Supporters of asylum seeker appeal for case review

STUDENTS, politicians, trade union officials and anti-racism campaigners last night gathered outside the Dáil to support the case of a hospitalised asylum seeker and her five children.

Elizabeth Onasanwo, who suffered a breakdown in August as the State attempted to deport her to Nigeria, has been in psychiatric care for the past two months.

Elizabeth, who saw her sister die after a botched female circumcision, fled Nigeria in 1999 when her house was burnt to the ground by militant youths who accused her of stealing from them. Some of her activities involved speaking out against the Nigerian Government on behalf of local youth groups.

Elizabeth’s 18-year-old daughter, Christina, has just started college and is taking care of her brothers. Christina fears she will face mutilation if she is forced to return.

Her deportation order arrived the day after her leaving certificate results.

Her twin brother, Adewole, is being treated for schizophrenia. Another brother, Busola, 15, attends the Christian Brothers school in Westland Row while her sister, six-year-old Bolu, who was attending a gaelscoil, is now in the care of friends.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI), which has taken Christina’s case on board, organised last night’s protest with Residents Against Racism.

“Christina fled from Nigeria in 1999 to avoid the scourge of female genital mutilation. Her life here seemed fantastic after she got a place in college, but the dream was suddenly ended by a deportation order for the family,” said USI Women’s Rights Officer, June Coghlan.

Elizabeth’s case, already one of the most prominent, was highlighted further this week when Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, refused to intervene saying the integrity of the asylum system had to be maintained.

At last night’s demonstration, Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism, said the asylum system should not be put before human rights.

“I was very surprised and very upset to hear the minister’s comments. He’s essentially saying he is going to put the integrity of the asylum process before any consideration of human rights. Surely human rights take precedence.”

“We also feel the threat of female genital mutilation should be an acceptable grounds for seeking asylum”, Ms Flynn said, adding that every maternity hospital in Ireland could testify to the damaging affects of the brutal practice on women.

Sixteen TDs, including Labour and Fine Gael leaders, MEPs, and other groups have appealed to the minister to allow Elizabeth and her family stay in Ireland on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

Garda immigration officers are currently prevented from executing the deportation order against Elizabeth or her children while she is receiving medical treatment.