Patrick Masengo, a national of DR Congo and resident of Leeds, currently detained in Colnbrook IRC, is due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Thursday 2nd September on EasyJet flight U2431, @ 06:00 hrs from London/Luton to Paris Charles de Gaulle for onward transit to DR Congo.

Patrick was captured last Friday, when signing on at Leeds UKBA enforcement office, given a copy of his latest refusal letter and taken to Colnbrook IRC.This will be the third attempt by UKBA to remove Patrick

Patrick was a long-time active member of the UDPS opposition party. In September 2006, he stood for election as an MP in his province of Lubumbashi, Katanga in the DR Congo. Patrick lost the election, which he claims was rigged, and he and some UDPS colleagues started to mount a legal challenge to the election result. Patrick was also campaigning against the government's illicit trading in cobalt at this time. Following this, in November 2006, Patrick was arrested and detained by the government security forces, during which time he claims to have been tortured and abused, and denied all legal representation and visitors rights. However, after 5 months, he managed to pay an agent to bribe his way out of the detention centre and fly him to Britain to seek asylum. Since that time, based on correspondence with people back in Lubumbashi, Patrick claims to have a member of his family killed, his shop looted, and his house guarded by soldiers. He is highly worried that, upon being returned to Kinshasa, the Congolese government will detain and abuse him once again.

Human Rights Watch, World Report 2010 - DR Congo - Events of 2009
Violence and brutal human rights abuses increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo throughout 2009. Two military campaigns by the Congolese army, in the east and north, resulted in a dramatic increase in violence against civilians by both rebel and government forces. At least 2,500 civilians were slaughtered, over 7,000 women and girls were raped, and more than 1 million people were forced to flee their homes.

U.S. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices DR Congo in 2009
In all areas of the country, the government's human rights record remained poor, and security forces continued to act with impunity throughout the year, committing many serious abuses, including unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, and rape. Security forces also engaged in arbitrary arrests and detention. Severe and life-threatening conditions in prison and detention facilities, prolonged pretrial detention, lack of an independent and effective judiciary, and arbitrary interference with privacy, family, and home also remained serious problems. Security forces retained and recruited child soldiers and compelled forced labor by civilians. Government corruption remained pervasive. Security forces at times beat or threatened local human rights advocates and obstructed or threatened UN human rights investigators. Discrimination against women and ethnic minorities, trafficking in persons, child labor, and lack of protection of workers' rights continued to be pervasive throughout the country.

The Home Office accept that Patrick did indeed stand as a UDPS MP in the 2006 elections, but have regrettably refused to accept large elements of Patrick's story as credible. They argue that there is no proof of electoral fraud, that his stories about campaigning against the election result and cobalt trade are not credible, that they find it unlikely that he would have been refused legal representation in detention, and that the story of his escape is not realistic. Twice - during the initial refusal and during Patrick's asylum tribunal in July 2007 - the Home Office have also argued that DR Congo is now safe for 'low level' UDPS political activists.

Since Patrick arrived in the UK in March 2007, he has lived in Leeds and Rotherham. In each place, he has readily become involved in a variety of community activities: a community music group, college courses, and a local church (Ark of Victory) in south Leeds. He is popular with many people - who have found him to be impeccably helpful, positive and upstanding.

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

1) Email/fax/phone, Andy Harrison Chief Executive Officer EasyJet and urge him not to carry out the forced removal of Patrick Masengo - you can use the model fax 'Patrick MasengoEJ.doc' attached. You can copy, amend or write your own version - please quote,  Patrick Masengo due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Thursday 2nd September on EasyJet flight U2431, @ 06:00 hrs from London/Luton to Paris Charles de Gaulle for onward transit to DR Congo.

Customer 'Service:  easyjet@mailnj.custhelp.com
Andy Harrison email:  andy@easyjet.com 
Phone: 0158 244 3330 
Fax: 0158 244 3355

2) Email/fax Rt. Hon. Theresa May, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Patrick Masengo be granted protection in the UK. Please use the attached "model letter" (PatrickMasengoTM.doc) which you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you do so, please remember to include his HO ref: M1347893.

Fax: 020 7035 4745 (00 44 20 7035 4745 if you are faxing from outside UK)

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

Please let the campaign coordinator know of any emails/faxes sent:
Patrick Masengo Campaign
c/o Together for Peace
'The Fred Shed'
45 Westfield Road
Leeds LS3 1DG
079 1715 7830
Tania Salvesen