Not such a warm welcome

I have been horrified by the report featured in the Guardian newspaper of a former case worker’s experience at the Border Agency offices in Cardiff.

What Louise Perrett discovered during her three and a half months of employment last summer makes for uncomfortable reading and questions need to be raised at the highest level.

Her account suggests racism is rampant and asylum applicants are treated inhumanely, at best. In one of the more shocking anecdotes, Ms Perrett said her former colleagues kept a stuffed gorilla dubbed the “grant monkey” which was placed as a badge of shame on the desk of any officer who approved an asylum application. A manager is also reported to have said of the asylum-seeker clients: "If it was up to me I'd take them all outside and shoot them."

Just as worrying was Perrett’s claim she was given the power to make legally binding decisions on whether asylum seekers were granted or refused asylum after five weeks of training. If life-changing decisions are being taken after an induction lasting just over a month, then the legitimacy of so many applications have to be questioned. People in desperate need may have been deported from the UK on a whim because of a lack of understanding and a lack of knowledge, stemming from a lack of adequate training.

As I write, a protest against charter flight deportations is taking place outside the Border Agency offices on Newport Road by No Borders South Wales. It has greater significance in the light of these allegations.

There have been calls for an investigation. I hope that no stone is left unturned if an inquiry is given the go-ahead and that robust action is taken if the allegations are proven. This behaviour has no place in Wales. Racist attitudes in a high-profile Government office charged with making life or death decisions should not be tolerated.

Boycott BMI

I had this message yesterday from the friends and supporters of Babakhan Badalov, (Babi).

"As far as we know, Babi left the country on BMI flight BD929 to Baku at 3.15 pm today (Saturday 20th Sept).

BMI received loads of calls about Babi, urging them not to carry him on their flight given his mental condition and the traumas he faces in Azerbaijan. Callers also reminded BMI of the possible boycotts and negative press that would occur if they went ahead and carried Babi to his very precarious future.

Depite all this, BMI decided to comply with the HO decision.

Please write to BMI stating that you will ensure none of your friends and family travel with them in the future, that you will campaign ceaselessly against them, for they have acted selfishly, with no regard to an individual's health and mental well-being.

Let's make sure they experience a backlash. In particular, everyone should contact Rob Coveney: 01332854687 extension 2. This is a man who had the chance to keep Babi safe but instead chose to turn his mobile off in the hours prior to the plane's departure in order to ignore all protest - and probably sit in a beer garden somewhere, soaking up some rays (conjecture, of course, but he certainly wasn't doing his job and manning the phones!).

We'll pass on more info about Babi once he's able to get in touch.

O"

No one is Illegal

I attended a demonstration today outside the UK Border Agency Offices on Newport Road in Cardiff. It was called in response to the detention and threat of imminent deportation of Babakhan (Babi) Badalov to Azerbaijan. Babi is a radical artist who has spoken out against his government. He has been persecuted for this, and because he is gay. He faces a threat of honour killing from his own family because this homosexuality is considered unacceptable in Azerbaijan.

The UK has obligations under international law to protect people who are fleeing persecution. Babi has made many friends in Cardiff and his mental state is fragile. He and his friends are genuinely petrified that he will be killed if he is returned.

A fresh asylum claim is pending after his solicitor uncovered new evidence relating to his violent history and mental state. We are hoping to be able to stop his deportation so that this new evidence can be put.

Do the UK Border Agency Officers remember Ama Sumani? Do they care?

Asylum seekers ruling is necessary

I feel that the recent ruling by the Health Minister Edwina Hart to allow unsuccesful asylum seekers access to free healthcare is both necessary and progressive. Helping disadvantaged people in this case is a very brave thing to do, especially when the political debate around the issue will predictably be dominated by misguided and prejudiced fears about "health tourism" and the alleged (but unfounded) strain that asylum seekers put on public services.

It's inevitable that some people on the right will present this ruling as evidence that we in Wales are being "too soft" on asylum seekers, or that Welsh people will have less priority than foreigners. I would counter this by arguing that the number of unsuccesful asylum seekers in Wales, in all probability, is in the hundreds, not the thousands, and that in any case most of these people will not even need healthcare. Nobody will be rushed to the front of the queue, and this ruling is simply about fairness and humanity.