Latest News from Positive Action in Housing

At 10.30am, 23rd January 2008 the family entered Brand Street Home Office to report, terrified that this may be the last time they will see their friends. Around 20 anxious supporters of the family waited outside and after 2 hours, the family were eventually released.
The Same officer who spoke with Messaoud on the 17th January, telling him that his family will be deported, told Messaoud that this decision was now pending, as they are awaiting the report from the Lead Professional. This did not stop the family being told to sign Travel Documents, which would allow the Home Office to deport them. The officer also told Messaoud that they were aware that a team of people were working and supporting the family.

We are in no doubt that the pressure put on ministers in Scotland and the First minister forced the Home Office to follow their own procedure.

The coming weeks will be a difficult time for the family, who may still be detained at anytime.

The family have asked us to thank everyone who sent emails to the First Minister, Children’s Commissioner and their local MPS/MSPs/Councillors asking them to take an interest in their case.

We will keep you up to date with any progress.

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Dear Supporter,

I apologise for the short notice but this is an URGENT REQUEST for supporters to attend the Home Office, Brand Street tomorrow Wednesday 23/01/08 at 10.15 am sharp.

We are deeply concerned for one of our families who fear being detained after being ordered to report to Brand street home Office tomorrow at 10.30am, and being told less than a week ago that they should prepare their three children (4,6 and 11 years old) for deportation back to Algeria, despite still awaiting the outcome from an independent ‘Lead Professional’ report, which has been carried out by a Glasgow Social Worker.

Messaoud (39) came to Scotland with his wife (Karima) and their young son, Nassim (now 11) seven years ago to seek refuge after Messaoud was targeted by terrorists for working for the Algerian government. Since then, Karima has had two more sons; Amine (6) and Adam (4). Messaoud and Karima fear that their children’s lives will be in danger if the family is deported to Algeria.

Nassim and Amine are pupils at Bankhead Primary School. Nassim was only 3 years old when he first came to Glasgow. All three children have Glaswegian accents and English is their only language. They cannot speak or write in their mother or father’s language. They have a broad mix of friends at school and Nassim was physically sick when his father spoke to him about what may happen when they report to the Home Office tomorrow.

The family is well known amongst Glasgow’s voluntary organisations; including Maryhill Community Centre, where Messaoud and Karima are active in the Maryhill Intergration Network and volunteer their time to gain experience of the English language and contribute to the community.

We believe it would be a tragedy if this family were forcibly removed and are calling on the children’s commissioner Kathleen Marshall to make representations on behalf of the children.

The Protocol, which was ‘agreed’ between the Scottish and UK governments some time ago, appears to have not been followed after Messaoud was told by an immigration officer that his family ‘will be deported’ no matter the outcome of the social worker’s report. He carried on saying ‘nothing will change my mind, the decision has been made’. We believe that this protocol was an agreement to protect the welfare of any child that the Home Office planned to deport.

This came as news to some social workers, who believed that the report, due to be completed later this week, would contain crucial evidence regarding the children’s welfare and would be used by the Home Office when making a decision on whether the family should be deported or not.

Please Email the First Minister, your MSP and MP and ask them to support Messaoud, Karima and their kids to remain in Scotland especially at a time when Scotland needs people to stay and contribute. (Please CC: quickmail@paih.org in the email).

Please come and show your support for Messaoud, Karima and their children on Wednesday morning (tomorrow) at 10.15am at the home Office, Brand street, Govan. I would be grateful if you could text 07746139071 or email jamie@paih.org to confirm your attendance ASAP. A press conference will be held outside Brand Street.

Please visit www.paihnews.wordpress.com for latest News!

