"I have never welcomed the weakening of family ties by politics or pressure" - Nelson Mandela.
"He who travels for love finds a thousand miles no longer than one" - Japanese proverb.
"Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." - Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
"When people's love is divided by law, it is the law that needs to change". -
David Cameron.

Saturday 22 March 2014

#FightForYashika Stop this sixth form student being deported alone. She deserves a future!

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-rt-hon-theresa-may-mp-home-secretary-fightforyashika-stop-this-sixth-form-student-being-deported-alone-she-deserves-a-future

'Yashika arrived in the UK along with her mother and brother in 2012 to escape abuse and danger.  In that time, Yashika has proved herself a model student of Oasis Academy Hadley and valuable member of the Enfield community.  Simply because she is now over 18 she is to be torn apart from her family in the UK and deported to Mauritius without even having the chance to complete her A-levels.

'Yashika Bageerathi is being held at Yarl’s Wood detention centre

'She has been told she will be imminently deported alone to a country where she has neither friends nor family.

'This is against Article 8 of the Human Rights Act (respect for private and family life)

'Students deserve to complete their education and be rewarded for their hard work.

'Please show your support for Yashika and call on the Home Office to return to her studies.'



From the petition's comments :

I teach at Oasis Academy Hadley. I don't teach Yashika, but I do know her - everyone does. Our school is more than just a place where people sit exams. We are a community. Teachers are proud to teach here and students care deeply about each other. Whatever you think about immigration (and I think it's a good thing!) everybody knows that interrupting a student's education to send them to another country against their wishes is irresponsible and unfair. Our campaign celebrates Yashika's rightful place in our community and in this country. She has a right to be here. We have a duty to defend her and the actions of our students in taking positive actions to support Yashika is inspiring! 




Via UK Immigration Forum :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/200512816798635/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FightForYashika&src=hash&f=realtime

6 comments:

  1. How can someone coming from Mauritius claim Asylyum on the excuse of fleeing a violent relative ? Will that set a precedent ?Will that open the doors for Mauritian women fleeing domestic violence to settle here on that excuse. What is the police in Mauritius doing? I am sure there are more families in the same situation . I work with people from African countries who have genuinely fled their countries . Mauritius is a safe country . Even 2 British universities are now located there . In my opinion she should be sent back .

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    Replies
    1. Fleeing domestic violence - honour killings - female genital mutilation - is not an 'excuse', any more than fleeing state violence is. Your choice of phrasing is revealing.

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  2. As sad as this case is, Mauritius is a peaceful and economically developed country with a strong rule of law. It's the size of Surrey and serious offences carry the death penalty. It completely unlikely that the individual has no family back there.

    If the UK will not offer asylum to children/families from war- torn Syria, how can it grant indefinite leave to a family from a Commonwealth paradise Island? This would set a precedent of successful claims for all economic migrants. Harsh but asylum cannot be granted for domestic violence cases.

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    Replies
    1. First, this isn't a typical domestic violence case - it involves threats of violence from local gangs ( http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/23/yashika-bageerathi-enfield-students-deportation-protest ) which would put her life in danger in Mauritius.

      Second, you may want to learn more about (for example) women fleeing FGM ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23933437 ) or indeed honour killings. When the threat of violence is real, and when state authorities are weak or lack the political will, so that they cannot protect the individuals at risk, it can and should be (and sometimes is) a reason for asylum.

      I hate to link the Daily Mail, but take the example of the Saudi princess at risk of stoning :
      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1217959/The-secret-diary-Saudi-princess-stoned-death-returned-home.html

      As you can see, domestic violence is indeed even now a reason for asylum, when the perpetrators are protected by state authorities, or when the state authorities lack the reason to act.

      Delete
  3. just been on the news that the family came here as tourists. How many more people will follow suit . I have never known of any on in Mauritius faced with penalty

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  4. I meant death penalty ...

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