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

["bob brown" <vacirca@xxxxxxxxx>]

GREAT! some GOOD news for a change!! b. brown
--
"solidarity means sharing the same risks" - Che
( la solidarita significa correre gli stessi rischi)

----------
>From: rc-am <rcollins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: aut-op-sy <aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, a-infos <a-infos@xxxxxx>
>Subject: AUT: Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 02:41:04 +1000
>Date: Thu, Jul 20, 2000, 12:51 PM
>

>> 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 -------
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>      --- from list aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---
>


     --- from list aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---