Felicia was happily married to John Sakwe. They had 4 children together. John worked as a Customs Officer in Cameroon, until he retired in early 2003. John died suddenly after having severe stomach pains, leaving Felicia as a widow with her 4 children.

Felicia is from the Dikome tribe whilst John was from the Kumbe tribe. The custom of the Kumbe tribe is that widows should marry any living brother of their deceased husband.

However, Felicia knew that her brother-in-law, Peter Sakwe, was a wicked man, and already had two wives of his own and many children. She refused to be taken as his third wife, which was seen an insult to his honour. Unfortunately, as Felicia had no-where else to live, and no savings to fall back on, she had no other option but to stay with her children in a room within her brother-in-law's house. This was obviously very difficult for both her and her children.

Within Kumbe tribal law, male honour is the most important value of all, and a man must always display comprehensive authority over his dependents, particularly female ones. Any perceived threat to male honour must be avenged and a man will go to extreme lengths to protect and restore his honour. In this climate, a woman can expect no support from the police, the courts, or the local community.

Felicia became a victim of domestic violence. Over a period of 18 months Felicia was subject to repeated physical beatings, mental and emotional abuse, and rape by her brother-in-law. Some of her children, witnessed their mother's physical and sexual abuse, and were crippled with fear of their uncle.

Felicia, although distraught to leave her children, was aided by a friend of her dead husband to flee from Cameroon in the middle of the night - her expected destination was Canada. Her flight connected in the UK, where she was detained by Immigration.

When her brother-in-law realized that she had gone, he beat her eldest son Guy to death in an attempt to find out where she was. The remaining three children, Blaise, Fortune and Vanessa, were taken into an orphanage, where they have remained in the safe care of children's workers. Felicia is able to keep in contact with her children about once a month by phone call through the help of a friend.

Felicia was living in Rushden, Northamptonshire, with a friend for almost a year. She was receiving counseling and treatment at the Gables part of Rushden Hospital for severe post-traumatic stress and depression. She was also on medication for high blood pressure and depression. However, since Felicia has been living in Rushden, she has been actively involved in the local community, which has helped her re-habilitation and the building of her confidence and self-esteem.

Felicia then went through a distressing time after being arrested by 8 police officers in June, and taken to Yarl's Wood IRC - this ordeal caused her to suffer traumatic nightmares triggered by the arrest. During the first few weeks at Yarl's Wood, she did not receive the correct medication for blood pressure or depression, despite requesting this on numerous occasions, which aggravated her conditions and emotional state.

Felicia was due to be removed on the 3rd September. Felicia feared for her life if she was forced to return to Cameroon, compounded by the additional fear of her high blood pressure and the associated risk of deep vein thrombosis from flying, so she refused to get out of the escort van when it arrived at the airport.

Felicia alleges she was physically dragged by the escorts from the van she was travelling in and forcibly pressed to the ground, from which she suffered further emotional and physical harm. Felicia was brought back to Yarl's Wood IRC.

If deported and forced to go back to Cameroon, Felicia is not only at risk from her brother-in-law but also from his wider family and the community. The orphanage would also need to pass back the responsibility of her children to Felicia. In the light of this family's horrific experiences, where Felicia was sexually and physically assaulted in front of her children, and her oldest son was beaten to death by her brother-in-law, there is not only the very real risk to Felicia's life if returned, but also to her children's lives.

What you can do to help !

1.) Please send urgent faxes to Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Felicia be granted protection in the UK. Please use the attached "model letter" FeliciaSakweJS.doc you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include Felicia's Home Office ref. no. S1347080.

Fax: 020 7035 3262 (00 44 20 7035 3262 if you are faxing from outside UK)

2.) Fax Willie Walsh, BA Chief Executive Officer British Airways.. Please use the attached "model letter" FeliciaBA.doc you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include Felicia's removal flight details: Air France flight AF5864, operated by British Air on behalf of Air France leaving Southampton - United Kingdom 06:40hrs 24th September 2007

Fax: 020 8759 4314 (0044 20 8759 4314 if you are faxing from outside UK)

Please send copies of any faxes sent to:
Felicia Must Stay Campaign
C/o Rushden Full Gospel Church
60 High Street South
Rushden
NN10 0QY
 rushdenfullgospel@tesco.net

End of bulletin

Source:
Felicia Must Stay Campaign