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Deportation threat woman fears death
A CAMPAIGN has been launched against the planned deportation of a woman living in Sheffield - with friends claiming she will be killed if she is sent back home.
Annociate Nimpagaritse, aged 25, fled from Burundi - an African country between Tanzania, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo - three years ago after her parents were shot dead.
The Sheffield College student, from Burngreave, managed to escape with her siblings when rebel forces burst into their family home killed their mum and dad. But Annociate got separated from them at a refugee camp and does not know where they are or if they are even alive.
She was helped to get to Britain in 2005 and made her first claim for asylum, which was turned down, as was her second attempt two years later.
But she continued building a life for herself in Sheffield awaiting her deportation and was sent back to Burundi in February until immigration officials there refused to accept her paperwork and sent her back to Britain.
Last week she was again taken to a deportation centre in Scotland and told she is to be removed from the country on Thursday.
A campaign has been launched to get the Home Office to reconsider its decision, and on Monday her supporters will gather outside Sheffield Town Hall at 5pm to draw attention to her plight.
They have also written a letter to Immigration Minister Liam Byrne asking for a rethink and have collected more than 1,200 signatures on a petition asking for her to be allowed to stay in the country.
Annociate, who her friends and supporters say is "frightened" at the prospect of returning home, studies English at college, sings in a church choir, does voluntary work and speaks in churches for ASSIST - a charity set up to help destitute asylum seekers in and around Sheffield.
She was in the middle of organising her wedding to her fiance Aime - a Burundian whose claim for asylum was accepted - when she was forced out of Sheffield.
Sheffield College Chief Executive Heather MacDonald said: "The college is committed to Annociate being able to continue her education and training in this country and in a safe environment. She has been a model student and contributed strongly to her local community here in Sheffield."
Campaigner Graham Wroe, a college lecturer, said: "Burundi has been described as the fifth most dangerous country in the world. Rebels continue to murder, kidnap and rape civilians. Burundians who know her situation say there is a strong likelihood she will be killed if she returns.
To pledge your support visit freeannociate.blogspot.com or contact Graham Wroe at gswroe@yahoo.co.uk.
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Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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