UK lesbian facing deportation
The statement by the president of Uganda, Yoweri Mosoveni, seriously reads like something out of Borat..
by Eric Allison
Monday November 13, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
A young lesbian who fled Uganda after her Muslim father threatened to kill her is being deported back home tonight, despite facing persecution and a jail sentence of up to seven years because of her sexuality.
Faridah Kenyini, 20, arrived in Britain in 2004, aged 17. At an earlier asylum hearing, the judge questioned her sexuality, implying that she was too young to be aware of her sexual orientation. Since moving to Newcastle, at the behest of social services, Ms Kenyini has been in a settled relationship with Sarah Garanette, 25, a security officer and British citizen.
Ms Kenyini was due to be removed last Tuesday and got as far as Heathrow, before being returned to Yarls Wood detention centre following an administrative error.
Jim Cousins, Labour MP for Newcastle Central contacted the immigration minister, Liam Byrne, today in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the removal. He supplied the minister with details of what he calls an "extraordinary offer" by Ms Garanette to accompany Ms Kenyini to Uganda on a voluntary basis, following a civil marriage ceremony, and then apply to return under a "fiancee" visa.
Mr Cousins said he was "distressed" about the planned removal. He described the offer as being a "real breakthrough, which, above all, demonstrates the strength of the couple's relationship". He said that there were many people willing to stand surety for Ms Kenyini if she was granted bail.
"I am fully committed to this solution and have a great deal of respect for Faridah's partner for taking a decision that clearly contains a distinct element of risk." If the offer was taken up, he said, it would resolve the situation in a "humane way that would also save the taxpayer money".
The couple play an active part in the lesbian and gay community in Newcastle and have widespread support from community groups and students. Local playwright Kathleen McCleary and actress Miriam Margoyles are backing the campaign for Ms Kenyini to stay.
Ms Margoyles said: "In this country, we say we have the freedom to be who we are, but do we?"
Uganda has a well documented record of persecuting homosexuals. Section 140 of its penal code criminalises "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" and the offence carries a maximum seven-year prison sentence. The country's president, Yoweri Museveni, once proposed the arrest of all homosexuals, though he subsequently modified his position and called for a return to days when "these few individuals were either ignored or speared by their parents".
In August, the Ugandan tabloid, Red Pepper, published the names and workplaces of alleged homosexuals, aimed at "showing the nation how fast the terrible vice of sodomy is eating up our society". The legislation banning same sex relations was inherited from British colonial rule.
Ms Garanette said that she was "petrified" at the prospect of travelling to Uganda but that she would do anything to remain with her partner. She is unable to travel to Uganda tonight because her passport is at the Home Office. She submitted it under the terms of new security industry authorisation legislation, which requires all security workers to be vetted.
Speaking from Yarls Wood yesterday, Ms Kenyini said that said that she was doing very well at college in Newcastle before she was arrested and that her aim was to qualify as a nurse. She said that none of her family in Kampala would help her and that she regarded her partner in Newcastle as her only relative.
"I am afraid that my removal documents will have details about my sexuality and that I will be handed over to the police and abused," she said.
The Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases but added that it was committed to the protection of genuine refugees.
"If their application is refused, they have a right of appeal. If the appeal is unsuccessful, that means that it has been judged safe for that particular individual to return to their country of origin," it said.
by Eric Allison
Monday November 13, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
A young lesbian who fled Uganda after her Muslim father threatened to kill her is being deported back home tonight, despite facing persecution and a jail sentence of up to seven years because of her sexuality.
Faridah Kenyini, 20, arrived in Britain in 2004, aged 17. At an earlier asylum hearing, the judge questioned her sexuality, implying that she was too young to be aware of her sexual orientation. Since moving to Newcastle, at the behest of social services, Ms Kenyini has been in a settled relationship with Sarah Garanette, 25, a security officer and British citizen.
Ms Kenyini was due to be removed last Tuesday and got as far as Heathrow, before being returned to Yarls Wood detention centre following an administrative error.
Jim Cousins, Labour MP for Newcastle Central contacted the immigration minister, Liam Byrne, today in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the removal. He supplied the minister with details of what he calls an "extraordinary offer" by Ms Garanette to accompany Ms Kenyini to Uganda on a voluntary basis, following a civil marriage ceremony, and then apply to return under a "fiancee" visa.
Mr Cousins said he was "distressed" about the planned removal. He described the offer as being a "real breakthrough, which, above all, demonstrates the strength of the couple's relationship". He said that there were many people willing to stand surety for Ms Kenyini if she was granted bail.
"I am fully committed to this solution and have a great deal of respect for Faridah's partner for taking a decision that clearly contains a distinct element of risk." If the offer was taken up, he said, it would resolve the situation in a "humane way that would also save the taxpayer money".
The couple play an active part in the lesbian and gay community in Newcastle and have widespread support from community groups and students. Local playwright Kathleen McCleary and actress Miriam Margoyles are backing the campaign for Ms Kenyini to stay.
Ms Margoyles said: "In this country, we say we have the freedom to be who we are, but do we?"
Uganda has a well documented record of persecuting homosexuals. Section 140 of its penal code criminalises "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" and the offence carries a maximum seven-year prison sentence. The country's president, Yoweri Museveni, once proposed the arrest of all homosexuals, though he subsequently modified his position and called for a return to days when "these few individuals were either ignored or speared by their parents".
In August, the Ugandan tabloid, Red Pepper, published the names and workplaces of alleged homosexuals, aimed at "showing the nation how fast the terrible vice of sodomy is eating up our society". The legislation banning same sex relations was inherited from British colonial rule.
Ms Garanette said that she was "petrified" at the prospect of travelling to Uganda but that she would do anything to remain with her partner. She is unable to travel to Uganda tonight because her passport is at the Home Office. She submitted it under the terms of new security industry authorisation legislation, which requires all security workers to be vetted.
Speaking from Yarls Wood yesterday, Ms Kenyini said that said that she was doing very well at college in Newcastle before she was arrested and that her aim was to qualify as a nurse. She said that none of her family in Kampala would help her and that she regarded her partner in Newcastle as her only relative.
"I am afraid that my removal documents will have details about my sexuality and that I will be handed over to the police and abused," she said.
The Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases but added that it was committed to the protection of genuine refugees.
"If their application is refused, they have a right of appeal. If the appeal is unsuccessful, that means that it has been judged safe for that particular individual to return to their country of origin," it said.
posted by Basil Epicurus at 4:13 PM
1 Comments:
wouldn't happen in canada! if u tel them you're gay in canada, they believe you.
Post a Comment
<< Home