A mom who has lived within the UK for 16 years has been informed she can be deported subsequent month to her native African nation, regardless of the specter of her facing political persecution.
Fatou Tamba, 55, was detained by immigration officers in Liverpool on 26 March, and has been held for the final month at Derwentside IRC, the place she claims to have been refused acceptable medical care and mental health help.
Her deportation to the Gambia, initially set for 22 April, was efficiently halted – however she stays in detention, and her lawyer has now been served with a brand new elimination date of 8 Might.
Her brother Lamin Tamba, a British citizen, stated: “Fatou and I’ve obtained dying threats for our political beliefs.
“If she is returned, she dangers kidnapping, false imprisonment, or dying. She has a household, a fiance, and a complete group who love her – she belongs right here.”
Ms Tamba travelled to the UK in 2009 to go to her brother, deciding to stay as a result of risks posed by returning to the Gambia. Members of her household had been concerned in political activism, and a change within the ruling social gathering had led her to obtain dying threats.
She was additionally escaping an abusive marriage, having been married on the age of 14 to a person who was 30 years her senior. As a baby bride, she had given start to her son on the age of 15.
After a number of years of residing in Birmingham, she relocated to Liverpool, the place she has resided for the final eight years, and has develop into an energetic member of the refugee and asylum seeker group.
Regardless of making use of for her proper to stay, Ms Tamba’s asylum utility was rejected in 2021, and she or he was required to report back to an immigration workplace every month till she was granted depart to submit one other request.
It was throughout one in every of these visits that she was detained by officers, regardless of by no means lacking a single appointment during the last 4 years.
Her brother informed The Impartial that since being held at Derwentside IRC, a female-only facility that may maintain 84 ladies, Fatou’s psychological well being has plummeted, and she or he has been served poor high quality meals reminiscent of plain rice with no sauce or accompanying dish.
“It’s horrible. I went to see her final Sunday, and the centre shouldn’t be good in any respect,” Mr Tamba stated. “She’s misplaced two enamel since being in detention. They refused extra dental check-ups after they extracted two enamel.
“When she requested GP help for her medical situations, it was refused. After our marketing campaign organised a protest, they lastly began granting her requests,” he added.
A spokesperson for Serco, the corporate that manages the Derwentside facility, stated that Ms Tamba is obtainable a assorted menu with cold and warm meals selections, and has every day entry to the healthcare centre.
Having by no means fallen foul of the legislation, Mr Tamba stated his sister was discovering the expertise “tough and traumatic”.
“The detention is worse than the elimination discover as a result of she’s by no means misplaced her freedom earlier than. She’s not consuming effectively, she’s not coping effectively and she or he has medical situations that want common supervision,” he stated.
Whereas in detention, she has submitted one other utility for a household visa, offering proof that she has lived along with her companion for greater than two years, and that her closest members of the family reside within the UK.
Regardless of her household claiming that she met the related standards, her utility was as soon as once more rejected, along with her lawyer knowledgeable on April 24 that her deportation will now happen in two weeks. Her authorized workforce is difficult this.
“Being in Liverpool means all the things, it’s the one metropolis the place she’s felt at residence,” Mr Tamba stated. “The folks of Liverpool have welcomed her. Due to her infectious persona, she was in a position to combine and is now a part of the group.”
Maggy Moyo, campaigns lead and group organiser at Proper to Stay, stated: “Fatou’s battle shouldn’t be over. She remains to be behind bars, nonetheless ready for justice. We’ve stopped her deportation for now, however she shouldn’t be locked away in any respect. Fatou has given a lot to our group. Now, we get up for her.”
The House Workplace has been approached for remark.
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