On 5th April at 6.30am The Karunathilaka family were woken by eight state officials (earlier their lawyer had received a fax stating that their latest family appeal for asylum had been rejected) Geetha & Sagara were placed in separate rooms away from the children who were then woken and dressed by a social worker. Their Mother, Geetha may have suffered a seizure & temporary paralysis down her side given the stress of the situation. In this condition she was dragged down stairs. The family were then taken in a van to the Yarlswood detention Centre in Bedford
where they are behind bars awaiting deportation to Colombo, Sri Lanka this Saturday at 10.45 am. on a Sri Lankan Airways flight.

Geetha & Sagara had to flee from Sri Lanka as they were both being illegally persecuted by the Sri Lankan army. Geetha’s family have been targeted for many years, her mother, father and brother all died at the hands of the Sri Lankan Military and she very nearly did! Her family is of mixed ethnicity (both Tamil and Sinhalese) and lived in a sinhalese neighbourhood. They were suspected of harbouring Tamil Terrorists by the army. In reality the truth was far simpler – the people visiting her house were cousins from other areas, however once you have come to the attention of the army in Sri Lanka it’s very difficult to go back.
Sagara was a highly trained practitioner in Alternative Medicine running a clinic in the country and was targeted as he was a martial arts expert, running a number of classes that were open to everyone who wanted to come. Inevitably this led to there being a mixture of Tamil and Sinhalese students in the class. Sagara only teaches defensive martial arts – it is never used for offensive purposes. Alas the army suspected him of training Tamil separatists and he was arrested and tortured.
Two perfectly innocent people came to the attention of the military regime in Sri Lanka for different reasons. Once they found themselves on the wrong side of the military there was then no other higher authority in the land to whom they could turn, in order to seek justice. Eventually these troubles forced them to flee the country.
They arrived here in the UK in December 2000, however they did not claim asylum straight away as they were not aware of the asylum system. This ignorance on their part has cost them dearly today, as this is one of the main weaknesses in their current case.
Neither Geetha or Sagara want to be financially supported by the UK Government – Sagara is a fully qualified Medical Doctor in alternative medicine, he used to run his own community hospital in Sri Lanka before the interference of the army forced him to flee.
Here in the UK he has become involved with Stockton Volunteer Services – providing free treatments for hard working volunteers in the Stockton area. These volunteers are generally people who care for a family member who has become disabled in some way either due to ill health or some other reason – they are the unsung heroes of our community.
It is inconceivable that a family with such a traumatic past and with so much to contribute can be treated in such an inhuman way, surely this is exactly the sort of treatment they are fleeing from.

What can you do?

Their many friends are supporting a last ditch attempt to appeal for a high court order to stop deportation but we need more funds urgently. The solicitor & barrister involved are submitting the application to the High Court on Thursday morning. There are things you
can do:

1) Send a letter/cards of support to the Karunathilaka Family by the last
post today please to: Geetha & Sagara Karunathilaka, Home Office Ref:
J1067348, Room 257, Yarlswood
Immigration & Removal Centre, Twin Woods Rd, Clapham, Beds. MK41 6HL

2) Take money to the nearest branch of 'Abbey' Building Society. Please
give as much as you can, as soon as you can to this account :- 'Justice for
our Friends' K7448382JUS sort code 09-00-00 or send cheques c/o Janette
Pratt, Flat 28, The Zetland, Marine
Parade, Saltburn TS12 1BU. We need a flow rate of a minimum of 100UKP per
day. High Court actions are notoriously and disgracefully expensive.

3) You can also fax urgent letters of appeal & protest to Liam Byrne,
Minister for nationality, citizenship & immigration, Fax:- 08703369034 or
if you can't fax then e-mail him :-
( liam.byrne.submissions@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)

Their local MP Dari Taylor is out of the country but their office is aware
and contacting her.

If you need more basic info about the family and the case please go to
(www.justiceforourfriends.com)

Please email this on to as many friends, family & colleagues as you can
today if possible. We are strength in numbers and the power of our love and
our good intentions combined.

Justice will prevail.

With best wishes to you all at this dark time in our community,

Richard Coaten

( on behalf of Karunathilaka family, Janette Pratt, Iain Stewart, Richard &
Mary Coaten )