Don’t let the Home Office break this family apart

Eritrea is notorious for its' ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Biniam is a Pentecostal Christian and fled Eritrea in 2004 because the Pentecostal Christian church is not one of the four registered religions tolerated by the Eritrean government.

The US State Department 2010 report on International Religious Freedom lists Eritrea as a country of concern, 'Violations of religious freedom include: arbitrary arrests and detentions without charge of members of unregistered religious groups; torture or other ill-treatment of religious prisoners, sometimes resulting in death; a prolonged ban on public religious activities by all unrecognized religious groups; closure by the authorities of the places of worship of these groups; inordinate delays on registration applications from religious groups; and the disruption of private religious gatherings and social events of members of unregistered groups.

Biniam married his wife Lula in Eritrea in 2003 while he was still in the army.

One year after their marriage both Biniam and Lula had to leave Eritrea to escape religious persecution but went separate ways. Biniam went to Sudan. Lula arrived in the UK in 2005. Two years later in 2007 Biniam then left Sudan to try and get to the UK and was dispersed to Belfast on his arrival. Unfortunately at the time someone advised him not to tell the Home Office that he had a family.

However in December 2008 he finally managed to contact Lula and early in 2008 the family were re-united and he started visiting his wife and their children who were living in Glasgow.

On 1st June 2009 Lula successfully received Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK but on the very same day Biniam was detained by the Home Office in Belfast and he was brought to Dungavel. A short while later he was released from detention and put into NASS accommodation in Glasgow.

Since he was released to live in Glasgow Biniam has played a major role volunteering with different groups. He is well known in the church’s 'Bridging the Gap' project in the Gorbals. His wife and children are desperate about losing their husband and father. Four year old Abenether is asking where his daddy is and doesn't understand why he is not there to read him a story at bed-time.

The Home Office want to separate this family by sending Biniam to Rome where he first stayed on his arrival in Europe.

Please don’t let them split this family apart.



Please take these urgent action steps to help Biniam

1) Email/Phone/Fax Willie Walsh, Chief Executive Officer British Airways and urge him not to carry out the forced removal of Biniam Asmelash. Please use the attached model letter, BiniamAsmelashBA.doc. You can copy, amend or write your own version and add your address at the top - if you do please include all the following details: Please do not embark, Biniam Asmelash due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Monday 14th June on British Airways Flight BA2542 from Gatwick to Rome @ 07.:10.

Email:  willie.walsh@ba.com

Customer service British Airways Customer Relations
 http://www.britishairways.com/travel/webforms/public/en_gb?eId=120001&wfpId=servicerecovery

Customer Relations phone: 0844 493 0787 Monday-Friday 08:00-18:30  (hold line till operator answers)

Fax: 020 8738 9602

British Airways Health Services / medical clearance unit, Phone: 020 8738 5444. Fax: 020 8738 9644. Monday to Friday 07:00 to 18: and Saturday 08:00 to 16:00, closed Sundays/bank holidays.




2) Email/Fax, Rt. Hon. theresa May MP Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that  Biniam Asmelash, be granted protection in the UK. Please use the attached model letter, BiniamAsmelashTM.doc which you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include Biniam Asmelash's HO ref A1359075)

Fax: 020 8760 3132(00 44 20 8760 3132 if you are faxing from outside UK)

Emails:  Privateoffice.external@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
 UKBApublicenquiries@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk
"CIT - Treat Official"  CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk>

Please notify UNITY of any Emails/Faxes sent:

The UNITY Centre
30 Ibrox Street
Glasgow
G51 1AQ