A threat of deportation hangs over a family from Sacred Heart Parish in Middlesbrough.

Last week MPs, including our local MPs will have received a letter from Justice First plus a 12 page summary of the ‘We will crush you ‘ report (Nov. 2008) on the crushing of the opposition by President Kabila of DR of the Congo – 500 killings in the last two years, arbitrary arrests, torture and rape documented over 96 pages.

The Home Office says that the conflict in Congo is in the East. This report focuses on the West, Kinshasa and Bas Congo and yet the Home Office says it is safe to send asylum seekers back to Kinshasa.

A Congolese man who was in contact with the Winchester visitors’ group returned voluntarily to Congo at end of last year. However, he felt in such danger he had to flee and is now in South Africa.

A Middlesbrough mum of the Sacred Heart parish and her 3 children were taken before school on the morning of Tuesday 3rd February. Elysee (Mvovo Benontadidi) is in Yarls Wood detention centre awaiting removal to Congo on Sunday with her three children, Joel, 7, Merveille, 5 and David 15 months. Her husband was a high profile member of an opposition party (MLC). The family do not what happened to father.

David was taken to James Cook hospital by his mum just two weeks ago. Elysee is a nurse and feared her child would dehydrate as he had a high temperature and diarrhoea.
Joel is very fearful. He has again been taken by officers in uniform from his home. Once again the safety of his home violated. Children who are unwell should not be returned to a country where there is a high infant mortality rate. The Mvemba family were returned 2 years ago this month. Father was tortured on return and the children have had repeated bouts of malaria, yellow fever and gastro enteritis. Stuart Bell was sent information about the fate of the children’s father but there has been no response. (He had claimed to have made last minute representations for the Mvemba family in 2007.)

Justice First is asking Stuart Bell’s constituents to contact his office, telephone 020 7219 3577 or 06142 851252 or email contact@stuartbellmp.org, and ask that this removal on Sunday be stopped, given the findings of the Human Rights Watch report he was sent last week, the health of the baby and the fear the eldest child is feeling.

Elysee must be given time to submit new evidence.

Please do this today.

Thank you

Catherine Ramos