I look forward to hearing from you,

Best wishes and kind regards,

Robina Qureshi
Director

The Guardian Weekly

Fleeing from the war in Somalia, Sofia sought refuge in Britain. She has been raped, left destitute on the streets of Glasgow, is HIV-positive, and cannot find her two daughters, whom she believes may yet be stranded in Somalia. Six years after her arrival Sofia is still waiting for a decision by the British government as to whether she will be granted refugee status. Meanwhile, she lives out a precarious existence in a run-down block of flats and volunteers to work with the stream of refugees that continues to flow into Glasgow. Here, she tells her story

I was raped twice in Somalia and I fled from the war. The government don’t recognise the tribe I am from as part of the country. I was forced to leave my two daughters behind and an agent brought me to Britain in 2002. He brought me to Glasgow. I didn’t speak any English at that time and he told me not to speak to anyone.

He took me to a hotel and raped me. I didn’t know what time of the day it was when he told me we had to leave the hotel; he told me he needed to check if the place where we were supposed to be going to was open. He bought me a cup of tea and told me to wait on some steps in the street. I waited for over an hour, but I knew he wasn’t going to come back.

Then I saw a woman who I thought might speak my language. Luckily she understood me. She took me to the Refugee Council where I received help. They found me a place to live and helped me with my claim for refugee status.

It was when I went to see a doctor that I discovered I was HIV-positive. I felt so sick; it was like I was dying. I just wanted to be with my daughters. Now I am on drugs to keep me healthy, but they make me bloated.

I had been in my accommodation for six months when I was called to an interview at the Home Office: my claim for asylum was rejected. The National Asylum Support Service cut all my support and I was left with nowhere to live and no money. It was too dangerous for me to return to Somalia – it still is.

From this moment I was destitute. I didn’t know where to go. I couldn’t stay with the friends I had made because they were refugees on support and were prohibited from having anyone to stay in their accommodation. With nowhere to go I spent my days drifting around the city. Some friends risked their own security and let me spend the night with them, but I could only go to them late in the evening and I had to leave early the next day to make sure no one knew I was staying there. Thanks to my friends I was able to eat.

After two months of living like this, I was told about a charity called Positive Action in Housing, who help refugees who have been made destitute. I went to them and they found somewhere for me to stay for a few days. They put me in contact with a lawyer who helped me apply for a type of support called Section 4. It’s the only help left for an asylum-seeker whose application is refused under the case for human rights. They also gave me some money to buy food.

While my case for Section 4 support was in progress I was still destitute. Positive Action in Housing arranged for a volunteer to accommodate me; I stayed with her for almost two months. I’m so grateful to her as I would have had nothing while I was waiting for my claim to come through. During this time I began to volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau and also in the office of Positive Action in Housing.

Eventually I was granted Section 4 support. It gives me accommodation and £35 in vouchers each week to spend in ASDA supermarket only. I’m a Muslim and I can’t buy Halal food in this supermarket. Sometimes I can’t find the right size clothes in ASDA either: I need a winter coat and I can’t find one to fit.

I had been in my accommodation in the YMCA for a year when they said they had to remove all the single people from the building to make room for families. They moved me to a different area of Glasgow where I was the only refugee in a whole block of flats. My flat was firebombed twice and I experienced terrible racial harassment. I lived in fear for my life. I reported the incidents, but it took one year for the authorities to find me somewhere else to live.

Although I had this horrifying experience, I have seen relations between locals and refugees improving in the past few years in Glasgow. Many local people in Scotland are very supportive of refugees.

I don’t know when I will be granted my status as a refugee. I have a family – my daughters, who are now 18 and 21 – and I also have brothers. I don’t know where they are. Sometimes, when I think of my girls, I feel like I’m going crazy; I can’t sleep at night. If I could work I would have more access to organisations that could help me find them. At the moment I can’t travel out of Glasgow (to London, for example) to begin my search.

While I am waiting for my case to be resolved, I spend my time doing volunteer work: I volunteer for the British Red Cross and provide orientation for new refugees arriving in Glasgow. I also volunteer at the day surgery in the YMCA – again helping new refugees and giving them advice. Some people arrive with no clothes, so I take them to a charity shop to help them find things to wear. I also volunteer as an interpreter for refugees arriving from Somalia.

