Justice delayed is justice denied

End the degrading treatment of Refugees

Grant asylum to Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia

Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia are lesbian/gay activists and civil rights leaders from Uganda and Senegal, nations where openly gay people are politically persecuted, imprisoned and murdered for being gay. Tacko, Asuman, Andrew, and Proscovia are seeking political asylum in Britain. Their outspoken and public opposition to the anti-gay political policies of the Ugandan and Senegalese governments means that a decision by the British government to return them to Uganda or Senegal is tantamount to a death sentence.

Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia are members of the Movement for Justice and leaders of the struggles against racism and the scapegoating of refugees and asylum seekers here in Britain. They are also tireless leaders of the struggle for lesbian/gay equality in Britain, Africa and other parts of the world. Both the governments and anti-gay death squads of Uganda and Senegal know their sexual orientation.

Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia have not been granted asylum, even though each of them filed a claim many months ago. Three survived torture; the fourth’s partner was tortured and killed. Living under the constant threat of deportation, never knowing what the next day holds, is an especially excruciating experience for these political asylum seekers.

Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia have not been granted asylum thus far because of their political activism in Britain. All four are members of the Movement for Justice and leaders of the struggles against racism and the scapegoating of refugees and asylum seekers here in Britain. Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia are also tireless leaders of the struggle for lesbian/gay equality in Britain, Africa and other parts of the world. They are precisely the kind of leaders that Britain needs to progress as a society.

Last year Britain co-sponsored a Joint Statement on LGBT Rights by 85 countries at the United Nations, calling on governments like Uganda and Senegal to end the torture of LGBT people, protect their safety and human rights, and stop treating homosexuality as a criminal offence. Granting asylum to Tacko, Asuman, Andrew and Proscovia is an easy, direct and meaningful way for the British government to show that its pious words will be backed by action.

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED CALL ON THE HOME OFFICE TO GRANT TACKO, ASUMAN, ANDREW AND PROSCOVIA ASYLUM NOW.

We are very close to securing Edy refugee status in Britain as a gay Tanzanian. Edy, a member of Movement for Justice, has been a public leader in the struggle for equality and respect for lesbian, gay and transgender refugees, exposing the persecution of gay people in Tanzania (which the Home Office had denied existed), and fighting for safety in Britain for himself and others. Edy had been held in detention, and refused asylum on every basis. At his hearing on 5^th March 2012 the Home Office representative began by accepting for the first time that Edy is gay, that TZN is not safe for gay people, and reciting a long list of the flaws and errors of their original decision. He then asked for an adjournment to allow the Home Office to revise their position and in his words “strongly recommend” Edson be granted asylum. We should hear within 6 weeks. 

Many people took action to prevent Edy’s deportation. His case became famous – a cause for people fighting to reverse the racism, homophobia and hypocrisy of an immigration system that has been prepared to deport so many to pain and death. Edy was talked about across Europe and the U.S. Everyone who has played a role in fighting this case has opened the door to winning a huge victory, for Edy, for immigrant rights, and for the LGBT movement, and we celebrate that.

The best way to celebrate the wonderful victory is to use the lessons of it to teach many, many more people how to fight to win, and to oppose the hypocritical policies of the west.

We can win by building our independent strength and power in mass action. We cannot win by politely trying to fit what the rich and powerful tell us to be, or by staying quiet – we must be proud to be ourselves. If we unite our communities – black, Asian, immigrant, gay and straight, poor, working class, middle class, with and w

ithout citizenship, we can become powerful enough to defend ourselves and our neighbors, friends and families against being snatched away, detained and forced onto planes.

Join Movement for Justice, and build MFJ groups on your campus / school / in your community now!

The movement we build is the only way to defend each other, and expand our victories to change society.

MFJ groups can provide a lead, and organise mass defense whenever the need arises, of student or community member who is under threat because they don’t have official status or they have to seek asylum. Holding meetings that agree to organise; setting up phone networks to get people out and into action if someone is detained and fast tracked, like Edy was; circulating petitions and making victories known so more people can learn how to fight back; these are some of the basic things that can make an enormous difference and save lives.

Posting on a Tanzanian web message board, translated from Swahilli: one of many abusive and threatening posts about Edson Cosmas, gay activist threatened with deportation to Tanzania

Protest outside the Home Office; 24th May 2011. Calling for Free Edson, and amnesty for all immigrants.

