RAPAR PRESS RELEASE 17th January 2012
LYDIA BESONG FACES FORCED REMOVAL FROM UK AS REHEARSALS START ON HER LATEST PLAY
• Lydia and her husband Bernard facing forced removal from UK to Cameroon on Saturday, January 21st.
• Lawyers working to stop flight as supporters and leading writers lobby Home Secretary
Leading writers in the UK have put their names to an Open Letter in support of Cameroon playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey – as rehearsals start on her latest work, Down with the Dictator.
Lydia is currently detained in Yarl's Wood, Bedfordshire, and Bernard in Morton Hall, Lincoln. They are facing forced removal from the UK on Saturday, January 21st, following the refusal of Bernard's protection claim. The UK Border Agency has also refused them the right to appeal from within the UK.
The couple are both members of the SCNC, a peaceful organisation campaigning for the independence of Southern Cameroon, and fled their home country just over five years ago after they were persecuted, imprisoned and tortured.
Speaking from Yarl's Wood, Lydia said she was pleased to hear that rehearsals on her play were going ahead and added: “It is very important that the rehearsals continue because it means my voice is still being heard.”
Down with the Dictator explores themes of power, political corruption and censorship in all its absurdity and shows why so many people around the world are forced to flee from oppressive regimes. The play is produced by Afrocats and Manchester-based Community Arts North West is supporting as part of Exodus, their Refugee Arts programme. Director is Magdalen Bartlett who also directed Lydia's acclaimed play How I Became An Asylum Seeker.
Magdalen said the actors - who themselves have had experience of oppressive regimes – are all extremely passionate about the play and are working on it voluntarily. They were shocked to hear of Lydia and Bernard's detention but are determined that her latest work will reach audiences in the UK. The play is due to be performed at COAST International Festival of Community Theatre in Bristol at the end of March, and also at two venues in Greater Manchester which are still to be confirmed.
In July last year, leading writers and actors in the UK sent an Open Letter to The Guardian, drawing attention to Lydia's case. English PEN, which campaigns for persecuted writers nationally and internationally, has put together a similar Open Letter from high profile writers which has already been sent to Home Secretary Theresa May. Writers who have signed the letter include War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, Hanif Kureishi and Monica Ali. Leading lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy has also put her name to the Open Letter.
Lydia and Bernard have a large number of supporters throughout the UK and particularly in Greater Manchester. They lived in Rochdale for three years before being moved to Bury where they are members of the AcaPeelers' Choir.
Campaigners are urging supporters to write to Home Secretary Theresa May and Immigration Minister Damian Green immediately, demanding that the couple remain in the UK.
Lydia was detained almost a week ago when she reported at Dallas Court in Salford and Bernard was snatched from the street near his home in Bury. They were only told after they were detained that Bernard's protection claim had been refused and that they were also being denied the chance to appeal from within the UK. It was clear from paperwork issued to the couple that the decision had been taken before Christmas.
Last week, their solicitor Gary McIndoe said: “We have been waiting for a decision on Bernard's protection claim since 19th October last year. Further materials have been sent to the Home Office, including the report of an expert witness. I am surprised that the decision to detain has been made before their legal representatives have been informed in any way.”
ENDS
More details of the campaign can be found at: http://www.rapar.org.uk/lydia-and-bernard-must-stay.html AND AT http://lydiaandbernard.wordpress.com/
For further information contact: Kath Grant, RAPAR, 07812471047 or Dr Rhetta Moran, RAPAR, 07776264646