From: Positive Action in Housing
Seeking asylum in Glasgow
Saima's Case
We are deeply concerned for one of our families who fear being detained after being ordered to report to Brand street home Office tomorrow at 9.30 am, despite one of the children, 11 year old ali, a pupil at st Brendan's Primary school, being brutally attacked and hospitalised by a gang of youths near his home in Yoker, Glasgow.
Ali and Bilal are at St Brendans Primary School. They came to Glasgow with their mum at the ages of 5 years and 1 years old. They have Glaswegian accents and English is their only language. The cannot speak or write their mother's language. They have a broad mix of friends at school, however have been the victims of repeated physical attacks by a gang of youths near their home. Saima is well known amongst Glasgow's voluntary organisations and churches where she volunteered regularly to gain experience of the English language and experience a workplace setting.
We believe it would be a tragedy if this family were forcibly removed and are calling on the children's commissioner Kathleen Marshall to make representations on behlaf of the family.
Below is saima's and ali's testimony, please read it. Please also write to the first Minister, your MSP and MP and ask them to support Saima and her kids to remain in Scotland especially at a time when Scotland needs people to stay and contribute.
Saima Asim’s testimony
"I'm a mother and i don't know what to do. The Home Office said that we must report on monday. we are terrified about this because normally its just me who reports and lots of families have been taken away recently. But ali was attacked by a gang of boys on friday outside our for defending his little brother from being hit - this is the third time. I took him to the hospital. the emergency doctor said we must attend both the doctor and the glasgow dental Hospital on Monday because the cuts in his head are so deep after they beat his head and face with a metal knuckleduster. His teeth are also broken and moving very badly and could be permanently damaged. I reported it all to the police but those kids are still playing outside our home and my kids stay in all the time except for school or with me. I don't know whether i should take my sick kids to hospital tomorrow or do what the home office and report there. If they detain us it will be the worst thing, i tried to save myself and my children, there is nothing and noone who will stand up for us in Pakistan. We came here for refuge not benefits. My kids are settled here, and i would like to be able to give back to this community and find work so we can stand on our own two feet. Ali would like to become a doctor one day, he could do something good for this country, we all could given the chance."
Ali's Testimony
11 years old
St Brendan’s Primary School pupil
Scottish for six years
"On Friday 22/6/07, I was coming home from my mum's friend's home when i saw 2 big boys,they were asking me why i batterd a boy called Stephan, i tried to tell them i didnt but the first boy started to batter my brother Bilal i tried to save him then the second boy hit me with a big piece of metal which gave me a burst head which i have stiches and then started to kick me on the face and gave me a bruised eye, and broken teeth and gave my brother a bruised face and neck.I am really afraid now this has happend to me 3 times and my brother 2 times the police have done nothing about the 3 incidents.
"My friend Leonard is at St Brendans Primary too, and he went to the home office him and his family to the detention centre and thats how he talks about it being so horrible, they wont let you out, you cant go out, they keep you locked up and maybe they will send you back to your country. But Pakistan’s not my country cos it doesnt feel like it and i dont want to go back. My best friend Osama one day he was in the class and the next day he wasn't. We thought he was just off. But he never came back. Our teacher Mrs Taylor said maybe he'll come back but he didn't. She used to talk about it but then she never mentioned it again. I think she was sad like us because we all missed him in the class and he was a really a good student. Some kids at school told me after that the police came to his house and just took him and his family back to their country. I tell my wee brother maybe they will take us away one day so he has some idea what's going to happen, Bilal cries about it cos he was really small when he came here. Both of us remember scotland but we don't remember anything about Pakistan. My mum cries a lot at night and is quite ill".