Dianne Ngoza’s legal status in the UK has been left unresolved through factors beyond her control (see http://www.rapar.org.uk/dianne-ngoza.html). Having become destitute as a result of those factors and, being a fundamentally social being - as are all human beings - with a desire to stay alive, she has developed an extensive social network in the UK: what the Home Office describes as ‘a private life’.
This ‘private life’ consists of, on the one hand, a complete dependency for material survival, i.e. food and shelter, on networks of friends and supporters who have helped her through her destitution. On the other hand, in the process of securing that material survival, Dianne has formed strong emotional ties with individuals and become known to collectives who are, themselves, involved with displaced people in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Dianne can only define her own experience. Her perspective is that socially based relationships have enabled her to maintain her mental health throughout these most adverse physical circumstances: in spite of the very deep material deprivation that she and her daughter have endured, she perceives herself positively, being neither mentally ill nor profoundly depressed and most able to participate in a wide range of activities that are dedicated to supporting and enabling others who are destitute.
Alongside the other individuals and organisations who have signed this collective statement, Dianne understands that the maintenance of her well-being is completely bound up with having meaningful and deep relationships in Greater Manchester, and beyond, with people that she has come across through her voluntary efforts - that are encouraged by the Home Office - to engage and develop positive opportunities in the range of organisations and initiatives that are dedicated to work with displaced people such as herself.
Over the last 15 years - i.e. since the ban on working legally and the introduction of the ‘dispersal programme’ that prohibited displaced people reaching the UK from locating themselves where they wanted to be while they worked with the State to secure their status and their personal safety - an extensive evidence base about destitution has developed. This evidence base demonstrates that people who become destitute can become intensely isolated and most profoundly adversely affected in their mental health because of the stresses of surviving under such conditions: they are failed by all the statutory social inclusion systems and also disconnected from the informal systems that - pre 2001 - used to emerge naturally when people settled where they chose to be and enjoyed the right to work.
Dianne however, because of the positive social relationships and nurturing volunteer work connections that she enjoys with a wide range of people, feels - and presents as - mentally strong and physically well. By the same token, the people that have come to know and love Dianne feel very positive about their connection to her and would, themselves, be most adversely impacted, both socially and emotionally, were this woman to be removed from their day to day lives. To detain and then deport Dianne into an environment where all of those connections and links disappear - because they have been deliberately severed by the State - is bad for everyone’s health.
Through her active support for other vulnerable people, Dianne has kept active and positive. She has been involved with a number of organisations in Manchester and has established very deep personal bonds with individuals, families and organisations in the city. Through such bonds, she has been able to remain mentally well even in the most difficult circumstances. Deportation, after so many years engagement with communities in Greater Manchester and beyond, would be an act of cruelty and would be potentially harmful to Diane, her daughter and to the people she has helped. After living in the city for so many years, Manchester, not Zambia is now her home. In a country where she has no friends, family or social networks, a country which lacks functioning mental health services, deportation would be traumatic and could well serve to undermine her mental health.
It will not happen in our names.
NEXT MEETING FOR THIS CAMPAIGN:
If Dianne is detained today, the meeting will be tomorrow at 6pm at RAPAR’s office, Basement Offices, Friends Meeting House, M2 5NS
If Dianne is released today, the meeting will be next Thursday 24th November at 6pm at Cross Street Chapel on Cross Street, Manchester, M2 1NL
ALL ARE WELCOME!