Iraqi Kurds in Sheffield are facing renewed fears of deportation. Stories of sudden arrest and removal have been spreading through the Kurdish community as the Government has started to round up and detain ‘failed’ asylum seekers at Heathrow.
The government has already declared its intention to deport thousands of Iraqi Kurds, saying that Kurdish areas of Iraq are now ‘safe’, but a spokesperson from a meeting in Burngreave told us they are alone in this view:
“The United Nations High Commission for Refugees says ‘no part of Iraq can be considered safe’ and this is a view shared by Amnesty International, the European Union and even the present ‘government’ in Iraq. Even the UK Foreign Office strongly advises against Britons travelling to Iraq because… it’s too dangerous. Indeed, the presence of around 200,000 US and UK troops in Iraq indicates that the actual situation is far from safe.”
The meeting of Kurdish and non- Kurdish supporters launched a campaign to oppose the detention of Iraqi Kurds at Heathrow their deportations and the removal of rights to food and shelter. Supporters said:
“We urge all Burngreave residents to stand with our Kurdish brothers and sisters.We will do our utmost to publicise their desperate situation and their right to live here.”
If you would like to help the campaign contact 0770 426 6613 (Kurdish) or 0791 370 1740 (English).