It has been six years now since I arrived in the UK. I come from a country where there is war and I can’t go back. I am still waiting to be recognised as a refugee; only then I will be able to work and create a life – and find my children.

• Sofia, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, was interviewed by Ann Scholl.

Exclusive by Wendy Miller

AN African churchman and his family have won a seven-year battle to stay in Glasgow.

Pastor Makieokele Daly says he feels like he has been freed from prison.

After years of waiting and worrying, having his asylum case repeatedly rejected and being locked up on three occasions, Pastor Daly has been given permission to stay on in the city indefinitely.

He and wife Isabella burst into tears when their lawyer called to say the Home Office had shown the entire family mercy.

The couple’s children - Rachel, 19, Josue, 17, Linda, 16, and Isaac, 13, can now start planning their futures.

Pastor Daly, 45, said: “When my solicitor called to give me the news I just couldn’t believe it.

“I thought I was dreaming. So I went to his office to see the documents for myself and that’s when I realised it was real. I was even happier when I went home to tell my children.”

In the Red Road flats, where they have lived since October 2000, the Daly family are well known and loved.

On Wednesdays and Sundays hundreds cram into the Pentecostal Church of Redemption in Royston to hear the pastor’s sermons.

The family came here following death threats in Angola after Pastor Daly defied Government orders to spy on members of his congregation. He is certain to be murdered if he returned there.

Despite repeated Home Office rejections, the family never lost hope.

On two occasions all six were detained, but each time they secured an appeal and galvanised support for their campaign to stay.

Community workers, trade unionists and politicians have all offered their support.

The Daly family say they would not have won their case without Glasgow lawyer Fraser Latta.

Mr Latta, of Hamilton and Burns, said: “When I took on the case I was told there was no hope. But I secured a judicial review.”

Margaret Woods, of Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugees, said: “I’ve received dozens of calls from supporters.

“We are all going to church on Sunday. It will be a celebration.”

Publication date 11/01/08

In response to several enquiries regarding the Case Resolution Programme introduced by Home Office, Positive Action In Housing organised two information sessions in November 2007. These sessions were held in partnership with Legal Services Agency and Brown and Co Solicitors.

More than 30 participants attended each session, where they had an opportunity to learn more about the legacy review process and what could be done to help their cases and to reduce the risk of being detained for removal while waiting for their cases to be considered by the Legacy Review Directorate. Interpreting services were provided in 7 different languages to those with language needs.

Participants had an opportunity to get their queries answered on individual cases and felt empowered to discuss and instruct their lawyers to pursue their case.

Still Human, Still Here

How we can take action to stop the destitution of people seeking asylum
Saturday 2 February 10am to 1.30pm
Renfield St Stephens Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JP

Map: http://tinyurl.com/yoyufs
A crisis of destitution is facing asylum seekers in Scotland. This mini-conference, organised with refugees, Positive Action in Housing and Church Action on Poverty will inform, equip and inspire you on what you can do to take a stand against destitution. It will also give you a tasty lunch!

Whether you’ve only just discovered the destitution in our midst or you’ve been active for a while, this event is for you. A film and campaigning resources will be launched and you will hear from those who have experienced destitution.

For more information or to book a place please contact us at elodiem@paih.org or by phoning 0141 353 2220

Do you have any special requirements? Some help will be available for transport, physical access, interpretation, childcare or dietary requirements. You must let us know so that we can make it as easy as possible for you to attend. Get in touch if you would like to set up a stall.

Help us to publicise this event, please forward this e-mail to your contacts, download and display the poster for this event.

Poster is available at: http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/campaigns/livingghosts/SHSH%20Scotland%20flierA5.pdf

Background info on destitution is available at: http://www.stillhuman.org.uk/

Come along, be inspired and take action!