Eighty-two black public figures asked airlines to halt deportation to Jamaica

According to the Guardian, eighty-two black public figures have written to airlines who have worked on deportation charter flights urging them not to carry up to 50 Jamaicans the Home Office wants to deport next week.

The signatories include the author Bernardine Evaristo, model Naomi Campbell, historian David Olusoga and actors Naomie Harris and Thandie Newton, as well as lawyers, broadcasters and NGO chiefs. Leading Windrush campaigners including Michael Braithwaite and Elwaldo Romeo have also signed. The letter has been sent to six airlines known to have previously worked with the Home Office on deportation charter flights.

Signatories include (clockwise from top left): Thandie Newton, Bernardine Evaristo, Michael Braithwaite, Naomi Campbell, David Olusoga and Naomie Harris. Composite: Karen Robinson, Getty, Graeme Robertson

According to the report, In June 2018 Virgin Airlines announced that it would no longer be assisting the Home Office to deport people in the wake of the Windrush scandal.

“We made the decision to end all involuntary deportations on our network, and have already informed the Home Office. We believe this decision is in the best interest of our customers and people, and is in keeping with our values as a company,” the airline said in a statement at the time.

The public figures wants the airline chiefs to refuse to operate the flight on 2 December. This would be the second Jamaica deportation flight this year. They urged the airline that if they have been approached by the Home Office to carry out the deportations they should refused. They further want them to pause the operation of deportation flights to Commonwealth countries for the foreseeable future. Any airline that has agreed to transport the Jamaicans earmarked for deportation is urged to reconsider its position and to communicate this to government and the wider public.

They added that the recent resignation of Alexandra Ankrah, the most senior black civil servant working on the Windrush compensation scheme, calls into question the Home Office’s competency to deal with the continuing injustices it has created.

Concern is also expressed by the signatories about the fate of victims of trafficking.

“The UK’s system for identifying victims of trafficking is in disarray, meaning that the government frequently seeks to deport people whose offences occurred by reason of their trafficking or forced labour,” the letter stated.

It warned that some of those already detained and due to be deported on 2 December have physical scars and further evidence of being subjected to ill-treatment, or have had siblings killed in Jamaica, which puts them at grave risk if removed from the UK.

“In an already challenging festive period … we ask you to reflect on whether the operation of this flight would comply with your corporate social responsibility values,” it stated.

The Home Office said: “We make no apology for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals to keep the public safe. Each week we remove foreign criminals from the UK to different countries who have no right to be here, this flight is no different. The people being detained for this flight include convicted murderers and rapists.”

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