Friends of Guy Njike
John O | 19.02.2008 11:53 | Migration | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements
Guy Njike, currently detained in Oakington IRC, is seeking political asylum in the UK after suffering numerous imprisonments and acts of torture in Cameroon due to his political activities with the opposition party, the Social Democratic Front.
During the last occasion that Guy was detained by the Cameroonian authorities from 11/04/99 to 24/06/99, he sustained a serious head injury, which resulted in him being transferred to hospital, from where he subsequently escaped and eventually left the country on false documentation.
Guy claimed asylum on the day he arrived in the UK on 26th August 1999. Guy did not have his initial interview at the Home Office until March 2004. Following the rejection of his application in August 2004, Guy lodged an appeal, which was heard on 10 December 2004. He received the Adjudicator's decision to dismiss the appeal on 20 December 2004.
In August 2005 Guy submitted a fresh claim for asylum with new supporting material. He heard absolutely nothing from the Home Office until Monday 11th February when he visited Becket House for his monthly reporting appointment. He was then detained and informed that his case had been rejected on the grounds that the material submitted did not constitute a new claim and a removal order issued for Saturday 16 February.
A model UK citizen
Since being in the UK, Guy has tried to re-build his life and received counseling from the Medical Foundation. Guy learnt English and in 2004 completed his Masters degree in human rights at the University of London. He has given much time and energy to the community through volunteering for a number of organisations, including the Refugee Council. Currently Guy before being detained was working full time in the Food Hall in Selfridges and volunteering three days a week at Medecins du Mondes. Guy has therefore worked to earn his living, paid taxes and volunteered in the local community. He was called up for jury service and completed this service, and he has a vote (and uses it). Guy has a wide network of friends. He has given so much to his community in London.
Consistency with Government policy
We Njike's friends want to know how the UK Government can treat Guy so badly. The delays and flaws in the asylum system have meant that he has been here for over 8 and a half years and has re-built his life. He had to wait from August 1999 until March 2004 for his initial interview. And he was detained on-the-spot on Monday 11th February while reporting at Becket House in his lunch break, unable to return to work, phone confiscated, treated like a criminal and informed he would be returned to Cameroon where he was imprisoned and tortured on Saturday 16th February. He was terrified.
The Home Office, and indeed the Government itself place great emphasis on the importance of an integrated and cohesive British society. Yet Guy Njike, who has made such an effort to re-build his life and integrate, was informed by the Home Office in the refusal letter that he received on Monday 11th February, "the fact that you have provided various educational certificates and character references from your clients fellow students notes the accuracy of the Adjudicators comments". The Adjudicator had said, "I find that he sought asylum for reasons unconnected with seeking international protection, probably for economic and educational betterment". Therefore, obtaining educational qualifications and being supported by fellow students was evidence that Guy Njike entered the UK for economic and educational betterment. Surely, the Home Office is giving the message to asylum seekers not to integrate into British society or else it will be used as evidence to discredit their case.
Guy is supported by his MP Jeremy Corbyn, Lord Joffe CBE, his wide network of friends and over 1200 people who have already signed a *petition.
We are requesting that Jacqui Smith, immediately release Guy from detention and that his case should be reconsidered under the 'Legacy Casework Programme'.
What can you do to help?
1) Please send faxes, immediately to Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Guy Njike be granted protection in the UK. Attached "model letter" you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include Guy's Home Office ref: N1007848. Remember to add your name, address, city, country, postcode, telephone number & e-mail.
