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7:00am Friday 12th September 2008 in News
By Sian Davies, Senior News Reporter
Friends of John Nyombi, pictured right, are appealing for his release after he was detained for immigration reasons.
CAMPAIGNERS in Southampton have just days to save a colleague from being deported back to Uganda where they fear he will be persecuted because of his sexuality.
John ‘Bosco’ Nyombi has been working with mentally ill people in the city for the past six years while his application to stay in the UK has been heard by the immigration authorities.
He fled to the country from Uganda where homosexuality is illegal and carries a punishment of life in prison. Bosco, as he is known, was also told his life could be in danger after his brother, a high-profile opposition campaigner, was murdered.
The 38-year-old was unexpectedly taken into custody this week after his last appeal was refused.
According to paperwork he has been given, he is due to fly back to Uganda on Sunday and has already been taken to an immigration centre in Dover.
Colleagues at Stoneham Housing Association, where he has worked almost since his arrival, are now launching a campaign including a petition, which they plan to send to the Home Office.
Friend and workmate Corina Piekaar said: “We just can’t believe this has happened. He has worked throughout his time here, paid tax and National Insurance and this is how he is treated. It’s disgraceful.
“He is such a lovely guy with a heart of gold. We just felt we needed to do something to stop this happening.”
Along with the campaign at work, friends at his local church in Portsmouth where he has been a regular member of the congregation for seven years, also held a prayer meeting last night.
Michael Woolley, co-ordinator of the Haslar Visitors’ Group that represents the interests of asylum seekers, said: “The way these arrests are carried out is disgraceful, without any chance to put affairs in order.
“John has signed regularly at a police station for years, and there is no reason to think he would abscond. Yet he was given no notice, no opportunity to pack a bag, to say goodbye to his friends or to sell his car.”
Comments(29)
obelisker
says...
9:01am Fri 12 Sep 08
southy
says...
9:19am Fri 12 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado
says...
10:08am Fri 12 Sep 08
Usmillers
says...
10:50am Fri 12 Sep 08
Adrian Smith
says...
10:56am Fri 12 Sep 08
Adrian Smith
says...
10:58am Fri 12 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado wrote:Spot on.
It is a shame that they are going to send this guy back when he was worked and contributed to our society. Would rather they send away some of the pikey scum we have to pay for instead.This guy is easy pickings for our unfit government to demonstrate their new 'tough on immigration' campaign. Such a pity they have completely misunderstood the point yet again and are making an example of someone who is the type of person we should actually be welcoming. It is the illegal immigrants that come and settle into a life of crime that we should be taking a tough stance on.This place makes me sick
Usmillers
says...
11:10am Fri 12 Sep 08
Usmillers
says...
11:15am Fri 12 Sep 08
Adrian Smith
says...
12:10pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Usmillers wrote:I really don't understand your point - I fully agree with Dr Alimantado's comment.
Aw c'mon Adrian do not use this to cast stones some of my dearest and closest friends are gay And it's Bosco were commenting on not personal politics and you started throwing so leave it owt matey!!!!
Andy Locks Heath
says...
12:23pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Carpe Diem
says...
1:24pm Fri 12 Sep 08
pete40
says...
2:23pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado wrote:I agree entirely with Dr Alimantado. Bosco has given more contributions to this government through taxes etc than most of the so called citizens of this country.
It is a shame that they are going to send this guy back when he was worked and contributed to our society. Would rather they send away some of the pikey scum we have to pay for instead.This guy is easy pickings for our unfit government to demonstrate their new 'tough on immigration' campaign. Such a pity they have completely misunderstood the point yet again and are making an example of someone who is the type of person we should actually be welcoming. It is the illegal immigrants that come and settle into a life of crime that we should be taking a tough stance on.This place makes me sick
Usmillers
says...
2:51pm Fri 12 Sep 08
alby123
says...
3:52pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Finlay
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4:51pm Fri 12 Sep 08
St. Ray
says...
5:31pm Fri 12 Sep 08
obelisker
says...
5:47pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Adrian Smith wrote:As a regular at the Edge please don't confuse the issue by calling me Homophobic O.K, nor am I racist, many countries the world over do not tolerate gay people, just because the U.K does should they all be free to pitch up here.
To Usmillers:-
"to the idiot obelisker be really brave and list your real name and not hide yourself and your homophobia"
Mr (or Mrs) Pot meet Mr (or Mrs) Kettle.
obelisker
says...
5:52pm Fri 12 Sep 08
southy wrote:If it was that simple Southy, why has his plea to stay failed...the answer my friend is blowing in the wind...and it says NO.
has Uganda is part of the british commonwealth,yes we do obelisker.
obelisker
says...
6:21pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado
says...
8:48pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Finlay wrote:it is not that clear in the story but I am not sure he is an 'illegal' as you like to put it. I think he is an asylum seeker who has had his request refused despite fulfilling his obligations and contributing to society.
So then its one law for one and another for the rest huh?The man is in Britain illegally and left Uganda knowing that would be his status. Why did he not go to France, Germany, Italy ......I am an alien in the US and it is the most difficult land to get into in the world and it is not cast in stone either. I can be kicked out for a motoring offence if they so chose and that means forever.One of the main reasons I left Britain is because of the lack of control on blocking illegals entering and ******* over the country as so many do. It turns out that there are hundreds of thousands of indigenous Brits leaving the country with that same reason on their list, often appearing at or close to the top of it as well.You have a handful of people say let them stay and a huge number say we do not have the resources to sustain such a deluge of illegals squeezing the country to death.Iwould sooner be an alien in a foreign land instead of an alien in my own.Dont take this personally Bosco but you knew the score before and when you entered the UK so your times up buddy - Bye
obelisker
says...
