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EVENT

National demonstration: Sukula family must stay

1 October 2005

A national demonstration in Bolton to support the Sukula family, a family of eight asylum seekers from Congo, who have been threatened with eviction from their home, the separation of the children from their parents, and deportation.

The Sukulas came to Britain to seek sanctuary in 2002 after being forced to flee from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ngiedi Lusukumu (Sukula) was badly beaten by government militia and threatened with further violence. The militia were looking for her husband, who had already been forced to leave as a suspected opponent of the government. The beating inflicted on Ngiedi left her with permanent scars but, after claiming asylum in Britain, the family were told by the Home Office that their claim was unfounded and it was rejected by an appeals adjudicator in February 2004. Ngiedi's youngest child Benedict is seven months old, Exhauce is two years old, Sarah is four, Destin is six, Daniel is fifteen and Flores eighteen.

The family now face losing their support under 'Section 9' of the 2004 Asylum Act, which would mean that the children could be taken into the care of social services while the parents are left homeless.

Over two thousand people in Bolton and elsewhere have signed a petition calling for the family to stay in Britain. The petition has also been supported by the Bolton Evening News. The family's plight has received national attention with media coverage in the Guardian, on Channel Four News and on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Assemble at midday, Saturday 1 October 2005.
The march will begin from outside Lever Edge Lane Primary School, Lever Edge Lane, Bolton BL3 3HP and proceed to Victoria Square in Bolton town centre for a rally against deportations.

The demonstration is currently supported by the Sukula Family Must Stay Campaign, the Khanali Family Must Stay campaign, the Altaf Family Must Stay Campaign, the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns, Bolton Metro UNISON, Bolton National Union of Teachers, Schools Against Deportations, No One Is Illegal, Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, University of Manchester Students Union and the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism.

For more information, contact the Sukula Family Must Stay Campaign, c/o 16 Wood Street, Bolton BL1 1DY, telephone 07976 476181 or email info@sukula.org.

Events listing is provided for information only. Inclusion in this listing should not be taken to imply that the Institute of Race Relations supports an event or is involved in organising it.

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