Free Edson Cosmas! Amnesty Now for all immigrants!

No more second class. No-one should be living in fear in the UK.

To end the brutal immigration detention and fast track system, and to win Amnesty for all immigrants we must build collective action now. Demonstrations, marches that fill our streets and unite immigrant, black, Asian, Kurdish, Latin American youth and communities, both gay and straight, naming racism and telling it like it is. For everyone who is locked up in detention simply for wanting freedom, and for all our friends, families, classmates and neighbours  torn apart by a system that puts money before human beings, this struggle is all of ours to fight, and we stand together we can win.

Edson “Eddy” Cosmas is a young gay man from Tanzania (TZ). He is an activist, an MFJ members and leader for civil rights whose case is well-known internationally, and the abuse and death threats directed against him on the Internet make it clear he will face death or certain persecution if he is sent back.

What you can do right now! Sign the petition online. Circulate it and add comments. Join MFJ! Leave your details so we can tell you about the next actions

There has been less attention on human rights abuses against LGBT people in TZ than neighbouring Uganda and other places, the Home Office have declared it is a safe for LGBT people. They base this on the fact that there are few documented cases of prosecution under TZ’s anti homosexual laws (up to 25 years imprisonment); this is true, rather than draw international condemnation through holding public trials of gay people as seen in Malawi for example, the authorities in Tanzania arrest LGBT people under other offences like prostitution, indecency and vagrancy laws.  LGBT people are made invisible in TZ, and are subjected to harassment, violence, beatings, discrimination and torture – all with the sanction of the state who do nothing to protect LGBT people from abuse.

On 25th May, Movement for Justice received a reply from a gay activist in TZ in response to our search for people who can talk about the real, lived experience of LGBT people in TZ.  Below are extracts from his response, unfortunately we cannot disclose this source’s name publicly because it would endanger his life.  We hope to to organise telephone interviews as long as his anonymity can be protected.

“Edson will face a lot of trouble (beaten, or death) if he will be returned back to Tanzania. Tanzania is not safe at all, especial for gays. Edson Cosmas who was publicized in magazine and documented in some websites in UK and most of the people here in Tanzania heard about him and main discussion is negative thought so for him it will not safe

I had experience some cases concern gay people who had been deported back to Tanzania, when they arrive at the airport some conservative people and religious who hate the gays are just waited outside the airport with slogan of disdain and stigmatize the person and also the police are usually waiting for them to arrest, absolutely. Edson has become quite well known because of the campaign to stop his deportation this will make him to be arrested.”

Eddy’s case is a test of the UK governments commitment to the protection of lesbian and gay people fleeing persecution

- a commitment legally enshrined in the Supreme Court ruling last summer which ruled that LGBT people could no longer be sent back to countries where they face persecution on the basis that you can ‘hide’ your sexuality.  This decision is being regularly flouted by UKBA, Home Office officials and decision makers who instead of telling LGBT people to be ‘discreet’ have switched to demanding impossible ‘proofs’ from the individual that they are gay and using lack of country information to say that its probably safe.

“The consideration of Edson’s claim appears to be a textbook example of how not to judge a gay asylum claim. He is well-known as gay by a large number of people who have worked with him to submit evidence about his sexuality because they know the system is adversarial, but to no effect.
Simply put: if Edson’s case isn’t waved through then what cases would be?  Many of those who work with LGBT asylum seekers believe that the attitude of border agents has shifted now they cannot say ‘go home and be discrete’ anymore. Instead they say ‘you’re not gay’.

Paul Canning writing for LGBT Asylum News

Right-wing speculation abounded at the time of the Supreme Court decision that its ruling would open the ‘flootgates’ to asylum seekers falsely claiming to be gay.  But the fact is, coming out as a gay asylum seeker put you at risk; it is not the first choice to come out as gay in the asylum process because a well founded fear that on failing and being deported imprisonment or death is even more likely in countries where homosexuality is illegal and societal abuse is widespread.  Coming out as  gay is not an ‘easy’ option.  In fact, LGBT asylum seekers are MORE likely to be deported from the UK than other asylum seekers (source, stonewall report).  This reality is illustrated starkly in Eddy’s case…

“Whether or not the Home Office believe Eddy is a gay man, it is an indisputable fact that he is now internationally known to be gay, we know his case is being discussed in Tanzania itself and he has received death threats because of that.  If Eddy is deported to Tanzania, the UK immigration authorities and government will be guilty of murder

While countries like Uganda and Iran are receiving widespread publicity about their persecution of LGBT people, many other countries not so well known for human rights abuses or who have friendly relations with the UK are being ignored.  Eddy’s case is the perfect opportunity for the UK to make clear that persecution of LGBT people anywhere in the world is not acceptable and that Britain will become a beacon of freedom.

