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| Sheffield steps up protest against deportation of anti-rape activist | Sheffield steps up protest against deportation of anti-rape activist |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Sheffield campaigners staged an emergency protest yesterday to raise awareness of the plight of Odette Sefuko, an asylum seeker who fears she will be in great danger if deported to Uganda on Monday 4 March, as reported in the Guardian Northerner on Tuesday. | Sheffield campaigners staged an emergency protest yesterday to raise awareness of the plight of Odette Sefuko, an asylum seeker who fears she will be in great danger if deported to Uganda on Monday 4 March, as reported in the Guardian Northerner on Tuesday. |
| Supporters voiced their concerns for Sefuko, who is currently being detained at Yarl's Wood detention centre, after her arrest on Wednesday 13 February. They protested against the UK Border Agency's decision to deport Sefuko to Uganda despite UN expert evidence that she is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here's a film of the rally. | Supporters voiced their concerns for Sefuko, who is currently being detained at Yarl's Wood detention centre, after her arrest on Wednesday 13 February. They protested against the UK Border Agency's decision to deport Sefuko to Uganda despite UN expert evidence that she is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here's a film of the rally. |
| Sheffield campaigners protest against deportation of anti-rape activist from Marishka Van Steenbergen on Vimeo. | Sheffield campaigners protest against deportation of anti-rape activist from Marishka Van Steenbergen on Vimeo. |
| After gathering outside Sheffield Town Hall campaigners walked through the city centre to Vulcan House, Sheffield's UKBA offices. Supporters sang "We will walk with Odette our sister, we will walk with Odette" and chanted "Save Sefuko and women from the Congo". | After gathering outside Sheffield Town Hall campaigners walked through the city centre to Vulcan House, Sheffield's UKBA offices. Supporters sang "We will walk with Odette our sister, we will walk with Odette" and chanted "Save Sefuko and women from the Congo". |
| Campaigner Penny Bickley said: | Campaigner Penny Bickley said: |
| Sheffield is known as a City of Sanctuary and we are really keen that people who live here realise what is happening to innocent victims. We want to raise awareness of the plight of our friend Odette. | Sheffield is known as a City of Sanctuary and we are really keen that people who live here realise what is happening to innocent victims. We want to raise awareness of the plight of our friend Odette. |
| Sefuko was allegedly interrogated, beaten, tortured and raped by Congolese police officers because of her involvement with the group 'Umoja Ninguvu' (Together we are Strong), which helped woman who had been raped. Bickley explained why Odette should not be sent back to Uganda: | Sefuko was allegedly interrogated, beaten, tortured and raped by Congolese police officers because of her involvement with the group 'Umoja Ninguvu' (Together we are Strong), which helped woman who had been raped. Bickley explained why Odette should not be sent back to Uganda: |
| Odette has children who are recognised as refugees, which makes her case for being Ugandan ridiculous. If she was Ugandan her children would be Ugandan and therefore they wouldn't be classed as refugees as they have been. Odette's children are being supported by members of St Mary's church and other friends, and we are seeking to get DNA evidence to prove that they are hers. We are hoping that this will come through in time to stop her deportation on Monday. | Odette has children who are recognised as refugees, which makes her case for being Ugandan ridiculous. If she was Ugandan her children would be Ugandan and therefore they wouldn't be classed as refugees as they have been. Odette's children are being supported by members of St Mary's church and other friends, and we are seeking to get DNA evidence to prove that they are hers. We are hoping that this will come through in time to stop her deportation on Monday. |
Campaigners held up banners quoting expert witness Erik Kennes on Sefuko's ethnic origin: | Campaigners held up banners quoting expert witness Erik Kennes on Sefuko's ethnic origin: |
| A Ugandan national could never have such a detailed knowledge about Bukavu, its geography and inhabitants. A Ugandan national would never be able to master at the same time, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, French, Swahili and elements of the Mashi language. | A Ugandan national could never have such a detailed knowledge about Bukavu, its geography and inhabitants. A Ugandan national would never be able to master at the same time, Kinyarwanda, Lingala, French, Swahili and elements of the Mashi language. |
| Paul Blomfield , the Labour MP for Sheffield Central has been supporting Sefuko's campaign, he said: | Paul Blomfield , the Labour MP for Sheffield Central has been supporting Sefuko's campaign, he said: |
| I've written to the Immigration Minister calling for Odette Sefuko's planned deportation to be halted. I'm opposing her deportation to Uganda not only because it could place her life at great risk, but also fundamentally because evidence has been presented that Odette is a national of the DRC and not from Uganda. If the UKBA plans to deport someone there should be no doubt whatsoever about the country to which they are being returned, and I hope the Immigration Minister will agree with me. The Minister and the UKBA need to provide the evidence that they're using to propose Odette's return to Uganda. | I've written to the Immigration Minister calling for Odette Sefuko's planned deportation to be halted. I'm opposing her deportation to Uganda not only because it could place her life at great risk, but also fundamentally because evidence has been presented that Odette is a national of the DRC and not from Uganda. If the UKBA plans to deport someone there should be no doubt whatsoever about the country to which they are being returned, and I hope the Immigration Minister will agree with me. The Minister and the UKBA need to provide the evidence that they're using to propose Odette's return to Uganda. |
Marishka Van Steenbergen is a freelance multimedia web journalist. She writes articles and makes films for the Guardian, the Guardian Northerner and her own websites Sheffield Unchained and Unheard Voices as well as other publications. You can follow her on @marishka_vs | Marishka Van Steenbergen is a freelance multimedia web journalist. She writes articles and makes films for the Guardian, the Guardian Northerner and her own websites Sheffield Unchained and Unheard Voices as well as other publications. You can follow her on @marishka_vs |
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