An 8 year old child and his mother who had been aggressively removed from their home in Bristol and were then held at a secure facility outside Gatwick airport have been moved to Oakington and are facing imminent deportation to Colombia. The mother was strip searched and left in her bra and knickers under the full gaze of male police officers before being allowed to pack one small bag of their personal belongings.
Miguel, 8 years old, is a much loved member of the St Nicholas of Tolentine RC primary school. His first action after detention was to write a letter apologising for his absence and is still looking forward to and practising for his tap dance routine at the school’s Christmas show on 13th December.
Lina & Miguel began the Fast Track legal farce on Saturday 4th December in the afternoon, theoretically a 7 day process where their entire case is heard, judged and appealed in a week. Oakington has a near perfect record in rejecting cases heard this way, and deporting immediately.
Read more on Bristol Indymedia: In Prison - In YOUR name | Merry Xmas Miguel
Lina & Miguel
Miguel the Tourist 2001
Miguel's new school 2003
First UK Xmas
Please respond (if you wish) in as many ways as you feel able (phone, email, etc), and check ‘all’ in your address book and forward (don’t worry if you haven’t spoken to them in ages, they may also be interested or know someone who is).
If you’ve not heard details of this case check out http://bristol.indymedia.org/ updates and information linked on front page posting.
or local press at http://www.thisisbristol.com/index.jsp type ’asylum’ in their search engine and all their coverage & letters come up.
Also letters, cards & emails of support are crucial to Lina & Miguel at the moment so please email me or send to:
Oakington Office
Oakington Barracks
Longstanton
Nr Cambridge CB4 5EJ
Telephone: 01954 783300 (10.00am to 4.00pm)
Fax: 01954 789505
email: RLC@Refugee-Legal-Centre.org.uk
If you send anything directly to the barracks, please let me know so that we can check that it arrives with the family.
I will also endeavour to get any relevant docs, pics, clippings, etc. up to the following site: http://www.andywatts.com/Lina_and_Miguel_Campaign (no promises, as tech ability is pretty poor this end)
e-mail:
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