Dear Supporter
Thank you once again for all the action you have taken over the weekend. The pressure of our collective efforts has led to an agreement between the UK and Jamaica that those booked on Wednesday's flight who came to the UK when they were aged under 12 years old would not be deported. This is good and welcome news but a child is a child, whether they are eleven or seventeen.
"A deal has been quietly agreed between the Home Office and Jamaica not to remove people who came to the UK as children on a controversial charter flight to the Caribbean island this week, its high commissioner has said.
Seth Ramocan told the Guardian that following diplomatic overtures to the Home Office, officials agreed not to deport Jamaicans who came to Britain under the age of 12. "
If someone came to the UK aged 12 years old then they did all their secondary / high school education in the UK and have spent all their adult like in the UK.
But even for those who arrived in their early twenties that we have spoken to, they have been working in the UK, paying taxes and have partners and children here.
The impact on their children is not being taken seriously. I have spoken to families impacted by this flight who have told how their children are already distressed and confused that their parent is not at home because they are detained and for those with young children, some have not yet told them that they are to be flown thousands of miles to another country never to return.
How do you tell your child something like that?
Of the five airlines that 92 black public figures wrote to, three have responded saying they are not operating the deportation flight. This leaves @hifly_airline and @evelopair who have not replied to either confirm or deny.
72 Labour MPs and peers signed a letter today calling for the flight to be cancelled.
It was initiated by Clive Lewis MP - read it here: https://t.co/eV2DPtMo4l
(https://twitter.com/labourlewis/status/1333429539326849024?s=03
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP tabled an urgent question on the deportations in the House of Commons today.
Watch the debate from approx. 2.30pm.
https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/53ff2d84-f017-4280-96a3-d93fbf5c3771
Also more than 60 lawyers, barristers and campaigners signed an open letter calling for the Home Office to stop the deportations.
You can read and share the letter here:
https://twitter.com/BARACUK/status/1333443021229142027?s=19
I have heard first hand from people booked on the flight that there has been confirmed coronavirus cases in two detention centres. In one at least 11 cases and in another all those detained were locked into the wing where a person who had coronavirus was situated. The man with coronavirus only received medical assistance and was only removed from the wing when he collapsed in his cell.
Furthermore I received reports that there were no measures put in place to test people for the virus, to do a special clean of the area and no hand sanitiser was provided - only masks to wear which should have been provided before.
Given that all those booked on the flight are in the high risk group because black people are contracting and dying of coronavirus disproportionately plus some have medical conditions and disabilities which increase their high risk group, making them vulnerable they should be tested for coronavirus and they should not be deported when they could be carriers who spread the virus but could also be at risk themselves, stuck on a long haul flight without adequate safety and social distancing.
Thank you for the hundred of messages of support, forwarding of MP responses and sharing of all the campaign posts and to all the people, campaign groups, politicians, celebrities and many more who have spoken out and taken action.
This is much appreciated by the people and their families directly impacted.
Please continue to share our posts and the links already posted above in this update on social media @baracuk and @bamefor on twitter and @baracukoriginal on instagram and follow for updates as things happen.
Please continue to use the hashtags #Jamaica50 and #stoptheplane which have been trending thanks to your collective efforts.
Please continue to raise with your MPs and call on those complicit to withdraw their involvement. This includes the airlines mentioned above, the security companies in Saturday's petition update and the Home Office and Jamaican government via social media platforms or by email. If you receive any responses please share these with us barac.info@gmail.com.
Lastly I would like to make you aware of some related petitions we have regarding the Windrush Scandal, the hostile environment, deportations and racism and immigration - if you support these campaigns please do sign and share them as well.
https://www.change.org/p/home-office-oppose-warehouse-k-immigration-enforcement-centre
https://www.change.org/p/british-airways-stop-helping-the-home-office-deport-people
Thanks for being part of this campaign.
Kind Regards
Zita
Zita Holbourne
National Chair of BARAC UK
On behalf of BARAC UK and BAME Lawyers for Justice