If the UK proceed on a track of deportation for Eddy, we call on other nations to step forward and offer Eddy the protection and safety he needs.”

Karen Doyle (Movement for Justice)

Edson Cosmas is known across the world as a gay activist

Over 700 online signatures have been gathered in support of Edson from right across Europe & America as well as support from people in Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Turkey and New Zealand.

Signatories include Peter Tatchell, John McDonnell MP, the Mayor of Richmond, California, and organisations including the National Union of Students (NUS) Black Students Campaign, NUS LGBT campaign, Gays without Borders (San Francisco), Skyline High School Gay/Straight Alliance (California), Every One Group (Italy).

Demonstrations have been held for Eddy in London and California, hundreds of petition signatures have been gathered by high school students in the USA, organisations in Italy have been faxing their embassies.

In London petitioning rallies have been held in Brixton, Whitechapel and Old Compton street – over 1700 petition signatures have been gathered.

Timeline for Eddy on “Fast Track” – an inhumane, racist and unjust system

Mon 9th May 2011: Eddy attends  initial screening interview at the Home Office in Croydon; he submits claim for asylum based on sexual orientation.  He is taken  into detention, removed to Harmondsworth detention centre.

Fri 13th May 2011: Eddy starts a gruelling, adversarial interview process while being held in detention. He is appointed a solicitor he has never met before who only has 30minutes to get to know Eddie.

Mon 16th May 2011: Interview continues, after 1 week in detention Edson is confused & scared, he has become even more scared over the weekend, feels he is being tested, cannot hold on to what had happened on Friday 13th.

Wed 18th May 2011: The decision: key points are all based on confusion displayed by Eddy in the interview process (inability to remember details, timeline etc) taken, not as a natural response to being wrongly imprisoned or an expression of someone who is traumatised; but as meaning he lacks ‘credibility’,.  Decision also stated that TZ really was not that bad for LGBT people, citing a quote from one TZ bishop as ‘key’ evidence.  All witness statements from Eddy’s friends& fellow MFJ members are completely dismissed.

Mon 23rd May 2011: Eddy is examined by a doctor from Medical Justice who has been asked to provide a medico-legal report for Edson’s appeal.  Report cannot be completed until 31st May 2011

Tue 24th May: Eddy has psychological assessment.  With less than one days notice the assessment cannot be carried out in a private room. Psychologist gathers enough information & observations to provide an interim report stating clearly that Eddy was not fit to appear on his own behalf at an appeal, that his mental health is deteriorating in detention and that she needed at least two more sessions to be able to complete the assessment.  Eddy’s appeal hearing is scheduled for 26th May

Wed 25th May: Spent trying to finalise Edson’s witness statement, gathering other evidence and ensuring witnesses could attend, key witnesses, including a gay ex-partner could not attend at such short notice.  Gay activist in Tanzania gets in touch to say it is not at all safe for eddy to go back.

Thu 26th Mar: Edson’s appeal hearing -  application made to take Eddy off fast track and adjourn the hearing so medical and psychological assessments could be completed, death threats from Tanzania could be translated and two key witnesses could attend.  Judge S Chana, disregarded all this & refused to end Eddy’s detention or adjourn the hearing, he is subjected to almost two hours of gruelling cross examination.

Fight racism and anti-gay prejudice!

DEMONSTRATION

Tuesday 24^th May 2pm @ The Home Office Marsham St

Directions: Westminster/St James Park tube. Map: here

AMNESTY NOW FOR ALL MIGRANTS, REFUGEES & ASYLUM SEEKERS!

Build a mass independent, integrated, youth-lead civil rights movement

We must not allow Edson Cosmas to be deported. The only way to significantly change the racist, stifling, unjust immigration system is to unite our communities, black, Asian, Kurdish, Latin American, and immigrant groups, and mobilize our collective power now. We demand Amnesty Now for all immigrants, ending the insane, immigration process that dehumanizes everyone involved and abandons Britain’s promise of equality.

