AUT: Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 02:41:04 +1000

["rc-am" <rcollins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> orig from Cage (I think)  www.veggies.org.uk/cage

Passenger Revolt Halts Illegal Deportation on Flight BA902

18th July 2000   Midday.

Several arrests were made this morning on a BA flight from
Heathrow to Frankfurt.  Passengers resorted to civil disobedience
to prevent the forced deportation of 23 year old Salim Rambo, a
Zairean refugee. Due to take off at 7:15am the flight was delayed
for over 2 hours. Mr Rambo was taken of the plane and his forced
deportation was prevented.

Several passengers are still being held at Heathrow police
station. Page CAGE for more details: 07669 167 489

Mr Rambo was caught up in the Civil War in the Republic of Congo
(Zaire) and now fears for his life from both government and rebel
forces.  He was among over 11,000 people detained by the
immigration service every year, and has been held in
Harmondsworth detention centre and given no legal advice since
the decision for his removal was made.  Germany had already
refused his asylum application, so return to Frankfurt this
morning would almost certainly have meant deportation to Zaire
and death.

The removal to Germany was taking place under a little known but
often used clause of the Dublin Convention, which provides for
removal of immigrants to a "Safe Third Country".  As it is almost
impossible to arrive in the UK without passing through a "Third
Country", thousands of asylum seekers are deported with no
consideration of their case.  By deporting Mr Rambo in this way,
without access to legal representation, the Home Secretary may
have been in breach of international law.  This is being taken up
in court.

Before boarding the flight passengers were given leaflets by the
anti-prison network, CAGE, informing them about Mr Rambo's
presence on the flight.  The leafleting was part of a long
weekend of actions by CAGE.  This included the occupation of the
site of a proposed women's prison in Surrey and scaling the fence
at Harmondsworth detention centre - which is how CAGE first came
to communicate with Mr Rambo.

Passengers were also encouraged to delay the flight by refusing
to take their seats until Mr Rambo was allowed off the plane.
Similar actions in Belgium have led to commercial airlines
refusing to deport asylum seekers.  A spokesperson from CAGE
said:  "It is unbelievable that BA and its shareholders are
profiting from the forced removal of people from the UK.  This is
the ultimate in putting profit before life, and it is nice to see
that people here are standing up to it...literally!"

CAGE on site pager: 07669 167 489

For more information on asylum issues:

National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns:
www.ncadc.demon.co.uk
Close Campsfield Campaign:  www.users.ox.ac.uk/~asylum

CAGE is a network set up to support and create resistance to the
growing prison industry, of which the immigration detention
complex is a part.  For more information see
www.veggies.org.uk/cage
------- End of forwarded message -------








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