Romeo Dzamba Colnbrook Detention Centre
HO Ref D1069222
Dated 6/4/6
I came from the Republic of Congo. I arrived in the UK on 8/8/2 and sought asylum on 9/8/2 as a priest of the Catholic Church. My asylum application was refused on 15/2/3.
I am writing to express my frustration about the way I was detained on 26/10/5. The same day I was taken to a Police Station. After 3 days I was taken to Harmondsworth detention centre, then to Colnbrook Detention. I was taken from a bus in Birmingham, I was not signing. Since I have been detained I have not heard from the Home Office.
I do not know why I am being detained because my case is not yet finished. I am still in the first stage of the application process and I was getting benefits. For this reason I do not think detention is appropriate and I should be released from detention.
The former President of the Republic of Congo – Pascal Lissauba who is in exile here in England – is my grandfather. All my family members live in France and US. I am a president of a charity organisation.
The Home Office authorities should rethink their deportation policy to Congo. They just want to get rid of people and are not considering the consequences of their actions. So the UK will bear its own responsibility. The Home Office does not care about the safety of the people it deports. This lack of interest of the Home Office in how the Congolese authorities deal with the asylum seekers returned from the UK is matter of serious concern. The Home Office authorities know that the Congolese government is brutal, oppressive and its human rights records are very bad. Though the Home Office authorities know all this, they are not respecting international laws.
Congolese asylum seekers deported to the Congo are being tortured, killed by the Congolese authorities. They are being held in small cells at the airport with no windows, no light. They are regarded by the Congolese authorities as threats to national security in Congo.
Asylum files are meant to be confidential; but they are ending up in the hands of the Congolese security services. I think this is a matter of extreme concern.
The authorities in Congo are perpetrating human rights abuses. There is mounting evidence of reports that show that Congolese asylum seekers deported from the UK are interrogated, tortured and imprisoned.
Congolese asylum seekers are being detained in the UK Immigration Detention Centre, before being sent back to those Dictators who are hunting them down. This is very bad because those Congolese asylum seekers are being imprisoned, tortured, raped or even killed. There are reports that outline serious mistreatment of individuals who have been deported to Congo. This is happening because of the scandalous UK immigration practices. Reports from Amnesty International, UN UNHCR demonstrate that Congo is still unstable; people who work with President Lissauba are being detained and killed. There are widespread human rights abuses, with opposition members arrested or killed in the Congo.
Clearly there is a serious breach of democracy by the Home Office authorities. They are acting outside the law because they are ignoring my articles 3, 5 and 6 rights. This would cause the UK to be in breach of its obligations under the Human Rights Convention. The British government is turning a blind eye to torture.
Romeo Dzamba
Romeo Dzamba DOB 22/01/1983 Fax: 020 8607 5388 Tel: 020 8757 8251 Premier PO BOX 837 Uxbridge UB8 9AZ
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to complain about what has happened at the airport on 28th December 2005 at 9.30pm.
I have been taken by force by the immigration escorts to the airport. They handcuffed me, beat me up and drove me to the airport to remove me to Congo.
When we got onto the plane, the escorts tore my clothes and put their fingers in my nose, trying to tear them too. My nose and arms are still hurting despite the fact that I have been to the health care. I still have a scar in my nose and on my hands.
After my flight was cancelled, the brought I back to another detention centre where I have spent days in the secure unit. I was not able to take a shower without at least three security officers watching me. I had an argument with them and they have inserted their fingers in my arse.
I have explained to them that I have an application in the European Court, but they have said that they do not give a damn about that, explaining that the EC does not rule the UK. They have also said that they do not care about what the UN says about it, warning me that if I reveal this to anyone I will be in serious trouble.
They have also promised to come back next time and make sure that I get off the plane in Congo/Brazaville. They have refused to consider the fact that I have an appeal pending in the UK.
I hope you will help me Sir because I do not know where else to turn for help.
Yours sincerely,
Romeo Dzamba