Zakir Ali Rostami escaped the violence in Afghanistan six years ago and arrived in the UK speaking no English. Since then, he has become a popular figure in the community, excelling at Canterbury College where he has almost completed a national diploma in IT, and winning a scholarship for a local Cricket Club. He has also been offered an unconditional place at University to study Computing.
Zakir Ali Rostami
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SaveZak/index.html Removal directions have been set for Tuesday 28th April
Canterbury Cricket Lad threatened with deportation to Afghanistan!!
The Home Office allowed Zakir to stay until he was 18, but have since rejected his asylum claim, arguing that he could feasibly return to Afghanistan and not be in danger. Despite that English is now his first language and he has no family living in Afghanistan, the Home Office have detained Zakir and is threatening to interrupt his studies and deport him.
Speaking from Dover IRC, Zakir said: "I cannot imagine a life in Afghanistan. I have nothing. Everything I have I've built up here over the past five years. All those that are close to me are here in the UK. Canterbury accepted me for who I was and what I had to give. Playing cricket for a local team made me feel part of the community and was where I met most of my friends. I was given a chance here in the UK, with it's proud history of providing sanctuary, to rebuild my life and now that is being taken away from me."
The "Keep Zakir in Canterbury" campaign is seeking support from the local community and is calling on the Home Office to release Zakir from detention, suspend his deportation, and allow him to continue his studies in the UK.
Go here to sign the petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SaveZak/index.html Canterbury cricketer threatened with deportation
http://tinyurl.com/cy5wd4 Afghan student faces deportation
http://tinyurl.com/cv5ay8 End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
"Carina Crawford Rolt"
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