News / International
Zimbabwean granny to be deported on 24 October 24 from UK
23 Oct 2013 at 10:57hrs | Views
Evenia Mawongera is 55 years old. She lives in Leicester and is from Zimbabwe. She has been living in Leicester with her daughters and grandchildren, all of whom are British citizens, for close to 10 years.
Evenia is an outspoken critic of the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. Read more about human rights abuse and persecution of political activists in Zimbabwe here. Evenia is a member of the Zimbabwe Action in Solidarity (ZAS) Leicester and the human rights and pro-democracy groups, ZimVigil and Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.
Evenia is at the heart of her community in Leicester. On 22 August, she received a special commendation in the Good Neighbour Awards in recognition of her contribution to the community. She is a member of the Zimbabwe Association Choir and is one of the people who performed for the Queen when she came to Leicester in June 2012 to mark the start of her Diamond Jubilee tour.
As part of asylum conditions, Evenia regularly reported to the UKBA reporting station in Loughborough. On Friday 5 July 2013 - out of the blue having been waiting for her asylum claim to be recognised for five years - Evenia was detained while reporting and held at Loughborough Police Station.
Evenia has no family in Zimbabwe. If removed to Zimbabwe, Evenia is at risk of persecution and extremely serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Mugabe regime. Her children and grandchildren are extremely distressed because Evenia has been snatched away from them, and would be devastated if she taken from the country.
Airline Campaigning for Evenia
Evenia is under the threat of deportation to Zimbabwe. Her removal ticket has been issued for 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873).
Ethiopia Airlines is a big commercial airline trying to establish a reputation in Europe. Airline campaigning can help stop this flight. This is because the commercial airlines are more likely to respond if they think their business reputation is being damaged by being connected to enforced removals, and because of the pilot's legal power to refuse to carry an individual if they think it would in any way put the flight at risk.
What you can do:
Contact Ethiopia Airlines today and explain why they should not carry Evenia against her will on the flight, and how damaging this kind of practice is to their reputation as business and leisure airline. Evenia's removal directions have already been issued, so NOW it's time to start campaigning!!
Ethiopia Airlines contact details:
telephone: 020 8745 4234 or 4235
fax: 020 8745 7936
email: lonapt@ethiopianairlines.com
Twitter: @flyethiopian
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ethiopianairlines
What to say:
Politely explain to the airline that UKBA are trying to remove Evenia against her will. Explain why she would be at risk if she is removed to Zimbabwe, and that her children, her grandchildren and her life are all her in the UK. Keep it simple, clear and calm. Concern is better than anger, as the person you speak to will be more likely to respond sympathetically.
Remember you are not accusing the airline of deporting the person (the Home Office are doing this), but you are saying they should not be a part of this because of the reasons above, and because it is bad for their reputation. One way of saying it could be 'You are very worried for Evenia's safety on the flight and after landing, and you are worried for the safety and comfort of other passengers, and for the reputation of KLM Airways'.
Ask that your concerns are recorded, and are passed on to the pilot/flight staff.
Example of text for email, fax, or what to say on the phone:
I am contacting you regarding the imminent removal of Zimbabwean grandmother and political activist Evenia Mawongera, which will be operated by your airline on the 24 October, flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873). Evenia will be removed from the U.K., where she has lived for the past 10 years with her children and grandchildren, all of whom are British citizens. If removed to Zimbabwe, Evenia is at risk of persecution and extremely serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Mugabe regime. Her children and grandchildren are extremely distressed because Evenia has been snatched away from them, and would be devastated if she taken from the country.
I have decided to contact you to express my concern regarding your airline's participation in this injustice. I personally consider Ethiopia Airlines a respectable airline but would not fly with your company if I knew the airline had taken part in the forced removal of a person from a country where she has not only been living for more than a decade, but also where all the members of her family live as regular citizens. Evenia is being removed against her will and if I was a customer on her same flight I would feel enraged and horrified and I would not feel able to use Ethiopia Airlines again for my travels, under any circumstance. I therefore request you to withdraw your participation in Evenia's removal and ask that my concerns are passed on to the flight staff and Ethiopia Airline management.
Summary for phone call:
Evenia Mawongera being removed against her will 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873).
Evenia is a grandmother from Zimbabwe. She's been living in the UK for 10 years. All her children and grandchildren are British citizens. She has no family in Zimbabwe.
Evenia is an outspoken political activist against the Mugabe regime. Her removal to Zimbabwe would put her at risk of persecution and ill-treatment
Ethiopia Airlines should refuse to carry Evenia - this is an injustice to carry people against their will when they might be killed on return to Zimbabwe.
Short statement for Facebook:
Evenia Mawongera is being removed against her will on 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873). She is a grandmother from Zimbabwe. She's been living in the UK for 10 years. All her children and grandchildren are British citizens. She has no family in Zimbabwe.
Evenia is an outspoken political activist against the Mugabe regime. Her removal to Zimbabwe would put her at risk of persecution and ill-treatment. Ethiopia Airlines should refuse to carry Evenia - this is an injustice to carry people against their will when they might be killed on return to Zimbabwe.
