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Jean Lambert an MEP for the Green Party and
a member of the Coalition to Stop
Deportations to Iraq (CSDI) arranged for a
delegation from CSDI England and France to
visit the European Parliament. Jean
arranged several meetings with MEPS of the
European Parliament responsible for
formulating a review of European asylum
policy for Dashty Jamal (CSDI England
founder of International Federation of Iraqi
Refugees) Karen Johnson (CSDI England)
Celine Pauvros (CSDI France) Nicolas Dessaux
(CSDI France).
Dashty handed a petition calling for the end
of Deportations to Iraq of 2000 signatures
and a letter complaining about the situation
of the Iraqi Kurdish Asylum seekers in
Europe especially in the UK. Dashty spoke
to the President of the European parliament
about the current political situation in
Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan and in particular
of the plight of Iraqi Kurdish asylum
seekers. Dashty explained that the
political situation in Iraqi Kurdstan was
unchanged despite the fall of Sadham
Hussein. The KDP and PKK political parties
had control of Kurdistan prior to the fall
of Sadam Hussein and remained in power in
Kurdistan. It therefore made no sense for
Britain to change its asylum policies
regarding Iraqi Kurdistan just because Sadam
Hussein was no longer in power. Dashty
explained 90% of Iraqi Kurds had left Iraqi
Kurdistan because of political persecution
form the KDP and PUK whose power has
increased in Iraq. The leader of the PUK
Jalai Talabani is now the President of Iraq.
Dashty went on to explain to the European
President how CSDI believed the UK
Government had broken the Geneva Convention
and the European Human Rights charter when
they forcibly deported 32 Iraqi asylum
seekers on the 5 September 2006. The asylum
seekers were woken by several security
guards on the morning of 5 September. They
were not allowed to change out of their
nightclothes or put on shoes. They were
handcuffed and escorted from the detention
centre onto a coach which took them to a
military airfield in Oxford. They were put
onto a military plane still handcuffed.
There were two security guards per asylum
seeker. Once on the plane they were given
caps and flak jackets. They were flown
directly to Erbil airport. On arrival they
were forced off the plane and left alone on
the tarmac waiting for the Kurdish
authorities to pick them up. One of the
asylum seekers had been so traumatised by
his treatment he has had a heart attack and
CSDI fears he may die if left in Iraq.
Dashty also passed to the president letters
he had received form the asylum seekers
forcibly deported on 5 September. Dashty
asked the European President to investigate
the way the forced deportations were carried
out and to ask the British Home Office to
stop deportations to Iraq.
On the same day the delegation met Michael
Konther commissioner of European Parliament
for an hours meeting. The delegation also
met Lilli Gruber and Pasqualince Napaletana
from the Socialist Group in the European
Parliament and Manfred Webber from the
European Democrats.
The Coalition to Stop Deportation to Iraq
will continue with the campaign until the UK
Government gives full status to all Iraqi
Kurdish Refugees.
Coalition to Stop Deportations to Iraq
www.csdiraq.com |