The 'Charter Flight' carrying the refused Iraqi/Kurds is expected to
leave Brize Norton on Monday the 12th February. Campaign to Close
Campsfield, who hold monthly pickets outside Campsfield IRC will hold
a demonstration at the gates of the RAF air base to protest against
the mass deportation of Iraqi/Kurds.

Directions to Brize Norton
 http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=428968&y=207152&z=0&sv=OX18+3LX&st=2&pc=OX18+3LX&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf

Enquiries/further information:
Bill Mackeith
 bmackeith@aol.com

from London: 0733 309853


UK/Iraq: Amnesty warns against forcible return of Asylum seekers to Iraq

Amnesty International 7th February 2007
 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17261

Amnesty International today (7 February) expressed serious concern
over UK plans to forcibly return asylum seekers to Northern Iraq.
Many Iraqis are now reportedly being held in detention pending
deportation on Monday 12 February.

Amnesty International UK Refugee Programme Director Jan Shaw said:

'Forcing people back to Iraq, even to the North, will put people's
lives at risk. Amnesty remains opposed to any forcible return of
asylum-seekers to Iraq, including to the Kurdish region.

'In post-conflict situations people should not be returned unless
there is stability and a durable peace; neither of those is true in
Iraq.

'Given the colossal scale of fighting and bloodshed in the country,
it is hard to describe Iraq's situation as 'post-conflict' at all.

'Imagine how terrifying it must be for those watching the chaos
unfolding in Iraq on the news to then receive a letter from the
government stating that they are about to be flown back there.'

Amnesty International insisted that it does not consider that the
Kurdish region of Iraq can be considered to have the safety or
stability conducive to safe and sustainable return, and any return to
it would be premature.

The two main Kurdish political parties are partners in the central
Iraqi government and the leader of the PUK (Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan) is also the president of Iraq. Much of the current
insurgency is aimed at the central government and its agents.
Furthermore, the unresolved status of the city of Kirkuk - located
outside but near the three Kurdish provinces with a mixed ethnic
population of mainly Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen - has potential for
increasing violence which may impact on the security situation in the
region.