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UK: Kurdish refugee 12th appeal to stay in
the UK rejected
29.3.2006
By Dean Valler
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Coventry, UK, March 29, - An Iraqi asylum seeker
living in Coventry has had his 12th appeal to stay
in the UK rejected - but can still try again.
The case comes two weeks after the Evening Telegraph
revealed that up to 2,000 failed asylum seekers are
living "underground" in the city.
The man, aged 35, an Iraqi Kurd who has lived in
Coventry since 2000, said he had been contesting a
point of law with the Home Office.
He fled Iraq in the back of a lorry, paying £5,000
to travel to the UK.
He has been helping out as an interpreter at the
Coventry Refugee Centre, in Bishop Street, city
centre.
The man, who was too scared to give his name and
identified himself only as "Awara", said: "I have
contested a rule of law in my case and believe I
have the right to stay in the UK.
"My case, I have to say, is not similar to many
people looking for asylum in this country because
they will normally only receive one hearing."
Following the latest unsuccessful appeal, Awara said
he had the option to make further representations
but was considering returning to Iraq.
He fled the country because of political persecution
just a year after getting married and has not seen
his wife or family since. His father died last year.
Awara added: "There is nothing left for me here now
so I may have to return to Iraq, be near my family,
and accept the consequences."
Cllr Andy Matchet, Coventry City Council's cabinet
member for health and housing, has responsibility
for refugees and asylum seekers.
He said: "As an authority we can only watch like
everybody else and observe that the immigration
system is in a mess. But we are doing our best,
practically speaking, to help people."
Wes Drinkwater, chief executive of the Coventry
Refugee Centre, said Awara was just one victim of a
"flawed immigration system".
He said: "People like Awara and many others can
offer something to our city.
"They should be allowed to stay but are being messed
about by an incompetent system."
The "forgotten" 2,000 lost their applications to
stay in the UK but "vanished" because they are too
scared to return to their native countries.
Mr Drinkwater has called for a government "amnesty"
saying it needed to acknowledge the immigration
system was in a mess and should give people who had
been living here a certain number of years leave to
remain.
http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk
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