For every loved one, every neighbour or friend of yours, for yourself, if we stand together and build our independent movement, speaking the truth about racism, we march together for amnesty, and we build ourselves on that basis, we can clear out the backward policies and fight to win change. A perspective of holding demonstrations in our communities that shut down the streets, and join people with and without citizenship, LGBT and straight, will strengthen our side to be the force needed to win.

Join MFJ on Tuesday to demonstrate at the Home Office, and get our communities on our feet fighting for our right to be here, without fear!

Demonstration Event on Facebook
Online Petition

Free Edson Cosmas and all immigration detainees!

Free Edson demonstration, Click for other images

End the dehumanising, wretched system of detention

Build a mass independent, integrated, youth-led civil rights movement

We must not allow Edson Cosmas to be deported. The only way to significantly change the racist, stifling, unjust, wretched immigration system is to unite our communities, black, Asian, Kurdish, Latin American, and immigrant groups, and mobilize our collective power now. We demand Amnesty Now for all immigrants, ending the insane, immigration process that dehumanizes everyone involved and abandons Britain’s promise of equality.
For every loved one, every neighbor or friend of yours, for yourself, if we stand together and build our independent movement, speaking the truth about racism, we march together for amnesty, and we build ourselves on that basis, we can clear out the backward policies and fight to win change. A perspective of holding demonstrations in our communities that shut down the streets, and join people with and without citizenship, LGBT and straight, will strengthen our side to be the force needed to win. Join MFJ on Monday to demonstrate in Brixton, and get our communities on our feet fighting for our right to be here, without fear!

FREE EDSON COSMAS NOW!

Edson “Eddy” Cosmas is a young black gay man who comes from Tanzania in east Africa. Like many of us and many of our families and friends he is part of this diverse, integrated community that has links around the world, especially to former British colonies like Tanzania. He has lived and studied in London for several years and he made visits to Manchester as a child while his father was studying there. None of the obstacles facing poor, bright ambitious young people including the loss of EMA, the university fee hikes or the shortage of job opportunities in the fields he is qualified to work in have broken Eddy’s spirit or dampened his determination to succeed. Eddy is the kind of person a mother would be proud to call son, a neighbor would welcome to their community. At the same time Eddie is a leader. As a member of Movement for Justice, Eddie has lead campaigns against racism, anti-gay bigotry and for immigrant rights.

As a gay man living in Britain Eddy can live and love openly, can proudly live as himself. In Tanzania, he would be tortured, and persecuted for his sexual orientation. A number of openly gay and lesbian youth in Tanzania have been tortured and murdered for speaking out against anti-gay legal and cultural prejudices and discrimination. Eddy would love to be able to go back to Tanazania but under the current circumstances a trip home even just to visit family and friends would not only risk Eddy’s life, but would also endanger the lives of those close to him. Eddy, like so many political refugees in Britain, campaigns tirelessly to bring the kind of democratic freedoms we take for granted here to his native land including ending the anti-gay policies and practices in Tanzania while at the same time waging his own personal struggle to get the British Home Office to follow the law and grant him asylum. Eddy like so many refugees is as much British as he is Tanzanian.

Edy visited the NUS LGBT conference to make contacts for future forums on the situation for LGBT people in Africa, and fighting for equality and immigrant rights in the UK.

On 9^th May Eddy, went to the Home Office in Croydon to submit his initial claim for asylum in Britain and to go to a screening interview. British law requires the Government to grant asylum to anyone who is gay and would face political persecution for being gay if they were returned to the country they were born in. At the end of the interview, Eddy was stunned to be told that he was going to be taken into detention. Eddy’s detention is part of an anti-gay and racist policy of the Home Office aimed at circumventing a Supreme Court decision that requires the Home Office to treat gay rights activists as political leaders, no different from any other refugee fighting for democracy and basic human rights. The attitude and practice of the Home Office has more in common with the right-wing religious bigots and fundamentalists who treat gay sexuality as an aberration which can be easily altered or repressed. The Home Office refuses to treat the fight of in particular gay activist from Africa who are on the forefront of the struggles against despotism, religious fundamentalism and for human rights as political leaders. The level of the Home Offices blatant racist and anti-gay disregard for gay refugee political leaders who deserve to be treated as heroes is not only shocking and unacceptable  but it is also something we can stop.

