Another family has been abducted from their Glasgow home and deported, this time leaving behind a 16 year old boy who was away from home at the time.
The Ahmed family from Royston were taken from their home on Friday, and were forced onto a plane and deported to Pakistan last night, Sunday 13th November. Farhad Ahmed, 16, is believed to be still unaware that his mother, sister and older brother have been deported.Positive Action In Housing reported today:
At 9.21 pm, Farhat Ahmed called her neighbour Farina from the airport to say that her son Faheem, 19, had been beaten by security guards for refusing to board the plane without his younger brother. According to Farhat, the security guards then threw Faheem into a side-room and began beating him and pushing him by the neck into the floor in full view of his mother and sister, telling him he was going back ‘no matter what’.
Farhat Ahmed begged them not to beat her son and to deport her with her daughter but let her son at least stay behind to find her other son, and then they could deport the brothers together. A woman officer was screaming repeatedly at Farhat in her face to ‘Shut up! Shut up!’ and that if she did not tell him to go quietly they would make sure he went to jail “forever” and “you'll never see him again”.
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Where's McConnell's "protocol"?
"From public bodies to children's organisations to school friends, there is recognition that these scandalous immigration practices are causing trauma and distress, and blatantly disregard children's rights. When Scottish society expresses such profound concern, it is right to expect the Scottish Parliament to do likewise." Jack McConnell, First Minister, 23 September 2005
Wee Jack claimed back in September that he would establish a protocol between Imigration and Social and Education Services, to bring some kind of protection for children and families. Speaking at First Minister's Question Time, Jack McConnell defended deportations ordered from Westminster, but added:
“…it is also very important given our child welfare responsibilities and education responsibilities here in Scotland that such a system is handled appropriately. That's why we want to have a protocol for the Home Office that involves Scottish education and social services in advance of decisions on the implementation of any orders for removal."
Nearly two months later, no protocol to protect the children, and the Immigration snatch squads continue to terrorise our communities. McConnell hides behind the old "immigration is a Westminster reserved issue" excuse, but when it comes to matters that he has responsibility for as First Minister - children's welfare, education, housing, communities - he has no excuses: he is failing to act to protect those communities and the children and families and everyone in Scotland who is rightly outraged by these attacks.
It's about time the people of Scotland let McConnell and his cronies and his bosses in Westminster know exactly how we feel about their racist policies and their violent attacks on our communities. And since McConnell has proved yet again his impotence, it's about time we took matters into our own hands to put a stop to these abductions. It's not that difficult. During the Poll Tax rebellion we stopped the Bailiffs and eventually forced the government to ditch the tax, through a mass campaign of direct action. We can do it again. We can stop deportations.
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Some info on the Ahmed family from NCADC
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From Positive Action in Housing, 11 November 2005
Please find below urgent action points regarding the treatment of the Ahmed Family who were removed in a dawn raid from their Royston flat on Friday 11 November 2005. In particular, please note the following testimonies reported to us – calculated, barbaric inhumanity being carried out on Scottish soil under the guise of a ‘reserved asylum policy’.
The Ahmed family from Royston were taken from their home on Friday, and were forced onto a plane and deported to Pakistan last night, Sunday 13th November. Farhad Ahmed, 16, is believed to be still unaware that his mother, sister and older brother have been deported.Positive Action In Housing reported today:
At 9.21 pm, Farhat Ahmed called her neighbour Farina from the airport to say that her son Faheem, 19, had been beaten by security guards for refusing to board the plane without his younger brother. According to Farhat, the security guards then threw Faheem into a side-room and began beating him and pushing him by the neck into the floor in full view of his mother and sister, telling him he was going back ‘no matter what’.
Farhat Ahmed begged them not to beat her son and to deport her with her daughter but let her son at least stay behind to find her other son, and then they could deport the brothers together. A woman officer was screaming repeatedly at Farhat in her face to ‘Shut up! Shut up!’ and that if she did not tell him to go quietly they would make sure he went to jail “forever” and “you'll never see him again”.
.......................................................................................
Where's McConnell's "protocol"?
"From public bodies to children's organisations to school friends, there is recognition that these scandalous immigration practices are causing trauma and distress, and blatantly disregard children's rights. When Scottish society expresses such profound concern, it is right to expect the Scottish Parliament to do likewise." Jack McConnell, First Minister, 23 September 2005
Wee Jack claimed back in September that he would establish a protocol between Imigration and Social and Education Services, to bring some kind of protection for children and families. Speaking at First Minister's Question Time, Jack McConnell defended deportations ordered from Westminster, but added:
“…it is also very important given our child welfare responsibilities and education responsibilities here in Scotland that such a system is handled appropriately. That's why we want to have a protocol for the Home Office that involves Scottish education and social services in advance of decisions on the implementation of any orders for removal."
