Living in fear of Mugabe's thugs

Uncertain future for asylum seeker

By Will Davies

THE future remains uncertain for asylum seeker Mark Coleman, who faces enforced deportation to Zimbabwe, where he fears prison, torture and even death.

Earlier this month the Court of Appeal referred a key case for Zimbabwean asylum seekers back to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT), directing it to consider oral evidence that it originally rejected.

On October 18th, 2005, the AIT found that enforced deportation of asylum seekers like Mr. Coleman would expose them to a risk of ill-treatment at the hands of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Mugabe’s secret police.
It froze forcible repatriation.But in April of last year, the High Court ordered the AIT to reconsider its decision following an appeal by the Home Secretary.

The tribunal decided that there was ‘no automatic risk’for Zimbabwean deportees.

Last Tuesday, the appeal court judges were satisfied with the AIT’s ruling, but criticised the lower court for rejecting oral evidence in support of charity Refugee Legal Centre, who brought the case on behalf of those facing deportation.

Mr. Coleman said: “This is good news. Mugabe is helping everyone’s cause as well, with what is happening in Zimbabwe at the moment — attacking opponents and beating up the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai .”

Deputy chief executive of Refugee Legal Centre, Thea Rogers, said: “The evidence reveals a risk that Zimbabweans who exercise their right to claim asylum in the UK are at risk of serious violence if returned to Harare Airport.
“The Government should not just maintain its ban on forcibly removing Zimbabwean asylum seekers, but should grant them protection in the UK until the situation improves, allowing them to work and support themselves.”

The Home Office maintains it will defer enforced returns to Zimbabwe while the case continues, but will expect Zimbabweans like Mr. Coleman to leave voluntarily, and encourage them to take advantage of the ‘generous return and reintegration package’available to them.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “It is only right that we provide protection to those in genuine fear of persecution, but enforcing the return of those who have no right to remain here is a key part of upholding a robust and fair asylum system.
“It remains our intention to resume enforced returns as soon as possible.”

Mr. Coleman added: “It’s hard to understand just what the Government’s motives are. They either pretend its not happening or pretend it is not as bad as it is, which is terrible.”

Mr. Coleman said he could be entitled to an ancestral visa because his mother was born in colonial Singapore while her father was serving in the British Army.
He said: “My mother should be entitled to citizenship which can then transfer onto us.“It will be a few months before we know what’s going on. She has to prove she was born while he was in service — there is a chance, which is great.”

The 10 Downing Street petition set up by friends and family of Mr. Coleman has reached nearly 800 names.
In a letter to the Standard, Mr. Coleman’s parents, Celia and Steve Coleman, who escaped to Costa Rica from Mugabe’s tyranny, said: “We would like to thank all your readers who have taken an interest in the case.
“Our son should not be returned to Zimbabwe after all the publicity and we are desperate to ensure that he is allowed to remain in the UK.”

Those wishing to add their name to the petition can do so by logging on to: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/MarkColeman.

Trip of a lifetime is a mission of mercy

Will Davies

A Henley brother and sister are about to fulfil the dream of a lifetime when they throw in their jobs, strap on their backpacks and fly to one of the poorest regions in the world.

Ryan Irving, 22, of Crisp Road, and sister Jade Sayer, 29, of Lower Assendon, are heading off in March to Darjeeling in north-east India where they will work alongside local volunteers to improve lives of special needs children and youngsters from the disadvantaged backgrounds.

Jade said: "It is something I've always wanted to do. I felt I wanted to give something back to the community — its more beneficial than just going on holiday."

Through charitable travel company, i-to-i, they will help teach basic English, organise group activities and encourage participation in extra curricular activities like arts and crafts, sports and games.
Ryan and Jade hope to contribute by bringing valuable native English skills — they are now qualified TEFL teachers — and will also offer advice on health issues.

In Darjeeling, there is a need to promote awareness of HIV and AIDS, and they will get involved with visiting educational instituations to disseminate information about the virus.

Jade added: "Everyone knows about the poverty in Africa, but in India a large percentage of the population live beneath the bread-line and it has more AIDS and HIV sufferers than any other country.

"Historically tea plantation workers in Darjeeling have received low wages and live in poor conditions, resulting in high levels of disease and low literacy rates.

"So next time enjoy a cup of tea, think of those less fortunate, who help bring it to your table!"

BT fails to connect with customer

By Will Davies

A YOUNG businesswoman claimed this week that BT’s failure to reconnect her telephone line following the storms of three weeks ago is crippling her business.

Joanna Lowe, who teaches cookery courses from her home in Stoke Row, said she is losing money every day. And to make matters worse, mobile ’phone reception is poor in the village, so she cannot be contacted until the line is restored.
Mrs. Lowe said: “BT has changed the date to come and repair the fault four times now. They said it would be fixed within two days but nothing happened, so I ’phoned again and the person I spoke to was so rude to me, he reacted to my frustration by putting the ’phone down.

“They have not been sympathetic at all. I am only a small business and cannot survive without a ’phone or the internet.

“Every time I want to make a call I have to go down the road, and even then the reception is bad.“ I can’t function at all. I’ve had no business for three weeks and probably lost at least £2,000. BT has got to provide me with some sort of compensation.”

This is not the first time Mrs. Lowe, who lives in Stoke Row, has been cut off.
She explained: “The last time this happened, BT did not reconnect the line for over two months.
“I find it so soul-destroying that I’m completely powerless to get this thing moving.

"That’s why I came to the Standard.

“I have paid my BT bill diligently and I find their attitude absolutely despicable. They call it customer care — I haven’t had any care.“BT has got to realise they are dealing with real people who need the phone to function. There’s no excuse for treating its loyal customers in such a cavalier fashion.”

A spokesman for BT has apologised for the delay and said that any substandard customer care could be put down to an “unprecedented busy period.”

BT press officer Emma Tennant said: “We have been very severely hit and obviously overhead cable work is notoriously time-consuming due to all the safety reasons. We are having to replace about 100 metres of overhead cable in the Stoke Row area.
“We think about ten customers are affected and have had engineers working round the clock. It isn’t normally what we would expect and we ask that customers bear with us.

“Keeping customers informed is something we try to do. It may well be that as we have been so busy it hasn’t been done to the normal high standards that we aspire to, and if that is the case I am very sorry — it isn’t typical.
“The repair is in hand and will be completed within the next few days. It is frustrating and all we can do is apologise.”