The story on BBC tv received air time because of the interim report of the Independent Asylum Commissionhttp://www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk/ published the same day , and also the suspected booking of a charter flight to deport many Kurds to Iraq.
Within Campsfield House in Oxford (an Immigration and Removal Centre), thirty nine men had been given removal directions ( notices that they are to be forceably returned to their country after their applications for asylum had failed). However, these removal directions did not state, as we would usually expect, the date, time, flight number and airport that they would fly from. These removal notices were very different: "you will be removed not less than 72 hours and not more than 14 days from the date of this letter". The date on the letter was 14th March. Yet the removal notice that I saw was not handed to the recipient until the 16th March while he was held in police custody awaiting transport to a detention centre. Many other men in other detention centres had also been given these notices. The National Anti Deportation Coalition http://www.ncadc.org.uk/ were trying to find out how many people were at risk of removal to Iraq and whether there were any legal arguments to prevent this mass deportation taking place.
The evening before removal
I was speaking with several men in Campsfield House the evening before removal. We still couldn't find out when they would be leaving or where from. Many were still trying to get Judicial Review Hearings to prevent their removal whilst they submitted fresh evidence. Some had been in the UK for seven years, and the last time they were in their country it was under occupation from the armed forces of Sadam Hussein. The men were uneasy and very afraid. One man told me that he had telephoned the number on the removal notice and asked Immigration if he was being removed the following day. He was told that there were no removals set for the following day and that it would probably be Saturday. This was either an uninformed statement ( in which case how is it that Immigration dont know what they are doing?) or it was an untruth ( in which case it is a contravention of the law which states that an individual must be told when they will be deported).
The next morning all 4 telephones were switched off. This is always an ominous moment. I con tinued to try calling the numbers throughout the day, and I know that the Anti Deportation Coalition Alliance were trying to find solicitors, and information about flights, throughout the day. Telephoning relatives of the men in the UK, I learnt that no-one had been permitted to know the details of the removal of these men. Even family members were not told. Doesn't the UN Convention grant the right to family life as an inalienable right?
Listed below are some of the news articles on Kurdsat tv for the time of the deportation of these men. Kurdsat tv is an official television channel in Kurdistan Iraq which is sponsored by the leading Political Party in the area (PUK):
UN and ICRC teams visited Kurdish bombarded areas
25/3/2008 http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Kurdistani&Rizbendi=1756
this article refers to a visit to Pishdra (Kurdistan) on the border between Iraq and Iran which was visited by the UN and ICRC after bombing of the area by Iran. The article was dated 25th March 2008 and refers to bombing which took place in mid March.
- Five terrorists linked to al-Qaida arrested in Kirkuk http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Kurdistani&Rizbendi=1760
dated 26th March 2008 this article discloses the arrest of five alleged al Quaida terrorists, plus what they refer to as a "prominant leader" which the article states came four days after the arrest of another significant al Quaida leader in the City of Kirkuk, which is in Kurdistan, Iraq
Roadside bomb kill one civilian 22/3/2008
http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Kurdistani&Rizbendi=1746
again a road side bomb in Kirkuk, Kurdistan Iraq
The doers of Sulaimani terrorist attack arrested (sic)20/3/2008
http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Kurdistani&Rizbendi=1743
this was a reference to the suicide bomber who injured 23 and killed 1 at the Sulaimani Palace Hotel where I had sipped tea just 23 days before.
Iran bombards Kurdistan again 20/3/2008
http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Kurdistani&Rizbendi=1740
this time the bombing is of Qaladze town
Explosion kills and wound dozens in Mosul 23/3/2008
http://www.kurdsat.tv/E_Zyatir.aspx?CoriHewal=Eraqi&Rizbendi=1342
the article states 30 killed and a further 30 wounded.
These are just citations from a couple of days. They don't include the Turkish incursions around the area of Diyabaka last month. This area is considered safe? Really? These news reports disclose military action against or in and around Kurdistan by several neighbouring countries: Iran,Turkey, Iraq (South).
The deportees were to be given $100 each when they got off the plane. Not exactly a great deal to start running with.
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