9:11pm Fri 12 Sep 08
Dr Alimantado wrote:Yes, he is an easy target because he is not living on the fringes and to some extent he is playing game, unlike many many others who are far more deserving of being deported due to their criminality. Although just because he has a catchy name ,a 'cause' ,and a band of do-gooder supporters it does not negate the fact that he has been ordered to leave the country, who decides on these issues,the Government or a group of god bothering sandal wearers?
Finlay wrote:
So then its one law for one and another for the rest huh?The man is in Britain illegally and left Uganda knowing that would be his status. Why did he not go to France, Germany, Italy ......I am an alien in the US and it is the most difficult land to get into in the world and it is not cast in stone either. I can be kicked out for a motoring offence if they so chose and that means forever.One of the main reasons I left Britain is because of the lack of control on blocking illegals entering and ******* over the country as so many do. It turns out that there are hundreds of thousands of indigenous Brits leaving the country with that same reason on their list, often appearing at or close to the top of it as well.You have a handful of people say let them stay and a huge number say we do not have the resources to sustain such a deluge of illegals squeezing the country to death.Iwould sooner be an alien in a foreign land instead of an alien in my own.Dont take this personally Bosco but you knew the score before and when you entered the UK so your times up buddy - Byeit is not that clear in the story but I am not sure he is an 'illegal' as you like to put it. I think he is an asylum seeker who has had his request refused despite fulfilling his obligations and contributing to society.
In answer to Obelisker, I don't think it is as simple as saying 'why was his request refused?' It doesn't mean he SHOULD be deported. It is a numbers game and he makes up a number which is then used to make up a statistic.
I don't care about his race or sexuality, itis clear that this person is being picked on. They aren't deporting the criminal element because they are so incompetent they don't know where they are
Dr Alimantado
says...
11:24am Sat 13 Sep 08
obelisker wrote:lol, a catchy name goes a long way!
Dr Alimantado wrote:Finlay wrote:So then its one law for one and another for the rest huh?The man is in Britain illegally and left Uganda knowing that would be his status. Why did he not go to France, Germany, Italy ......I am an alien in the US and it is the most difficult land to get into in the world and it is not cast in stone either. I can be kicked out for a motoring offence if they so chose and that means forever.One of the main reasons I left Britain is because of the lack of control on blocking illegals entering and ******* over the country as so many do. It turns out that there are hundreds of thousands of indigenous Brits leaving the country with that same reason on their list, often appearing at or close to the top of it as well.You have a handful of people say let them stay and a huge number say we do not have the resources to sustain such a deluge of illegals squeezing the country to death.Iwould sooner be an alien in a foreign land instead of an alien in my own.Dont take this personally Bosco but you knew the score before and when you entered the UK so your times up buddy - Byeit is not that clear in the story but I am not sure he is an 'illegal' as you like to put it. I think he is an asylum seeker who has had his request refused despite fulfilling his obligations and contributing to society.In answer to Obelisker, I don't think it is as simple as saying 'why was his request refused?' It doesn't mean he SHOULD be deported. It is a numbers game and he makes up a number which is then used to make up a statistic.I don't care about his race or sexuality, itis clear that this person is being picked on. They aren't deporting the criminal element because they are so incompetent they don't know where they areYes, he is an easy target because he is not living on the fringes and to some extent he is playing game, unlike many many others who are far more deserving of being deported due to their criminality. Although just because he has a catchy name ,a 'cause' ,and a band of do-gooder supporters it does not negate the fact that he has been ordered to leave the country, who decides on these issues,the Government or a group of god bothering sandal wearers?
bryantml
says...
11:50am Sat 13 Sep 08
bryantml
says...
12:55pm Sat 13 Sep 08
obelisker
says...
1:10pm Sat 13 Sep 08
bryantml wrote:"What a waist" Hey come on leave the fatties out of this!
Bosco is a dear friend and a loyal colleague. His main concern has always been to make life durable for those less fortunate than most of us. Isn't it ironic therefor that we seem to punish those that make themselves easy targets;'Cannon Fodder'polititions with what should be defunct policies that allow those that would flout our laws, to get through the net whilst honest hard working individuals like bosco to be 'Picked up!' Like a common criminal!' He's looked after people with severe mental health issues for seven years now, disorders that require extensive care and understanding. Many with these illnesses have been able to sustain a better quuality of life by the efforts of people such as Bosco! They are gifted people and hard to find in our profession and indeed in my opinion, in life generally; they are infact 'Gold dust!' When we find one, we should nurture their talent and inspire our young by their example.
We would invite all of you out there to stand with us . This injustice falls on us all to stand for what is right!We his friends and colleagues can't do it alone.There are situations when we owe it to those that will most definatley need the likes of our friend to support us. To demostrate to those that we put in power,that policies need to be challenged if there are going to deemed credible, effective and flexible enough to demonstrate tolerance in individual cases, and judged on their own merit, otherwise-
What a waist!!!
Best wishes Bosco-Kev
Karen Ambler
says...
9:26pm Sat 13 Sep 08
markpsouthampton
says...
9:36pm Sat 13 Sep 08
markpsouthampton
says...
9:38pm Sat 13 Sep 08
bryantml
says...
10:43am Sun 14 Sep 08
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