Amdani Juma is currently detained in Lindholme detention centre pending deportation on Wednesday, much has been written about Amdani but nothing illustrates the immense empathy, grace and dignity of this man than the concerns he is raising at this time of great personal anxiety and fear.
How will our community feel safe now?
Amdani Juma is currently detained in Lindholme detention centre pending deportation on Wednesday, much has been written about Amdani but nothing illustrates the immense empathy, grace and dignity of this man than the concerns he is raising at this time of great personal anxiety and fear.
He is denied a phone but shrugs off any queries around his personal well being, His immediate concern is for his community and Nottingham. He asks, “What will be the impact socially and mentally of my detention on other refugees? When people arrive here having often witnessed terrible things it is hard to integrate and heal. I have worked with others to tell them to learn English, find work, look after each other, integrate with your neighbour, drink tea and eat together. We have found places for them to dance, eat and talk and this helps the healing process.
“My fear is that if I, who have added English to my spoken and written languages, carried out paid and voluntary work, campaigned for integration, involved myself in community groups, sustained my tenancy, always operated within the law… am not safe, who is safe?
“What is the message being sent to these communities?”
When asked about the worst case scenario, the deportation to Kenya at 8.00 on Wednesday, he responds, “I will do all I can peacefully to not leave Britain, if my family and friends were in Burundi I would return home. I have nothing there and I can do nothing there. I need to help people and I can do that in Nottingham. I have no travel documents, passports.I didn’t apply for them. Why would I? I live in Nottingham.”
“Thank you to all those who are supporting me.”
1 response so far ↓
Catherine Dodds // June 3, 2008 at 3:13 pm |
Dear All,
I have received an email from colleagues at the African HIV Policy Network that Amdani’s solicitor has contacted them to say that his deportation will NOT go ahead on Wednesday 4 June. There is no clarity as of yet about his position, or any certainty that this reprieve is indefinite. But for now…very, very good news down to the efforts of everyone involved!