Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 16:58:51 GMT From: Keith Standring<itusc-AT-gn.apc.org> Subject: M-NEWS: *URGENT* Your help needed Fellow Workers and Friends, The International Trade Union Solidarity Campaign (ITUSC) is seeking your urgent assistance to secure refugee status in Britain for our Regional Co-ordinator for Francophone Africa, Toure Moussa Zeguan. When Toure arrived in Britain in 1994, as a political refugee from the authoritarian regime in his country of origin, the Ivory Coast, he applied for political asylum at the airport of entry. His record of political and trade union activity for democracy in the Ivory Coast is summarised in the copy of the letter which the ITUSC has sent to the British Home Secretary (see below). His activities in the Ivory Coast would without question, place him in a life-threatening situation should the New Labour government in Britain reject his application for full refugee status and deport him. The Tory government earned a quite diabolical reputation for its adoption of ruthless and uncaring measures towards the applications for refugee status from black African asylum seekers.In Toure's case, his application hasn't yet received an answer from the Home Office, despite it being lodged by him 3 years ago. He has for those 3 years represented many other asylum seekers during their application and appeal hearings. With first hand knowledge he well understands that the British authorities have frequently deported asylum seekers. It is inhumane of the Home Office to withold for 3 years what we all hope will be an acceptance of his application for refugee status in Britain. The ITUSC and Toure himself is asking you to publicise this appeal for help and to urgently write a letter or send a fax to the Home Secretary urging him to use his good offices to grant refugee status to Toure without further delay. We also ask that you encourage any organisation with which you are associated to do likewise. A copy of the letter already sent by the ITUSC is below. It contains the postal address and Fax no. of the Home Secretary and can be used as a guide for those responding to this urgent appeal for assistance. Please send copies of your message either by e-mail to: itusc-AT-gn.apc.org or by snail mail to: Toure Moussa Zeguan, 498a, New Cross Road, London, Britain. SE14 6TJ With fraternal greetings! In solidarity, Keith Standring ITUSC Rt. Hon. Jack Straw, MP, Secretary of State, Home Office, Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1 9AT Fax No. ++ 44 (0) 171 273 2190 Dear Secretary of State, Re: Toure Moussa Zeguan - Home Office Ref. TN2/27206 I am writing to express concern that the above-named political refugee and asylum seeker from the Ivory Coast, has still received no decision on his application for asylum status. He claimed political asylum on his arrival at his airport of entry to the UK in 1994. He is the ITUSC's Regional Co-ordinator for Francophone Africa and is known to the ITUSC as having been a founder and the National Organising and Mobilising Secretary of the Ivory Coast Student's Union (FESCI) from 1990 -1993. He was also the co-ordinator of an underground political organisation known as 'Le Reseaux' (The Network), from 1989 to his fleeing the Ivory Coast at the end of 1996. In both capacities he was a vigorous campaigner for democracy and free speech and necessarily acted at times in a clandestine manner within the opposition political parties and the Ivorian trade unions. He was responsible for building networks of resistance to the anti-democratic and repressive regime, which still rules the Ivory Coast. Since his arrival in Britain, Mr. Zeguan has been active as the Secretary of the Ivorian Relief Action Group (from June 1994-January 1996) and as the General Co-ordinator of the organisation 'Save Immigrants and Asylum Seekers'(to date) in which capacity he frequently represents Ivorian asylum seekers within the framework of the Asylum and Immigration Act. There is absolutely no doubt that to return Mr. Zeguan to the Ivory Coast would place him in a life-threatening situation because of the regime's known actions against pro-democracy, trade union and political activists. He is well known by the Ivorian authorities for his activities in these fields. In all the circumstances, I am sure you will appreciate that to await the outcome of an application for 3 years is to say the least unnerving for applicants like Mr Zeguan. I am writing to urge you to use your good offices to ensure that Mr. Zeguan's application for full refugee status is granted forthwith. Yours sincerely, KEITH STANDRING General Secretary ________________________________________________________________ International Trade Union Solidarity Campaign (ITUSC) at:- PO Box 18, Epsom, Britain KT18 7YR Tel/Fax: ++44 (0) 1372 817778 e-mail: itusc-AT-gn.apc.org URL: http://www.itusc.org.uk The ITUSC is an international and internationalist association of organised workers and communities of resistance, dedicated to rebuilding the workers' movement and to overcoming sectarianism and division in working class organisations. ________________________________________________________________
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