Example for Tweeter:
@flyethiopian Stop Evenia Mawongera removal!Grandmother being removed against her will to Zimbabwe,flight ET701 24 Oct http://bit.ly/13XnRmY
For more information, see http://ncadc.org.uk/right-to-remain/2013/09/evenia-mawongera/
Evenia is an outspoken critic of the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. Read more about human rights abuse and persecution of political activists in Zimbabwe here. Evenia is a member of the Zimbabwe Action in Solidarity (ZAS) Leicester and the human rights and pro-democracy groups, ZimVigil and Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.
Evenia is at the heart of her community in Leicester. On 22 August, she received a special commendation in the Good Neighbour Awards in recognition of her contribution to the community. She is a member of the Zimbabwe Association Choir and is one of the people who performed for the Queen when she came to Leicester in June 2012 to mark the start of her Diamond Jubilee tour.
As part of asylum conditions, Evenia regularly reported to the UKBA reporting station in Loughborough. On Friday 5 July 2013 - out of the blue having been waiting for her asylum claim to be recognised for five years - Evenia was detained while reporting and held at Loughborough Police Station.
Evenia has no family in Zimbabwe. If removed to Zimbabwe, Evenia is at risk of persecution and extremely serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Mugabe regime. Her children and grandchildren are extremely distressed because Evenia has been snatched away from them, and would be devastated if she taken from the country.
Airline Campaigning for Evenia
Evenia is under the threat of deportation to Zimbabwe. Her removal ticket has been issued for 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873).
Ethiopia Airlines is a big commercial airline trying to establish a reputation in Europe. Airline campaigning can help stop this flight. This is because the commercial airlines are more likely to respond if they think their business reputation is being damaged by being connected to enforced removals, and because of the pilot's legal power to refuse to carry an individual if they think it would in any way put the flight at risk.
What you can do:
Contact Ethiopia Airlines today and explain why they should not carry Evenia against her will on the flight, and how damaging this kind of practice is to their reputation as business and leisure airline. Evenia's removal directions have already been issued, so NOW it's time to start campaigning!!
Ethiopia Airlines contact details:
telephone: 020 8745 4234 or 4235
fax: 020 8745 7936
email: lonapt@ethiopianairlines.com
Twitter: @flyethiopian
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ethiopianairlines
What to say:
Politely explain to the airline that UKBA are trying to remove Evenia against her will. Explain why she would be at risk if she is removed to Zimbabwe, and that her children, her grandchildren and her life are all her in the UK. Keep it simple, clear and calm. Concern is better than anger, as the person you speak to will be more likely to respond sympathetically.
Remember you are not accusing the airline of deporting the person (the Home Office are doing this), but you are saying they should not be a part of this because of the reasons above, and because it is bad for their reputation. One way of saying it could be 'You are very worried for Evenia's safety on the flight and after landing, and you are worried for the safety and comfort of other passengers, and for the reputation of KLM Airways'.
Ask that your concerns are recorded, and are passed on to the pilot/flight staff.
Example of text for email, fax, or what to say on the phone:
I am contacting you regarding the imminent removal of Zimbabwean grandmother and political activist Evenia Mawongera, which will be operated by your airline on the 24 October, flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873). Evenia will be removed from the U.K., where she has lived for the past 10 years with her children and grandchildren, all of whom are British citizens. If removed to Zimbabwe, Evenia is at risk of persecution and extremely serious ill-treatment at the hands of the Mugabe regime. Her children and grandchildren are extremely distressed because Evenia has been snatched away from them, and would be devastated if she taken from the country.
I have decided to contact you to express my concern regarding your airline's participation in this injustice. I personally consider Ethiopia Airlines a respectable airline but would not fly with your company if I knew the airline had taken part in the forced removal of a person from a country where she has not only been living for more than a decade, but also where all the members of her family live as regular citizens. Evenia is being removed against her will and if I was a customer on her same flight I would feel enraged and horrified and I would not feel able to use Ethiopia Airlines again for my travels, under any circumstance. I therefore request you to withdraw your participation in Evenia's removal and ask that my concerns are passed on to the flight staff and Ethiopia Airline management.
Summary for phone call:
Evenia Mawongera being removed against her will 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873).
Evenia is a grandmother from Zimbabwe. She's been living in the UK for 10 years. All her children and grandchildren are British citizens. She has no family in Zimbabwe.
Evenia is an outspoken political activist against the Mugabe regime. Her removal to Zimbabwe would put her at risk of persecution and ill-treatment
Ethiopia Airlines should refuse to carry Evenia - this is an injustice to carry people against their will when they might be killed on return to Zimbabwe.
Short statement for Facebook:
Evenia Mawongera is being removed against her will on 24 October Ethiopia Airlines flight ET 701 1900hrs to Addis Ababa (then on to Harare, flight ET873). She is a grandmother from Zimbabwe. She's been living in the UK for 10 years. All her children and grandchildren are British citizens. She has no family in Zimbabwe.
Evenia is an outspoken political activist against the Mugabe regime. Her removal to Zimbabwe would put her at risk of persecution and ill-treatment. Ethiopia Airlines should refuse to carry Evenia - this is an injustice to carry people against their will when they might be killed on return to Zimbabwe.
Example for Tweeter:
@flyethiopian Stop Evenia Mawongera removal!Grandmother being removed against her will to Zimbabwe,flight ET701 24 Oct http://bit.ly/13XnRmY
For more information, see http://ncadc.org.uk/right-to-remain/2013/09/evenia-mawongera/
Source - Byo24News
