The campaign to prevent the deportation of Faridah Kenyini, a young lesbian
from Uganda, ended in failure last night, despite hundreds of faxes and
phone calls to Kenya Airways and Liam Byrne, the Minister for Immigration.

Campaigners from Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) managed to
mobilize hundreds if not thousands of people across the country in support
of Ms Kenyini, a young lesbian asylum seeker, who was last night deported to
Uganda and separated from her partner, Sarah Garanette.

Anti-racist and gay rights activists worked together across the country to
launch a massive phone and fax campaign, targeting Kenya airways and Liam
Byrne, the Minister for Immigration. Campaigners also secured the support of
Jim Cousins MP, who petitioned Liam Byrne personally yesterday morning.

Kenya airways ignored the thousands of calls to it’s operations desk in
Heathrow over the last week. One campaigner, Helen Barnett, said ‘I tried to
call Kenya airlines to log my concerns about Faridah’s fitness for travel
but the duty officer simply hung up on me. I was very shocked by their
apparent lack of concern for their passengers.’

Faridah Kenyini now faces imprisonment and persecution for her sexuality.
After fleeing Uganda after her father threatened to kill her she will now
live in fear of an Honour killing from her family. The Home office refuses
to recognise Ms Kenyini as a lesbian. This ignores the fact she is in a
stable and loving relationship with Sarah Garanette.

TCAR activist Annie Richards had the following message for Liam Byrne, ‘If
the Home Office intends to discourage campaigners by completely ignoring our
demands, they will be dismayed to know that they have failed. Tyneside
Community Action for Refugees will continue the important fight for asylum
rights.’

This Saturday, Tyneside Community Action for Refugees will hold a rally
against detention and deportation of children at Grey’s Monument in
Newcastle.