[sheffield-noborders] URGENT: FGM victim and her daughters to be deported to Kenya on Monday

Sun May 18 01:15:29 BST 2008

A friend has advised she has had trouble with the fax number provided on the
letter. If you have sent a fax, please also send it to 0870 336 9034 which
appears to be another number for Liam Byrne. Please also  email him  (with
your letter attached)  to byrnel at parliament.uk and send it by post first
class which hopefully could  get there by Monday. This will make your
information very difficult to ignore.

Please also see the email below which gives details on how to contact the
airline on Monday.

Please contact me for any further information.

Anna

 *===========*
* NCADC News Service*
*===========*

*FGM victim and her daughters to be deported to Kenya on Monday*

Caren Ondimu was subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kenya.

She arrived in Britain in April 2005 with her two elder daughters - Stacey
(13) and Tracey (11) - after suffering pressure by her community to have FGM
forced upon them.

Her refusal to force FGM upon her daughters had also fuelled rumours that
she was a witch and she consequently suffered from isolation and death
threats. Caren is from the Kisii tribe.  The town of Kisii is in the Nyanza
province. Witch-hunting in Kenya, especially in the Kisii region, is
prevalent and victims are often tortured and even killed.

Caren and her youngest daughter, Kacey (3) who was born in Britain, also
have health problems and rely on medication not readily available in Kenya.

"In 1977, when I was 7 years old, I went through FGM.  It is one of the
worst experiences I have passed in my life.  I was sat and held firmly to
the ground and legs held apart as others queued for the same.  I bled
afterwards and a herbalist was called who administered treatment.  The
healing process was unbearable.  I was unable to walk, sit or even go to the
toilet. I don't want my daughters to go through this."

Caren Ondimu

The Home Office refused Caren's asylum claim.  She had no legal
representation at her asylum appeal which was dismissed.
 The Home Office refusal letter quoted the US Stated Department Human Rights
Report:

"The law [in Kenya] prohibits FGM; but it remained widespread, particularly
in rural areas Šan international conference on FGM in Nairobi reported that,
of the country's 42 ethic groups, only four (the Luo, Luhya, Teso and
Turkana) did not practice FGM Š the percentage of girls undergoing the
procedure was 80 to 90 percent in some districts of Eastern, Nyanza, and
Rift Valley provinces."

The Home Office refusal letter also said ;

"Furthermore, it is considered that the authorities in Kenya have offered
effective protection to you and your daughters and therefore your claimed
fear of persecution for refusing to have your daughters circumcised does not
bring you within the scope of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to
the Status of Refugees."

On May 14th 2008, Caren woke at 5am to find two men by her bed, who said
they were police officers. They treated her roughly, pushing her down the
stairs and causing her to sustain injuries to her back and elbow. She later
had to receive medical attention for her injuries and was given
pain-killers.
 Removal directions have now been set and the family are scheduled to be
deported on a Kenyan Airways flight KQ101 from Heathrow at 8pm on Monday
19th May 2008.

Caren and her family should not be returned to Kenya as it is not safe for
them there. Her daughters may be kidnapped by their father's family and
forced to undergo FGM. Even in the case of relocation, it is probable that
their whereabouts will be discovered through the Kisii networks.  As a
single parent with limited funds and support, Caren's situation would mean
she and daughters would be particularly vulnerable . Caren fears that if she
were to die prematurely, through either witch-hunting or her declining
health, her girls would be left destitute and unprotected from child labour
or sexual abuse.
 *What you can do to help*
 *1. Please send urgent faxes to Liam Byrne, Immigration Minister*, saying
that the British government has a duty to protect the young girls from the
horrific human rights abuses in being forced to undergo FGM and that given
the family's refusal to comply with tribal norms, it is clear that all of
their lives could be in danger if they are deported.  Demand that the
Immigration Minister reconsiders the evidence presented in Caren's case and
the new evidence recently submitted by a solicitor, and that removal
directions for the family are cancelled. You can use the attached "model
letter" (CarenLB.doc) or you can copy/amend/write your own version (if you
do so, please remember to include Caren's HO ref: *O1107013*).

Fax: 0208 760 3132 (00 44 208 760 3132 if you are faxing from outside UK)

*2. Fax, Sam Okwulehie, Group Area Manager Kenya Airways* and urge him not
to carry out the forced removal of Caren and her daughters - you can use the
attached "model letter" (CarenKA.doc) or you can copy/amend/write your own
version (if you do so, please remember to include the flight number KQ101
from Heathrow on Monday 19th May 2008.)

Fax: 01784 888299 - from outside the UK + 44 1784 888299

Please let the Caren Ondimu and Her Daughters Must Stay campaign know of any
faxes sent ;
Contact : Anna Liddle on anna.liddle at gmail.com / Anna 07890 800205
*
*
*End of Bulletin:*

*Source for this Message:*
Caren Ondimu and Her Daughters Must Stay campaign

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