- Target:
- Rt Hon Jacqui Smith - Home Secretary
- Region:
- United Kingdom
- Website:
- www.stjamesandemmanuel.org
NEWS 21 APRIL 2009: TONY & MIREILLE HAVE BEEN GRANTED INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN!!!!!!!!!
A THOUSAND THANKS to all those who have taken time to sign the online petition for Tony Lola & his mum, Mireille.
Just three weeks after a delegation of adults and children took the petition with 2,100 signatures to London (1,735 electronic + 300 on paper), we're delighted to report that on Tuesday Mireille received a letter from the Home Office saying that she and Tony have now been granted indefinite leave to remain!!!!!
We asked Tony what he'd like to say to people who signed the petition. He replied "I'm grateful for your signature and thank you to ones who passed the message to friends and family"
So a HUGE thank you for taking the time to read the request and sign the petition. Those few minutes really have changed two lives. As the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi once said "please use your liberty to promote ours". Thank you for taking the time to do just that for Tony & Mireille!
Steve & Ruth
on behalf of the campaign group
(If you want to read what happened over the last few weeks click http://www.stjamesandemmanuel.org )
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P.S. Tony & Mireille have been very fortunate to have your support, and the support of the school, church and community here in Didsbury. However they are not the only ones who have a legitimate case. As a result of being involved with Tony's campaign, we signed up to receive updates from various organisations, and some of you may wish to explore these further:
The Refugee Council which gives practical help and promotes refugees' rights at home and abroad.
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) which brings together families and individuals fighting deportation
http://www.ncadc.org.uk/index.htm
Medical Justice is a network of [professional] volunteers who expose and challenge medical abuse in immigration detention. (They can be called upon once someone is in detention.)
http://www.medicaljustice.org.uk/content/view/277/105/
Over Christmas 2005, Tony Lola, then aged 6, was being held in custody by police in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His parents had objected to the politics of the governing party. Soon after, Tony was released but because he was felt to be at risk, he was sent to join his mother, Mireille, who had fled the DRC in 2002.
Since his arrival, Tony has amazed and delighted those in the community he has joined at Didsbury CE Primary School and in the congregation at Emmanuel Church, Didsbury. He is fully integrated and participates with evident enthusiasm in his studies and activities at both the school and in the church. He shows real potential to develop his already impressive talents to the benefit of the whole community.
In 2007, his application for asylum was turned down by the Home Office as HM Government believe the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not pose a threat to Tony or Mireille.
He and Mireille, are now at risk of removal back to DR Congo.
We believe that this decision is against all sense of humanity and natural justice, and are calling on the Home Office to use their powers of discretion and allow Tony & Mireille to stay.
(To stay up to date with the campaign, please click on the link above - thanks for your continued support!!)
We, the undersigned, call upon the Home Secretary to reconsider their case and grant them permission to remain in the UK.
The Let Tony Lola & his mum stay! petition to Rt Hon Jacqui Smith - Home Secretary was written by SteveRuthP and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.