STOP THIS EVICTION
Thursday 16th March

On Thursday an elderly 61 year old Afghan man, his 55 year old wife and two sons (aged 25 and 21) are due to be evicted from their flat in Cardonald. on the south side of Glasgow, by Sheriff officers.

Mr Kartar Singh Vajaj, a Sikh, fled from Afghanistan after his eldest son was driven from the family business and murdered during the war in Afghanistan in 2001. He has to leave his Glasgow home of four years as the Home Office has refused to give him leave to remain arguing that Afghanistan is now safe for Sikhs to return there.

Under the Taliban regime, Sikhs and Hindus living in Afghanistan faced persecution. The number of Sikhs living in Afghanistan has fallen significantly from 200,000 Sikhs and Hindus before 1992 to 3,500 families in 2004. Hindu and Sikhs were forced to wear yellow patches to identify them. Only three temples remain of the 12 that existed previously. Only recently the UK government announced it was sending 6,000 British troops to Afghanistan as the situation in that country continues to detiorate with increasing violence.

As a result of his claim for asylum being rejected, Mr Vajaj is no longer eligible for asylum seeker support and unable to pay his rent to Glasgow City Council. Unable to legally work or claim benefits, Mr Vajaj is unable to support himself and faces destitution along with his wife and sons. He and his family have nowhere else to go.

Both of Mr Vajaj's sons are pursuing seperate asylum claims which in theory makes them eligible for housing under the Nation Asylum Support Service however this does not seem to have affected the decision to remove Mr Singh and his family from their current home. It is hoped that if the eviction is delayed then alternative accommodation can be found for the Vajaj family.

As well as suffering from severe stress as a result of his current circumstances and also because his famly have not been able to contact a fourth son since he was deported to Afghanistan earlier this year Mr Vajaj also suffers from asthma and acute curvature of the spine and suffers immense back pain making him unable to sit for long periods.

Glasgow No Borders Network are asking for people to come and support the family throughout Thursday either coming to help delay the eviction if possible or to act as witnesses to the eviction.

Mr Vajaj lives in Queensland Court, Cardonald. The nearest railway station (from Central Station) is Cardonald and the court is onl a short walk from the station. Map: www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=55.852&lon=-4.343&scale=5000&icon=x

Please come along to spend an hour or longer if you can. We will be meeting at the entrance of 5 Queensland Court from about 9am.
Please forward this message to as many people as you can.

Media enquiries can be directed to Glasgow No Borders Network on 077514 77628