Socialist Organiser

The weekly of the fused Workers Socialist League, July 1981 to April 1984

Labour movement must fight racist deportations

Socialist Organiser no. 63, 26 November 1981 · scan p. 11 · about 799 words

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Mahmoud Khan lost his her returns. Malik believed appeal and his case has gone he was here legally. If he had to a judicial review which is known of his illegal status he assessing the legality of the could have acquired legalty tribunal. AZiz Malik is in the amnesty of 1973.

nically an illegal immigrant particular importance, for if as a result of mistakes made she loses it will set a preceby the agent he paid to dent. She came to Britain as arrange for him to come a visitor in 1975. In April here. He has lived and 1977 she married Mr Kiani He left Pakistan when an indefinite leave to remain army reservist to avoid being in the United Kingdom.

which he did not agree. He alleged that Mr Kiani was a will therefore be in danger seaman deserter and that from the military regime if therefore the amnesty : leave to remain"; her daughters Nadia and Attia were born in because of irregularities in the position of Mumtaz's husband. THE STRUGGLE against racism has recently focused on a series of campaigns against deportations. The success of the appeals by Anwar Ditta, Cynthia Gordon, Nasira Begum, Jaswinda Kaur and most recently Nasreen Akhtar, proves the effectiveness of broadly-based campaigns in preventing deportations.

In West Yorkshire there are currently three people we know of under this threat: / Mahmoud Khan, Aziz Malik and Mumtaz Kiani.

Mumtaz Kiani had 'indefinite Raison want to deport them-i presently in jail. He is techworked here for ten years.

conscripted for a war with Mumtaz Kiani's case is of and in 1978 she was given In 1980 the Home Office granted to him in 1973 was invalid. He was deported in February 1981.

Mis Kiani learnt that she too was to be deported and she decided to stay and appeal against the decision to "secure a future for my daughters'.

Though both of Mrs Kiani's daughters, Attia and Nadia (aged 20 months and 4 months) are British citizens, Mrs Kiani has no right to stay here and look after them. Three people are therefore under threat of deportation because of Britain. Yet Whitelaw and

Vanessa and Mat the campaign in paig and her daughters laug

allegations that do not directly refer to them which have never Deen proven in court.

Mumtaz Kiani told Socialist Organiser:

"The Home Office says that 1 have been here without leave since 1977, which is when I married Mr Kiani, even though in May 1978 they gave me indefinite leave to remain here. I am extremely angry, the fault is not mine.

"It was the job of the Home Office to find out whether Mr Kiani was here legally or illegally. I went through the legal channels and they gave me indefinite leave to remain. Now pressure has been put on the family and friends and the childien are suffering."

If this case is lost it will set the precedent that the Home Office can rescind an earlier decision that granted the right to stay. This further illustrates the sexist nature of the 1971 Immithew Kirkpatrick

defence of Mur Nadia and Attia.

gration Act.

Mumtaz Kiani's right to remain here is wholly dependent upon her husband's legal status. That she came to Britain independently and was candid with the Home Office is deemed of no consequence as her husband was allegedly an illegal immigrant. Mrs Kiani told us:

«We know that immigration laws are racist but they are also an attack on women. Cases in the past have proven this. I know men have been victims but 1, as a woman and others, believe that it is an attack on women and mainly black women."

Mr Kiani has written to Mrs Kiani informing her that he has no accommodation and does not want her back. Therefore, if she returns she will have nowhere to live and no source of income. She has no relatives in Pakistan. She lives with her only brother in Bradford.

Mumtaz Kiani needs your support. An effective campaign is her only hope. To help, you should:

Write a letter of protest to her MP Edward Lyons at the House of Commons, London. The Home Office Reference K.265598 and is to be quoted on all correspondence.

2. Write a letter of protest to Timothy Raison the Minister at Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1.

3. Affiliate to the campaign. Get your organisation, union etc. to affiliate to send moral and financial support.

4. Organise a public meeting in your area.

5. Send a donation to Mumtaz Kiani Defence Committee, c/o The Fourth Idea Bookshop, 14 Southgate, Bradford I.

As Steven Cohen, Mrs Kiani's Solicitor at the Manchester Law Centre told Socialist Organiser: "The success of Mrs Kiani's appeal depends upon the level of political activity"

← Contents of Socialist Organiser no. 63

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