From a young age Harriet has not had any family and she has only had very limited access to formal education. She has had to work to survive since childhood. She began to be sexually abused at the age of 10. At the age of 15 she became regularly involved in prostitution in Kampala. Since then violence and rape have been regular parts of her life. On her arrival into the UK she was taken from the airport and held in captivity in a property around Birmingham where different men raped her over several weeks.

Harriet eventually came to the attention of the immigration authorities; her requests to remain in the UK were eventually refused.

Though extremely traumatized by her experiences, she has been detained at Yarl's Wood for almost 6 months ; not a friendly environment for someone who has experienced abuse. This incarceration compounded her mental health condition, precipitated severe depression and led to self-harm.

Although she disclosed her involvement in child prostitution and prostitution in the UK many times in her asylum interview at Yarl's Wood, she was not offered screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Only following the insistence of the Poppy Project, she was recently taken for screening for STDs. Although the removal has been scheduled for this evening, Wednesday 11th April, she has not yet received the test results.

On the 23rd March 2007 the UK government marked the anniversary of the abolition of slavery by publicly declaring its commitment to combating enforced servitude by signing a Charter against Human Trafficking. Out of due respect for this commitment it is essential that Harriet is permitted to remain in the UK:

To attend further consultations with the Poppy Project
To receive counselling and guidance with a view to reporting the exploitation
To access urgently treatment for her mental health
To receive the results to the tests for STDs

Please find the time to respond to this urgent appeal.

What you can do to Help:
1. Fax Liam Byrne MP, Minister for State for Nationality, Citizenship & Immigration using the model fax 'Harriet-LB.doc' attached, asking that Harriet Mutoni be allowed to remain in the UK. You can copy, amend or write your own version - please quote her Home Office Reference: B1165717

Fax: 0207 035 4745 (from outside the UK + 44 20 7035 4745)

2. Fax British Airways and urge them not to carry out the forced removal of Harriet Mutoni - you can use the model fax 'Harriet_BA.doc' attached. You can copy, amend or write your own version - please quote British Airways flight BA062.

Please copy and faxes sent to:
Friends of Harriet Mutoni
email :  henryrussellwood@yahoo.co.uk

End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Henry Wood