Stop Deportation to Iraqi!

Number of Human right and political party sing the letters to Swedish primenster

Mr Fredrik Reinfeldt Swedish Prime Minister
Postal address: Swedish Government Offices, Rosenbad 4, SE-103 33 Stockholm, Sweden
Switchboard +46 8 405 10 00
Email: registrator@primeminister.ministry.se
  Phone: 0046 8 405 10 00

Dear Prime Minister                  

I am writing this letter to bring to your attention the treatment of Iraqi refugees in Sweden and protest at your Government’s policy of forcible deportation to Iraq. 

I have been informed that there are 250 Iraqi refugees held at Fleen,,Stockholm and Kolaret detention centres.  I understand that some of them are to be forcibly deported to Baghdad today   

In the last two years Sweden has returned more then 200 people by charter flight to Baghdad.  Baghdad is one of the most insecure cities in Iraq, yet the Swedish Government returned a disabled man to Baghdad in October 2008.

In December the Swedish authorities imprisoned and detained a pregnant woman.,  Mewan Omer who committed suicide in Gottenburg rather than be deported back to Iraq., Soran Omer died of exposure because he did not have a place to live in Sweden.  The International Federation of Iraqi refugees has received reports from returned asylum seekers who have been kidnapped or killed, many more are forced  into hiding in Iraq. 

I understand that the Swedish Government has made an agreement with the Iraqi Government, to return people back to a war zone.  This agreement between the Swedish Government and Iraqi Government is trading Iraqi refugees' lives for financial gain.  This is shameful particularly when the Iraqi Government are unable to provide security and safety for their citizens.  Still they make such a dishonest deal for money in exchange for the future of Iraqi refugee’s lives. The Iraqis' need for asylum is the result of an invasion and occupation in which the USA and British government and other European countries are not only involved but are also responsible.

The continuing war, terrorism, occupation and dismantlement of society, is dividing the people of Iraq on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, and sect, and putting the fate of the Iraqis in the hands of various Islamic, nationalist, tribal and sectarian groups and parties, depriving women and children of their rights, keeping people in poverty and trampling upon the freedoms and civil and individual rights of the people in Iraq: all these factors are causing instability and war.  This is the situation which prompts many Iraqis to flee Iraq.

In other words, as long as the situation is not changed, and the American and British forces follow the policy of expansion and war, the people of Iraq are left little choice but to leave Iraq.  It is a shame following 6 years of war that the UK and other European governments are saying Iraq is a safe place to return refugees to.

Where is safe in Iraq?  The people of Iraq have paid the price of a brutal and bloody war. The occupying forces, including some of the European countries, are currently responsible for the daily suffering of the Iraqi people and must take responsibility. The 25th October 2009 was a dark day for Iraqi people in Baghdad.  Two car bombs killed at least 150 people with more than 600 injured.

Yet still the Swedish Government returns people back to Iraq to the very same city where these bombs exploded.

The Swedish Government claims that Iraq is a safe country to return asylum seekers to.  I know this is not true; Iraqi refugees have fled from a country of war, occupation and insecurity. They flee because of daily terrorism inflicted by the occupation and the ruling parties of Iraq.   People seeking asylum are not criminals they are just looking for safety, security and a better life. This policy is putting Sweden on the list of European Countries that break the Geneva Convention and European Human Rights charter on the treatment of refugees.

We know that Sweden has given asylum to many Iraqi refugees and ask you to reconsider forcibly deporting asylum seekers back to Iraq.   Many Iraqi refugees living in Sweden have built a new life and have integrated into Swedish society.  Many of those who face deportation have children who have gone to school in Sweden and are very upset at the prospect of being taken from their schools and ripped away from the only friends they have known in Sweden.   

I want to ask the Swedish government once again to look into this policy.  I  call on the Moderate Party to honour the following demands which are supported by many progressive human and refugees' rights organisations in Sweden:

Stop deportations to Iraq·
Grant protection to all Iraqi and Kurdish refugees and recognise them as victims of war.
Allow Iraqi refugees the right to work or to receive a decent level of benefit/ Provide support for disabled Iraqis
Immediately release the remaining Iraqi refugees held in detention

Yours Sincerely,

Name: Arun Kundnani                                 

Address: BM Box 8784
 London W1N 3XX

Organisation : Campaign against Racism & Fascism       

Name: Martin Thomas                     

Address:  P O Box 823, London SE15 4NA                  

Organisation Alliance for worker liberty:                           Email: martin@workersliberty.org                                  

Name: Bill MacKeith, secretary Oxford & District Trades Union Council, UK

Address:  60 Great Clarendon St

City:        Oxford                                    Postcode:   OX2 6AX                               Country:                 UK                         

Date:       17.11.09                              Email:      bmackeith@btinternet.com                           Phone: 01865 558145

Name: Karen Johnson                     

Address:  4/c1 Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E                          

Organisation : Pubilc Commercial Service  Union   Email  Karen@johnson940,oranfehome.co.uk: Phone: 07804 891082

Name:                   Aso Goran           

Address:  10 Ellerman Court                          

Organisation :  International Federation of Iraqi Refugees    Email: aso72@hotmail.com Phone: 07895636633

Name:   George Nightingale                          

Address: Leicester                            

Organisation: Communities of Resistance                 

Name:                   Isil Altan               

Address:  Clapton                             

Email: ininkle82@hotmail.com                     

Name:                   Shiar Youssef

Organisation: Stop Deportation                     Email:  Shiar@riseup.net                   Phone:

Name:                   Ewen G MacMillan            

Address: 65 Grafton Way, London WIT 5JD

Phone:078 79618166

Name:                   Felix Nqatchou   

Address:  flat 14 Galleria Cpurt, Summer Rd SE15 6PW                        

Organisation: Cameroon Support network   Email: WTsider”netscape.net          Phone: 07760195 376

Name:                   R Whittell             

Address:  34 Denners House, Banbury Estate London N!                      

Organisation: Coalition to stop Deportations to Iraq                 

Name: Leni Parker                           

Address:  3 Martin Court, London N1                            :

Name:   Gabrielle Alberti                 

Address:  27 Redwald Rd ES 07S                 

Organisation: Campaign Against Immigration Controls           Email: Gabriellealberti@hotmail.com                          

Name:  Tony Parker                         

Address: 14A Mornington Cres, London NWJ 7RG                  

Organisation: London Coalition Against Poverty                      

Name:                   Nicki Jamieson  

Address: WC1N 3XX                        

Organisation: Fight Racism Fight Imperialism!                         

Name:                   Theresa Schleicher           

Address: 114 Shakspeare Walk London                     

Organisation: Medical Justice                       Email: Theresaschleicher@hotmail.co.uk