back at the end of 2003. Major protests by Oxford University students, and a 2,000 petition presented to Dr Evan Harris, failed to overturn the result of the appeal yesterday. Azim will have to quit his prestigious Oxford degree and head back to Afghanistan, plagued with warlords and militants.

The decision will outrage the thousands who worked hard protesting for Azim. Whilst strong anecdotal evidence shows asylum seekers coming into Britain and not bothering to work, Azim worked exceptionally hard to master the language, and gain a place on one of Britain's toughest courses. The Home Office's decision to ruin the future of a credit to Britain is ludicrous.

Any ideas for a protest?

Peanut

Comments

Hide the following 13 comments

Let's protest this deportation

21.01.2005 08:06

You say: "strong anecdotal evidence exists for asylum seekers coming here and not bothering to work". Well, of its nature, evidence which is "anecdotal" is not strong, and strong evidence is not anecdotal. It's well attested that asylum seekers are the higher achievers of their countries of origin, and Azim is a classic case. But as for "not bothering to work", I think this is also a calumny to the many "illegal" visitors here, who in my experience work incredibly hard to send money home, while upholding the economy here, and in my opinion should be allowed to work here legally.

What is the timetable for Azim's deportation, so that we can protest?

richarddirecttv

Yes let's protest

21.01.2005 13:08

Yes let's protest this deportation. Let's defend the right for anybody regardless of their circumstances to come to the UK and take advantage of our higher education system. Let the message go out to all the world, "Come to Britian, we will give you a home, money and a free education. Your contrbution to this is nothing"

Student

Studen needs to tke lessopns

21.01.2005 15:41

No doubtstudent will be out campaigning for Rupert Murdoch to be remved from the UK. if there was ever a parasitic migrant then he is it. However i suspect that like many anti-asylum campaigners student will only target the undeserving i.e. black asylum seekers and migrants.

It is official policy to bring migrant workers to the UK as the economy cannot survive without them. Many migrants are forced by circumstances to work in jobs with the worst pay and conditions in the UK - jobs, wages and conditions that the majority of peoplebornin the UK would rightly shun.

At the same time it is also policy to use asylum seeker as scapegoats for the problems caused by government policies on housin, jobs and crumbling public services. It is also government policy to allow capital to cross boarders without any restrictions. If these rules are OK for goods, capital and profit then they are good enough for human beings.

Student's attitude is as indefensible as the governments random and unjust decision to expell Azim.

I say protest as loudly as possible. Get as much media coverage as possible. Try and force the government to go public with their reasons.

Trade Unionist

Murcoch hater

21.01.2005 16:50

I don't care about Murdoch. Everybody should campaign for all people to come here and have a free education at Britains expense. Why do you object to this, why should anyone be denied a free British education ?

Let's tell the world. lets help anyone who wants to come here to have a free British education.

Student

Why was he refused?

21.01.2005 17:52

Peanut - you say that, "However, he was not granted indefinite leave to continue his studies, and was told he would be going back at the end of 2003."

What was the reason given for him not to remain?

Scrivener

Evidence

23.01.2005 21:53

Unfortunately "strong anecdotal evidence" is all many grievously persecuted asylum seekers have. By their very nature, persecuting regimes don't advertise what they do, and the worse someone has suffered, the less likely they are to have documentation of any kind.

Mike

Mike
mail e-mail: mike_rowley100@hotmail.com

What's the reason?

24.01.2005 08:19

Mike – the “strong anecdotal evidence” was in relation to asylum seekers in the UK who apparently don’t bother to work, not what happened to them from where they come from.
I was interested to know why he has been refused leave to remain in the UK – he, or his representatives, will have been given a reason, with the opportunity to appeal. Just wondered how it got this far. Does anyone know?

Scrivener

get back to the point

24.01.2005 14:44

Can we get away from comments about whether asylum seekers should be allowed to stay and back to what can be done to help in this case? It seems like a clear case of unfair deportation, which isn't at all unusual, and unless people such as Azim are given more support it's going to keep happening and keep happening.

janet

Precisely the point

24.01.2005 17:59

Janet – how do you know it’s “a clear case of unfair deportation”? He, apparently, has been refused leave to remain as an applicant for asylum. We can only help if we understand why he’s not being allowed to stay. A petition, however many signatures may be on it, does not provide grounds for remaining in this country as far as I am aware.

Scrivener

Precisely the point!

24.01.2005 18:26

Scrivener

Safe!

24.01.2005 20:31

Azim has been refused leave to remain because "Afghanistan is now a safe country for single males". This is clearly driven by Labour's need to portray Afghanistan as safe due to their military intervention, despite their total inability to guarantee security. Azim is a minority within a minority (a persecuted minority within the Shia) and has no idea where his family are or any way to continue his education when he is deported. He has already indicated his desire to return to Afghanistan to help rebuild, when he has finished his higher education and has the skills to do so...

There is likely to be a massive march in support of Azim sometime in the next couple of months. Keep your eyes peeled.

Matt

Matt S

clarification please

25.01.2005 18:30

My understanding was that Azim and his brother are currently appealing to some sort of higher tribunal. Can someone clarify whether there is any danger of imminent deportation? The original post certainly makes it sound as though there is. Surely they have to wait for the result of this second appeal?

In the meantime, I agree, let's get on the streets!

More info on Azim

28.01.2005 16:11

http://www.oxfordstudent.com/2004-11-18/features/1

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1449911,00.html

Latest:

http://www.oxfordstudent.com/2005-01-27/news/5

I can't find any data supporting the abovementioned "strong anecdotal evidence" about refugees' working habits though.

It would be interesting to see a cost comparison of pounds spent on bombing Afghans, treating wounded civilians and British squaddies, transporting and maintaining troops, etc., versus pounds spent educating the future Afghan civil service, political and business leaders, et al. We could then determine which type of spending gives the greatest cost-benefit to this country per pound spent.

Even crude short-term costs are worth discussing, as well as the longer-term costs of bombing people back to the stone age for no apparent reason.

Deport UKIP scroungers back to Saxony