Since the British Supreme Court ruled months ago to overturn the old absurd and blatantly anti-gay British immigration policy of telling gay people who would be tortured or persecuted if they were deported back to their country of origin, that they should “just stay in the closet” or “act straight”, front line immigration officers have done everything in their power to undermine the new Court ruling. Lesbians and gay asylum seekers are asked to “prove” that they are gay; to present names of sexual partners, graphic descriptions of their sexual acts, pictures of themselves at gay bars and letters from friends and family swearing to their sexual identity. Many lesbian and gay asylum seekers have put up with humiliating physical examinations, insulting and ridiculous accusations of self torture, and grueling ten hour or more interviews about every aspect of the most intimate details of their personal life to “prove they are gay and in danger of persecution”. Because many gay activist have persevered and successfully won asylum- almost always through an appeal process before a public Tribunal,- the Home Office has resorted to a new set of racist and anti-gay tactics to expel African gay activists before they have the opportunity to attain a good solicitor and present their case. Openly gay activists like Eddy who should be granted asylum without question, are now being “fast-tracked”, held in detention with no right to secure a lawyer of their choice and set up for a series of hastily scheduled sham hearings that are certain to result in quick deportations. We cannot allow the Home Office to get away with this crime.

It’s clear that under the current political climate of immigrant bashing the Home Office believes that it can cling onto it’s longstanding racist and anti-gay practices and get away with it. Getting the Home Office to implement new and progressive immigration policies derived from the struggles of people in the neo-colonies and civil rights movements within Britain has always required mass action. What is at stake in Eddy’s case is so fundamental and important to the cause of freedom and the advancement of democracy and equality both here and in Africa, that it is crucial for us to build the mass action needed to win.  If the Home Office gets away with deporting Eddy, every black and Asian asylum seeker will face even greater danger of being railroaded out of Britain to imprisonment or death. For those of us from Britain and other places who strive everyday to get this society to accept the full and real equality of lesbian and gay men, Eddy’s deportation would represent a real set back for our struggle. The courageous and inspiring struggles of the youth in Egypt, Tunisia and other Arab and Sub-Saharan African countries who are disproportionately lesbians and gay men,  will be set back if Britain hypocritically claims to support these struggles but then turns around refuses to offer refuge to the young leaders of these mass movements for democracy and freedom.

Edson is in Britain to escape imprisonment, Tanzania’s anti-gay laws, assault, torture or murder at the hands of the police or anti-gay mobs. In Tanzania, like neighboring Uganda and many other impoverished African countries the political regime and right-wing religious leaders are whipping up hatred of gay men and lesbians to maintain power and to divide and conquer the movements for democracy. The struggle for freedom to define ones own sexuality is necessarily tied to the struggle for greater democracy and secularism. Over the last decade people from extremely repressive African and Asian countries have formed LGBT groups, creating networks, which have reinforced each other across continents and seas, consolidating resistance to anti-gay oppression, not only in their own nations but in Britain, the U.S, and some European nations. The struggles in Africa and in Asia have won changes in many areas and advanced the struggles for civil rights and human dignity everywhere.

AMNESTY NOW! End this divisive, racist system

Discrimination and prejudice against migrants and refugees is one of the successful policies of the politicians and the rich and powerful who need to scapegoat someone for the economic crisis created by the banks and billionaires. Racism is the single most important divide and rule policy utilized by the Government to keep us from standing together and fighting the cuts. We need unity to protect all our living standards and the new diverse and integrated Britain that is home to all of us.  Raids and deportations undermine and threaten everyone of African, Caribbean, Asian, Latin American, Arab and other non-white origin in this country, no matter how long our families have lived and worked here. Wherever we are it is essential that we fight against anti-immigrant prejudice, racism, the oppression of women and discrimination against the lesbian/gay community if we want to live in a fully democratic society based on real equality and justice. When our communities or are discriminated against, oppressed or victimised we are denied our basic democratic and human equality. When one set of religious or cultural values is imposed on everyone, the whole society is divided against itself. We can win support around the demand AMNESTY NOW, and can force an end to the divisive persecution of immigrants if we mobilize. All can then live in safety and contribute fully to this society and we can end the police state-style rule of the immigration authorities, close the detention centers and stop deportation.

Online Petition: http://bit.ly/j1GRQf

News & blog coverage: The Voice Online
The Independent, Jody McIntyre blog
LGBT Asylum News
OBV
Queerty
Lezgetreal blog
Demotix
Indybay