Grace and her children were taken from their home at 6:15am on Thursday 24 January, in spite if being in possession of a letter to her MP Fabian Hamilton, assuring that she would not be detained while he was making representations on her behalf. The Home Office had received this letter, which had been written to Liam Byrne, on 9 January and no notification of the outcome had been received either by their MP Fabian Hamilton or by Grace. Grace had been given the mobile phone number of the MPs personal assistant to contact in any such emergency - but the phone was snatched from her hand and the letter considered irrelevant. She had no opportunity to gather possessions, but taken from her home to Waterside in Leeds and then straight to Yarl's Wood.

Grace came to the UK because she was constantly receiving death threats and actual violent attacks from another family with wide networks. Her father had converted from Christianity to Islam when an imam healed him from a serious disease; at that time he promised his daughter, Grace, then a small child, to the Imam's son in marriage. When the family came to collect Grace at the age of 13 for a forced marriage, she fled. She went to a relative who was a Christian, converted to Christianity herself and was baptised. The relative then abused Grace and she became destitute; her own family had disowned her when she refused to marry the imam's son. Against all odds and by various means Grace nevertheless qualified as an accountant. Following marriage, however, the persecution started again as the imam's family used its networks to ensure that Grace was in danger. There were death threats and she was hospitalised after attacks. She and her husband moved to the Gambia to escape but she was pursued there. In 2004 they came to the UK with their daughter, leaving the two older sons in the Gambia.

Nigeria: 'Violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual violence by state officials and private individuals, remained pervasive. Underlying factors included the entrenched culture of impunity for human rights violations committed by the police and security forces, and the authorities' consistent failure to exercise due diligence in preventing and addressing sexual violence by both state and non-state actors. ' Amnesty International Report 2007

"The government's human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses. Domestic violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse and child sexual exploitation; societal violence; ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination; and trafficking in persons for the purposes of prostitution and forced labor. USA Country Report on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria 2006

Once in the UK the family settled first in Cardiff and then Manchester. By that time, however, domestic violence had escalated with increasing adverse effects on the children. In March 2007 Grace fled to Leeds. She has here become a much loved and appreciated part of the local community. She is a very active member of Moortown Baptist church, and takes part in many of its groups. Her daughter is well settled at her local primary school, where she is making excellent academic progress and is popular with the other children. She recently won a local art competition. The teachers and other parents at the school are devastated by what has happened. Joseph attends the playgroup at the Baptist church. The family have endured so much that uprooting them again into a dangerous situation would be intolerable. Joseph was born in this county and knows no other.

Grace's community in Leeds are fighting to stop the deportation.

What can you do to help?

Immediate and all day tomorrow Saturday 9th February:
1) Fax Willie Walsh, Chief Executive Officer British Airways and urge him not to carry out the forced removal of Grace Cole and her children. Attached model fax .You can copy, amend or write your own version, if you do - please include all the following details: "Forced Removal of Grace Cole and children, on British Airways flight BA075 from Heathrow airport London @12:50hrs to Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday 10th February 2008 .Remember to add your name, address, city, country, postcode, telephone number & e-mail.

Fax: 020 8759 4314 from outside the UK Fax: + 44 20 8759 4314

Please notify the campaign of any faxes sent to British Airways:

Friends of Grace, Esther and Joseph
Moortown Baptist Church
204 King Lane
Leeds
LS17 6AA
 hilary.willmer@dsl.pipex.com

End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Friends of Grace, Esther and Joseph