Dear Supporter
Thank you, in just 24 hours over 5000 of you have signed. But this situation is urgent, the #Zimbabwe150 if deported could face persecution, isolation, destitution and trauma. They will be torn away from their families and deported to a country which they and their families had to flee to save their lives. Some have spent their entire adult life in the UK and most of their childhood. One man I spoke to today told me that after his baby sister was kidnapped and his family's lives threatened, his family had no choice but to flee Zimbabwe when he was only 5 years old. He said that his parents and all his siblings are British Nationals but he had to wait because his mother had to save the money one by one slowly with the little income she had to pay the fees.
Because of this he was made to leave his college course when he was 17 years old and was not allowed to study or work in the UK.
He was complying with the system and signing in monthly at a Home Office reporting centre as required when he was detained. He was taken with no notice and just the clothes on his back which he had now had to wear for 3 weeks, taken to a reporting centre hundreds of miles from home.
I have also received reports that those booked on the flight are being denied access to the legal representation they need. The computer rooms where those detained access facilities to get legal advice and representation are limited to 1.5 hours access per day and the fax machines are switched off, some of the computers are not working.
Given the short removal notice those impacted are receiving, this leaves very little time to find representation let alone send through papers to progress their cases.
I have also been advised that there are concerns about covid safety with flow tests carried out on arrival, no masks issued unless those detained have to make contact with the detention centre workers, so it is to protect the workers but not the detainees.
Given that black and minority ethnic people are contracting and dying of coronavirus disproportionately this is unacceptable.
We have gained support of more high profile individuals and organisations which in addition to Diane Abbott MP and the others listed in yesterday's update include:
Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS Union
WAST
REFUGEE ACTION
RAPAR
GMIAU
STATUS NOW FOR ALL
FIRST WEDNESDAY
LISG
MCR NO BORDERS
SOCIAL ACTION UNITE
If you have signed since yesterday's update, please take a look at the suggested actions there, but for ease, here is a link to our BARAC UK template letter which you can use and adapt to write to your MP:
Here are some other actions you can take - using the following hashtags:
#stoptheplane #Zimbabwe150 #ZimbabweanLivesMatter
Tweet @ukhomeoffice and ask them to stop the flight.
Tweet Carlson Wagonlit who coordinate flights @My_CWT and ask them not to be complicit in the deportation.
There are a number of airlines involved in mass deportations by charter flight, one of the key ones is Titan Airways.
Tweet @TitanAirways and call on them to not work with the Home Office to deport people to Zimbabwe
Follow @baracuk on twitter and RT our tweets.
We need to keep up the pressure. Thank you for taking action.
Best Regards
Zita
Zita Holbourne
National Chair BARAC UK