Glasgow City College student Majid Ali faces torture and death if returned to Pakistan. Majid Ali’s brother and other members of his immediate family have been taken and I am afraid very probably murdered by the Pakistani authorities as part of their relentless persecution of the Baloch people and desire to wipe out Baloch national identity. The UK Home Office intends to deport Majid. The people of Scotland must defend him.
There will be an emergency demonstration at the Scottish office, 1 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh at 13.00 tomorrow. I shall be going along. NUS Scotland are organising a letter-writing campaign to Scottish MPs to get them to put pressure on the Home Office. This is important.
It is appalling that London can seek to rip Majid from a Scottish community which values him, from a nation which respects its immigrant communities and their contribution, as part of Theresa May’s campaign to pander to the corporate media induced racism which regrettably has been introduced into many communities in England. It is a further example of why independence is essential to build a more ethical state.
The persecution of the Baloch has received little attention in the West. Peter Tatchell has done admirable work in trying to raise its profile in the UK, but with little traction. Like so many dreadful abuses, it is a direct result of wrongdoing by the British Empire. Baloch or Beluchistan was formally known as the state of Kelat, which Britain first invaded in 1839, destroying the city of Kelat in 1840 and murdering the ruler Mehrab Khan on the pretext he had given insufficient support to the British invasion of Afghanistan. Britain’s relations with Kelat thereafter were an appalling litany of broken treaties, culminating into the forceful and unwanted incorporation into Pakistan.
A few years ago I met the current Khan of Kelat at his home in exile in Wales and learnt a great deal about the dreadful persecution the Baloch suffer. In the course of my researches into British responsibility for the situation I cam across the crime of the massacre of Kotra. After the killing of Mehrab Khan, fighting continued until a truce was agreed with Mehrab’s 15 year old son Nasir. While the truce was in force, British forces silently surrounded Nasir’s mountain camp at Kotra and attacked before dawn, massacring 500. It is reminiscent of Glencoe, though this was a much larger massacre. In the National Archives of India I trembled as I held the manuscript order for the massacre in my hands.
We should do everything we can to save Majid Ali out of common decency, wherever he is from. But the knowledge of Britain’s historic responsibility for the situation should broaden and deepen our understanding of his plight.
As Mary wrote at 5.07 p.m. please send an email to President Hussain of Pakistan asking him to spare the life of Aftab Bahadur, a Christian, who like Shafqat Hussain who has been granted a stay of execution, was imprisoned and tortured while still a child.
https://reprieve.bsd.net/page/speakout/don-t-execute-aftab-bahadur/thankyou
Fuck that, this post is about Majid Ali. From the facebook page:
“The flight is a non civilian chartered flight” – how much did that cost?
“and his phone has been taken off him- all we know is that he is being held in London and that it will happen today! Many people have been working super hard all day trying to find details so that our next steps can be planned! For now we need to raise as much awareness as we can, please write to local/national papers, tweet and blog! Will update as soon as we have any further details! No student should have to go through this and we will keep fighting for every single one of them!”
Exactly. The Guardian/any stringer should follow this up.
I am sorry to hear that Ali is to be deported. Terrible.
May clearly is oblivious to the power of templated letters. And of course your nationalism has nothing to do whatsoever with the nationalism that deported him.
No fucking borders !
@Craig
9 Jun, 2015 – 10:27 pm
Very sorry to hear that. I’m afraid I haven’t had time to research the background of Majid Ali’s case. Do you know on what legal basis he’s being deported?
RobG
Apologies. I was rude.
In view of the Habby’s previously expressed opinion that foreigners (including if British born) who have a “bestial proclivity” like Janner’s, should be deported, in an fitting scenario it would not be Majid Ali being deported tonight, but Janner, to his beloved Israel.
Fu*ked up Britains, always poking nose in other country matters. I am sure Britain would deal with separatist the same as any other country would.
Commit crimes in your country and take asylum in UK. That’s how this country is, full of shit and hypocrisy.
I notice only one Labour MP, Ruth Cadbury, supported the EDM for Majid Ali. Cadbury is a big name in social reforms in this part of the world.
http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/87
Re: Majid Ali
I know that many people on here don’t think much of Amnesty International. I am a member and I am aware that they organize letter-writing campaigns regarding specific individuals, I have participated in a good many. I’ve never had occasion to apply for it myself before, but I believe they do this on an emergency basis as well. I wondered if we could now attempt to assist Majid Ali within his home country, by contacting the Pakistani Ambassador here, top officials there, etc. It would make them aware that Mr Ali’s fate is cared about, and news of him will be sought, by people outside the country. AI are good at facilitating this.
