The British authorities plan to deport tomorrow (26th September) a three-year old autistic child born in the UK, along with his Sri Lankan parents and siblings who are all suffering mental health problems.
Lawyers say the parents are too mentally distressed to support their children who have already been badly traumatised by an earlier attempt to deport the family last year, that involved detention and being taken to the airport. Medical reports say the eldest child, who is twelve, suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and warned that if he was detained again, as he is now, he would develop significant mental health problems that will need psychological intervention. Such psychological support is in short supply in Sri Lanka.
The father has claimed asylum in the UK on the grounds that he is at risk from (a) being a homosexual (b) past involvement with the Tamil Tiger rebels and (c) taking part in recent antigovernment demonstrations while abroad.
According to an official letter from the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission there is still an arrest warrant pending against this man under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Sri Lanka and last year his mother was also detained in connection with his case. The man has been self-harming and having suicidal thoughts. According to medical records, the man wakes up at night screaming and shouting, talks to himself and has taken an overdose of his medication.
Please email the home office (mayt@parliament.uk, pscorrespondence@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk, and CITTO@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk) and demand that this deportation be stopped.
Please also contact Sri Lankan Airlines and demand that they use their discretion not to fly the passengers. They are booked on flight UL504. You can contact them on reservations@srilankan.com, customer@srilankan.aero or + 94 77777 1979
In your letters please describe the family by their Home Office reference number Z1084763/7. We do not state the father's name here for the sake of his privacy but please contact us if you end up in a discussion with either the Home Office or the Airline and need further details.
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