Nearly two months later, no protocol to protect the children, and the Immigration snatch squads continue to terrorise our communities. McConnell hides behind the old "immigration is a Westminster reserved issue" excuse, but when it comes to matters that he has responsibility for as First Minister - children's welfare, education, housing, communities - he has no excuses: he is failing to act to protect those communities and the children and families and everyone in Scotland who is rightly outraged by these attacks.
It's about time the people of Scotland let McConnell and his cronies and his bosses in Westminster know exactly how we feel about their racist policies and their violent attacks on our communities. And since McConnell has proved yet again his impotence, it's about time we took matters into our own hands to put a stop to these abductions. It's not that difficult. During the Poll Tax rebellion we stopped the Bailiffs and eventually forced the government to ditch the tax, through a mass campaign of direct action. We can do it again. We can stop deportations.
..........................................................................
Some info on the Ahmed family from NCADC
......................................................................................................
From Positive Action in Housing, 11 November 2005
Please find below urgent action points regarding the treatment of the Ahmed Family who were removed in a dawn raid from their Royston flat on Friday 11 November 2005. In particular, please note the following testimonies reported to us – calculated, barbaric inhumanity being carried out on Scottish soil under the guise of a ‘reserved asylum policy’.
These points may help you write a letter yourself, letting MConnell know what you think.
16 year old Fahad Ahmed was not in flat at time of raid and unaware that his family is gone from the flat or that his family is deported to Pakistan.
Despite family’s pleas immigration officers refused to let the family trace their brother and be deported together.
Dawn raid carried out without warning causing the family fear and alarm.
13 year old Zoha dragged from her bed mid-sleep alongside her mother and brother, less than two hours after the family closed their fast as part of Muslim tradition.
Mrs Farhat Ahmed and son Faheem, 19, forced to use the toilet in full view of immigration officers.
Family endured a 17 hour gruelling journey in a caged van from 7 am Friday 11 November to 1 am Saturday 12 November. Worried neighbours, friends and even the lawyer not aware of the family’s whereabouts until the next day when the family contacted them via phone card from Tinsley house removal centre.
Mrs Ahmed calls neighbour from airport to look after her 16 year old son because immigration is refusing to let her trace him.
19 year old Faheem beaten be security guards for refusing to board the plane without his brother.
Mrs Ahmed told to ‘shut up’ by screaming female security guards when she begged security guards not to beat her 19 year old son but to let him remain behind to trace the 16 year old brother first.
URGENT ACTION ALERT
We urge you to:
1. Write to the First minister, sending copies to robina@paih.org calling for an end to the raids on innocent families as well as the criminalisation of asylum seekers at Brand street immigration office.
2. Write to your MP/MEP/MSP and ask them what they are doing to speak out against the inhumanities of UK asylum policy on Scottish soil.
3. Sign the online petition (using internet explorer browser) at
http://www.petitiononline.com/amn2005/petition-sign.html and add your comment.
16 year old Fahad Ahmed was not in flat at time of raid and unaware that his family is gone from the flat or that his family is deported to Pakistan.
Despite family’s pleas immigration officers refused to let the family trace their brother and be deported together.
Dawn raid carried out without warning causing the family fear and alarm.
13 year old Zoha dragged from her bed mid-sleep alongside her mother and brother, less than two hours after the family closed their fast as part of Muslim tradition.
Mrs Farhat Ahmed and son Faheem, 19, forced to use the toilet in full view of immigration officers.
Family endured a 17 hour gruelling journey in a caged van from 7 am Friday 11 November to 1 am Saturday 12 November. Worried neighbours, friends and even the lawyer not aware of the family’s whereabouts until the next day when the family contacted them via phone card from Tinsley house removal centre.
Mrs Ahmed calls neighbour from airport to look after her 16 year old son because immigration is refusing to let her trace him.
19 year old Faheem beaten be security guards for refusing to board the plane without his brother.
Mrs Ahmed told to ‘shut up’ by screaming female security guards when she begged security guards not to beat her 19 year old son but to let him remain behind to trace the 16 year old brother first.
URGENT ACTION ALERT
We urge you to:
1. Write to the First minister, sending copies to robina@paih.org calling for an end to the raids on innocent families as well as the criminalisation of asylum seekers at Brand street immigration office.
2. Write to your MP/MEP/MSP and ask them what they are doing to speak out against the inhumanities of UK asylum policy on Scottish soil.
3. Sign the online petition (using internet explorer browser) at
http://www.petitiononline.com/amn2005/petition-sign.html and add your comment.