Fax: : 020 8760 3132/ from outside UK+ 44 020 8760 3132
Please notify the campaign of any faxes sent to Jacqui Smith MP,
*2) Sign the online petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopdeportationofguy/signatures.html
Friends of Guy Njike
C/o Institute of Commonwealth Studies
28 Russell Square
London
WC1B 5DS
Contact persons:
Kirrily Pells /
kirrily.pells@sas.ac.uk / 077 4710 8641
Sara Hall / sarotschka@yahoo.com / 078 0968 2715
"We will do everything we can to keep Guy here with us"
http://stopdeportationofguy.wordpress.com/
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
Friends of Guy Njike
Guy claimed asylum on the day he arrived in the UK on 26th August 1999. Guy did not have his initial interview at the Home Office until March 2004. Following the rejection of his application in August 2004, Guy lodged an appeal, which was heard on 10 December 2004. He received the Adjudicator's decision to dismiss the appeal on 20 December 2004.
In August 2005 Guy submitted a fresh claim for asylum with new supporting material. He heard absolutely nothing from the Home Office until Monday 11th February when he visited Becket House for his monthly reporting appointment. He was then detained and informed that his case had been rejected on the grounds that the material submitted did not constitute a new claim and a removal order issued for Saturday 16 February.
A model UK citizen
Since being in the UK, Guy has tried to re-build his life and received counseling from the Medical Foundation. Guy learnt English and in 2004 completed his Masters degree in human rights at the University of London. He has given much time and energy to the community through volunteering for a number of organisations, including the Refugee Council. Currently Guy before being detained was working full time in the Food Hall in Selfridges and volunteering three days a week at Medecins du Mondes. Guy has therefore worked to earn his living, paid taxes and volunteered in the local community. He was called up for jury service and completed this service, and he has a vote (and uses it). Guy has a wide network of friends. He has given so much to his community in London.
Consistency with Government policy
We Njike's friends want to know how the UK Government can treat Guy so badly. The delays and flaws in the asylum system have meant that he has been here for over 8 and a half years and has re-built his life. He had to wait from August 1999 until March 2004 for his initial interview. And he was detained on-the-spot on Monday 11th February while reporting at Becket House in his lunch break, unable to return to work, phone confiscated, treated like a criminal and informed he would be returned to Cameroon where he was imprisoned and tortured on Saturday 16th February. He was terrified.
The Home Office, and indeed the Government itself place great emphasis on the importance of an integrated and cohesive British society. Yet Guy Njike, who has made such an effort to re-build his life and integrate, was informed by the Home Office in the refusal letter that he received on Monday 11th February, "the fact that you have provided various educational certificates and character references from your clients fellow students notes the accuracy of the Adjudicators comments". The Adjudicator had said, "I find that he sought asylum for reasons unconnected with seeking international protection, probably for economic and educational betterment". Therefore, obtaining educational qualifications and being supported by fellow students was evidence that Guy Njike entered the UK for economic and educational betterment. Surely, the Home Office is giving the message to asylum seekers not to integrate into British society or else it will be used as evidence to discredit their case.
Guy is supported by his MP Jeremy Corbyn, Lord Joffe CBE, his wide network of friends and over 1200 people who have already signed a *petition.
We are requesting that Jacqui Smith, immediately release Guy from detention and that his case should be reconsidered under the 'Legacy Casework Programme'.
What can you do to help?
1) Please send faxes, immediately to Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Guy Njike be granted protection in the UK. Attached "model letter" you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include Guy's Home Office ref: N1007848. Remember to add your name, address, city, country, postcode, telephone number & e-mail.
Fax: : 020 8760 3132/ from outside UK+ 44 020 8760 3132
Please notify the campaign of any faxes sent to Jacqui Smith MP,
*2) Sign the online petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopdeportationofguy/signatures.html Friends of Guy Njike
C/o Institute of Commonwealth Studies
28 Russell Square
London
WC1B 5DS
Contact persons:
Kirrily Pells /
kirrily.pells@sas.ac.uk / 077 4710 8641 Sara Hall /
sarotschka@yahoo.com / 078 0968 2715 "We will do everything we can to keep Guy here with us"
http://stopdeportationofguy.wordpress.com/ End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
Friends of Guy Njike
John O
e-mail:
ncadc@ncadc.org.uk
Homepage:
http://www.ncadc.org.uk