Saturday 7th February 2009
this is lancashire
A STUDENT who sought sanctuary in Bolton after he and his family fled Afghanistan to escape persecution by the Taliban has been deported.
Immigration officers snatched teenage Satnam Gurwara, a Sikh Afghan asylum seeker, from his family, who had settled in Great Lever, and have now sent him back to his homeland alone. But campaigners have vowed to carry on fighting to have the youth reunited with his family.
Satnam was detained and separated from his family because British immigration officials think he is 18, but his family say he is only 16 — which would make him too young to be deported.
Supporters of the family, which include staff at Bolton Community College and representatives from human rights organisations, have condemned the move to split up a family and send someone back to a war zone.
So concerned were supporters about the safety of Satnam in Afghanistan they contacted the International Red Cross so he could be met once he arrived in the country.
Helen Dixon, a lecturer at Bolton Community College, said: “It is wrong to split a family like this. Satnam was a very good student.”
Friend of the family Neil McAlister said: “It is appalling they can send Satnam back to a country which is not safe.”
Dr Rhetta Moran, of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Participatory Action Research, added: “We will work to get him back with his family.”
Satnam moved to the UK with his parents, Rewandar and Pretepal, and sisters, Jasmeen, aged 17, and Simran, aged 12. They quickly applied for asylum, but it was rejected almost immediately.
