SCOTLAND: School students defeat deportation

At dawn on March 6, 14 immigration officials raided the home of the Murselaj family — Tade, her husband Sadush and their three children Agnese (15), Gentian (12) and Leonard (9) — and took them into immigration detention. Roma refugees from Kosova, the Murselajs' deportation would have contravened the United Nations High Commission for Refugees advice for such cases. After hundreds of Agnese and Gentian's schoolmates at Drumchapel High signed a petition, collected other signatures and spurred a campaign that got union and church groups involved, 26 members of the Scottish parliament signed a parliamentary motion supporting the students' campaign. On March 24, the family was released without explanation. Student Amal told the Glasgow Herald: "Agnese was very upset and scared. She said they should kill her before sending her back to Kosova. That's something that, as her friend, I shouldn't have to hear."

From Green Left Weekly, April 6, 2005.

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From GLW issue 621