Yambi Kanda came to the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 when his country was at war. At the time he was in his early 20s and he has spent the majority of his adult life in the UK. He could be considered among the 'legacy' of unresolved cases and granted leave to remain on that basis. Instead he is due to be removed from the UK on Friday 8th May.

One Million four hundred thousand Dr Congolese were 'Internally Displaced in DR Congo at the end of 2008 the fourth highest in the world!   http://www.ncadc.org.uk/Newszine106/IDP%27s.html

DR Congo is listed sixth in the Fund for Peace, 'Failed states index':  DRC has a government but very little governance, endemic corruption, profiteering by ruling elites, the government cannot/will not protect the population from others or itself, massive internal conflict, forced internal/external displacement, institutionalised political exclusion of significant numbers of the population, progressive deterioration of welfare infrastructure (hospitals, clinics, doctors, nurses) not adequate to meet health, needs, progressive economic decline of the country as a whole as measured by per capita income, debt, severe child mortality rates, poverty levels, business failures, and other economic measures.

Yambi has lost contact with family and friends in Congo and now speaks English and considers London his home. As a failed person seeking asylum Yambi is not permitted to work or study. He is a musician and sits in on drums with Congolese bands in London. His skills are highly regarded by fellow-musicians and fans. His desire is to work as a drummer in the UK playing and teaching in schools and colleges. The opportunity for young people to work with a highly skilled drummer such as Yambi could only serve to enrich the cultural life in London, especially where young black and mixed heritage school boys are in need of positive role models from their own cultures. It would not be possible for Yambi to survive as a musician in Kinshasa.

Yambi has no criminal record and has been signing regularly. He was taken into detention on 1 April 2009 and is currently held at Haslar IRC in Portsmouth. Yambi's asylum case has been refused and if he is taken back to Kinshasa he is in grave danger of being detained and subjected to violence and demands for money on his arrival. Reports from the BBC ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4483364.stm) and other reputable sources attest to the "grim fate that awaits those deported to Congo"  http://www.irr.org.uk/2004/december/ak000003.html

Despite serious concerns being raised on the issue of the treatment of returnees by the Congolese authorities, the UKBA does not monitor the situation of asylum seekers who are returned to Kinshasa. Since being taken into detention, Yambi has been interviewed by a panel of Congolese officials (Agence Nationale de Renseignements ANR). He and his friends have made persistent enquiries to the UKBA and Home Office about this interview, but have received no substantive response and the UKBA is apparently not able to provide the audio tape (the interview was recorded).

Aside from the probability of detention and ill-treatment on arrival in DR Congo, Yambi fears returning to Congo because of the on-going instability and uncertainty in the country and the conditions in Kinshasa. As Yambi has been away from the country for seven years, he has no home, no job and no contacts or prospects and is facing being forcibly returned to dangerous and degrading levels of poverty.

Friends of Yambi are fighting to keep him in the UK!

What you can do to help / Please take urgent action now

1) Fax/phone/E-mail, Sam Okwulehie, Group Area Manager Kenyan Airways and urge them not to carry out the forced removal of Yambi Kanda  - you can use the model fax YambiKanda KA.doc' attached. You can copy, amend or write your own version, if you do - please quote, 'Yambi Kanda due to be forcibly removed from UK to DR Congo on Friday 8th May on Kenyan Airways flight KQ101 to Kenya then Kenyan Airways flight KQ550 to DR Congo.

E-mail:  contact@kenya-airways.com
Fax: 020 8745 5027 - from outside the UK + 44 20 8745 5027
Phone: 020 8759 7366 - from outside the UK + 44 20 8759 7366


Please send urgent E-mail/faxes immediately to Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Yambi Kanda be granted protection in the UK. Please use the attached "model letter" (YambiKandaJS.doc) you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include the HO ref: K1122043).

Fax: 020 8760 3132
Email:  UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
 CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
 Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk


Please let the campaign know of any emails/faxes sent:
Yambi Kanda Campaign
C/o Sara & Zoe
 sara_malecon@yahoo.co.uk /  zm2@soas.ac.uk


End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Yambi Kanda Campaign