I will start by using the “Contact Us” page on the AI website:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/contact-us#.VXdfKU1FBjo
If you wanted to join me, perhaps that will galvanise AI into doing something about Mr Ali. Perhaps the more people who contact AI, the better. I do not know if it will do any good or not, but I don’t think it will do him any harm.
Kind regards,
John
Well done, Macky and Jay Stoll – welcome to each other.
Giyane writes : “Habbabkuk and Anon1 defended Janner in the strongest possible terms.”
To which Tech replies : “Giyane: did they? How bizarre (understatement). I’ll look for it, unless you can help me by providing links.”
_________________________
You’ll spend a long time looking, Tech, with little result.
You’re an intelligent person – have you not yet realised that Giyand is certifiable?
“Are you back on the weed?”
Godspeed. It can only prove to be beneficial.
Let’s hope and pray for relief from the legal constraints. US leading on prophetic need.
It’s the only harbinger.
I found this…
http://anticuts.com/2015/06/08/dontdeportmajid-hands-off-our-classmates/
… but I’m still in the dark about the legal aspect of it all? Majid seems to have had a student visa. Under the ECHR there’s no way he should have been deported back to Pakistan.
By the way, Theresa May is a complete headcase, who, like many of the present government, should be doing jail time.
I think when Giyane makes statements like that he should be required to provide links.
Theresa May reminds me of Thatcher. Another headcase.
I wonder* if sitting in an office in West Berlin reading “Neues Deutschland” (allegedly) would count as significant or not?
__________________
* “wonder” Copyright Lysias 2015
EobG
“By the way, Theresa May is a complete headcase, who, like many of the present government, should be doing jail time.”
______________
As always, Robbo, I’m interested in what you think of UK public figures and politicians.
Is Mrs May also “vermin” in your opinion? Should she not be shot when the revolution comes? Will you return from your sojourn in Poitou-Cherentes to take part in the uprising?
Cheers (or should that be “bottoms up”?)
@Phil
9 Jun, 2015 – 10:49 pm
No worries, Phil.
We all can get a bit heated on political blogs.
Technicolour; “Well done, Macky and Jay Stoll – welcome to each other.”
Actually Jay Stoll sounds like that Habby Troll that you are often defending/encouraging.
“Majid seems to have had a student visa. Under the ECHR there’s no way he should have been deported back to Pakistan.”
Interesting & possibly v useful – please can you cite where & link? (no sarcasm)
(above for RobG)
This was the Early Day motion:
“That this House is deeply concerned by the detention of City of Glasgow student Majid Ali, who was last week sent to Dungavel Detention Centre; notes that Majid is due to be deported to Balochistan, in Pakistan, at 11.30pm on 9 June 2015; expresses concern that Majid will be in danger of physical harm, and even death, if he is deported, evidenced by the information that two close family members of Majid were murdered due to their political activities; affirms that the UK has a responsibility as one of the world’s richest nations, to open our doors and our arms to those fleeing oppression and discrimination wherever they come from; further affirms that international treaties and laws oblige the UK to be of assistance to those who are in fear of their safety and life; calls on the Home Secretary to carry out an urgent review of this case and halt deportation; and further calls on the Government to make changes to the asylum process so that this type of situation can never happen again to anyone else.”
http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/87
Summary of the story
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/09/protesters-mount-last-ditch-bid-to-prevent-glasgow-students-deportation
@Habbabkuk (la vita è bella)
9 Jun, 2015 – 11:18 pm
Theresa May is one of the vermin who voted down a late night motion last February to waiver the Official Secrets Act for those who might give evidence in the Westminster child sex abuse scandal…
http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5529/ministers-block-move-to-lift-official-secrets-act-for-csa-scandal
This motion was not reported by the news media at the time, the same time when Theresa May repeated assurances in Parliament that the OSA should not stop anyone from giving evidence to the child sex abuse inquiry; an inquiry, incidentally, that’s now been kicked into the long grass.
I dunno, what’s your definition of ‘vermin’?
Could Majid Ali seek sanctuary in a church? Could he seek refuge in some country’s embassy or consulate?
He’s in custody. So no escape.
Very little coverage in msm.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&gl=uk&tbm=nws&authuser=0&q=majid+ali
Anything on Twitter?
John Goss, done.
Gary Spedding @GarySpedding 2m2 minutes ago
I’m just informed that Majid Ali’s flight has just taken off from London Heathrow.
#DontDeportMajid
https://twitter.com/search?q=Majid%20Ali%20&src=typd&vertical=default&f=tweets
““He never had a chance to pick up his belongings. He had his phone taken away and, after four years of building a life here, he never even got a chance to say goodbye to his friends and loved ones,” she said. “We are extremely concerned for his wellbeing, and very distressed that he is being deported regardless.””
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/09/protesters-mount-last-ditch-bid-to-prevent-glasgow-students-deportation