Around 150 people attended an organising meeting last Saturday, in Ladywood Birmingham, to build for Wednesday's nationally coordinated demonstrations to stop deportations to the "Democratic" Republic of Congo.

Since 1998, the country has suffered greatly from the devastating Second Congo War (sometimes referred to as the African World War), the world's deadliest conflict since World War II where over 4 million people have lost their lives. Despite the obvious threats to people's lives and safety, the Home Office are accelerating deportations to the DRC.

In a few months there will be a Country Guidance tribunal to challenge the Home Office official report on the DRC that says there is no risk to failed asylum seekers forcibly returned to Kinshasa. The Home Office report is clearly inaccurate and means that many people are being sent back to the Congo to face imprisonment, torture and other ill-treatment. If the tribunal is won, it could mean that further deportations are suspended. Speakers from Central African Development Action (CADA) and Congo Support Project highlighted the political and economic situation in DRC and appealed for Congolese people to come forward and submit evidence to the upcoming tribunal to challenge the Home Office's "safe" status of DRC.

Organised by Congolese communities in Coventry, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and beyond, including CADA, COCOA, and Cité Celeste.
Contact: Michael : 07903 850708 / Mango : 07940 629953