Some Kurds have accepted voluntary return to Iraq, often forced on them because they are prevented from working in this country and have to rely on charity of friends and a few small groups supporting them.

Kalir Salih Abdullah was one, a former fighter of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), he arrived in Britain in 2000, having fled leaving his family of six in Kurdistan. He spent five years pursuing his claim for asylum without success, before desperate circumstances here led him to sign voluntary return papers, and he was returned at the end of March 2005.

In Feb 2006 he was kidnapped outside his home, apparently by the PUK, and his family have since been unable to find out what has happened to him. His teenage daughter, traumatised by his disappearance, committed suicide.

Another Kurdish refugee who arrived in 2000 was Mohammad Hussain who fled here after he received threats on his life from the Kurdish Democratic Party for his political activities. An order was made for his deportation in May this year, despite the fact that he was suffering from terminal cancer. His lawyer made a successful challenge to the order, and he died here on 3 August.

Hussein Ali arrived in this country, seeking asylum, in 2002. On 7 August this year he was forcibly returned to Kurdistan; three days later he committed suicide.

Since 2005, this country has forcibly returned around 500 Iraqi asylum seekers to Kurdistan, claiming despite considerable evidence to the contrary that this was a safe area to which people could be returned without risk. Little information is available about what has happened to most of them - and once they have left Britain there is little evidence that our government gives a damn. Even worse, in July this year they started deporting Iraqi asylum seekers to Baghdad.

Among those present at the vigil outside the Home Office in Westminster today were members of the families of Hussein Ali and Mohammad Hussein. There were a number of speeches in both English and Kurdish; speakers included a representative from the PCS trade union whose members work in the Home Office, and various political and refugee groups that oppose the forced removals. Two people from the Home Office came out to accept a letter and a folder of evidence.

More information on the Coalition Against Deportations to Iraq web site at  http://csdiraq.com

More pictures from the event on My London Diary shortly  http://mylondondiary.co.uk