Refugee campaigners temporarily halt eviction of disabled woman

Article published: Thursday, May 26th 2011

The eviction of a disabled asylum seeker, Manjeet Kaur, was halted earlier today when protestors picketed her house in Trafford. Private letting company Happy Homes UK Ltd is attempting to remove the wheelchair user due to the termination of her housing support by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

An earlier deadline for Kaur, 32, to leave the property last Tuesday had already been postponed until 9am this morning following outcry from supporters. Trafford Council has agreed to a temporary stay of eviction until 8am tomorrow morning following a last-minute intervention by local Labour MP Kate Green. Mule understands Refugee Action is working to secure alternate accommodation.

Kaur has been resident in Trafford for four weeks and had her accommodation support ended as a result of the UKBA’s rejection of her fresh claim for asylum. Campaigners argue her legal rights have not yet been exhausted as her solicitors are still pursing options to overturn the government’s decision through judicial review.

Resident in India and originally from Afghanistan, Kaur claimed asylum in the UK two months ago following the disappearance of her husband, journalist Amit Bhatt, in February this year. Bhatt had been investigating suspected human rights abuses relating to the treatment of Kashmiri Pandits, many of whom have been displaced from Kashmir into Indian refugee camps during conflict in the territory over the last 21 years.

Kath Grant, a spokesperson for the human rights charity RAPAR which organised the picket, said “we think it’s disgraceful that the UKBA were going to put her on the streets.”

Grant further argued that the speed with which Kaur’s case had been considered and rejected left her with little time to retrieve all relevant information from India, and said “that the UKBA has turned round this case so fast shows what a hard line this government is taking on immigration.”

Under government spending plans the UKBA is facing an 18 per cent reduction in its funding over the next four years. Minutes from the UKBA’s stakeholder meeting in January 2011 indicate that the brunt of the cuts will fall on housing, saying “savings in asylum will be achieved by the investing [sic] in less expensive accommodation, fine tuning support provision and reducing the backlog.”

Campaigners further claim that Happy Homes, one of three firms contracted to provide housing in the North West and paid £15.6 million by the government in 2008/09, have told them that a new tenant is not due to move in to the property until Monday.

Happy Homes were contacted by Mule but said they were not able to comment.

A RAPAR spokesperson said: “Given Manjeet’s medical condition, the UKBA’s withdrawal of housing support is particularly heartless and we believe they are contravening the Equalities Act. We urge them to reverse this appalling decision and to restore her housing immediately.”

Richard Goulding

Protestors will continue to show their support outside Kaur’s house from 8am tomorrow. For more information text Rhetta Moran on 07776 264 646 or email admin@rapar.org.uk

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Comments

1. If you don’t pay your rent you get booted out. That’s how it works.

   It seems the protestors are keen for this woman to live rent free so long as it is in someone else’s property. Why haven’t any of these do-gooders offered her a spare room rent free in their own home?

   And what has her disability got to do with any of this?

   Comment by simon on May 26, 2011 at 8:29 pm

2. Hi Simon,

   1. Manjeet is legally prohibited from working, and has had support withdrawn by the UKBA- how should she pay her rent?
   2. The issue is not whether she could stay anywhere else; the issue is that members of the public should not be stepping in to provide what ought to be provided by any modern, humanitarian state in 2011. The issue is that the British state should not be taking an action that results in a disabled woman being left to fend for herself on the street.
   3. What her disability has to do with this is that, obviously, for somebody bound to a manually-operated wheelchair, being left on the street is unspeakably dangerous and threatening. In Manjeet’s case, being made homeless by the asylum system is, if possible, even more serious than usual.

   Yes, concerned ‘do-gooders’ could potentially rememdy some of these issues. But, as above, the government shouldn’t be relying on this to sweep up the problems that result from their actions. Or maybe that’s what the Big Society is?

   Comment by Chris on May 27, 2011 at 10:52 am

3. Throwing someone on the roadside with disability gives a very clear idea of this government and its BIG SOCIETY plans. A wheel chair bound disabled woman being thrown on the streets to die is what CON-DEM’s call a great government.

   Comment by Mark on May 27, 2011 at 12:10 pm

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   Pingback by Happy Homes. Asylum Seekers In Manchester. A Preview. « Pictures by Matthew Orlinski on May 27, 2011 at 7:06 pm

5. Chris,

   there are billions of people in the world who are banned from working in the UK and millions of those are disabled. Shall we let them all in if they want to come?

   Nearly all countries in the world do not allow anyone and everyone to come to their land to work or stay permanently.

   This woman has claimed political asylum. She comes from India, a country which is safe. She should be returned to that country. If India can afford a space programme and nuclear weapons it can surely afford a bit of protection for this woman in the very unlikely event that she requires it.

   Of course, if she could demonstrate an ability to support herself in the UK without being a burden on the public purse or taking a job which someone with residence rights might want I’d have no objection to her staying.

   Comment by simon on May 27, 2011 at 8:45 pm

6. Simon, I don’t think you’re actually interested in looking out of your box.

   Because a country is deemed safe by you (or even the Home Office), that doesn’t mean it is for all, and someone can have genuinely fled fearing persecution or death.

   No-one apart from you said anything about ‘letting everyone in’. You’re just a racist bigot with no humanity, who’s commenting on here to troll and provoke.

   Comment by not a bigot on May 30, 2011 at 6:59 pm

The comments are closed.