Lovey has been a volunteer with Refugee Action (in Nottingham) from July 2006 to 27th March when she was detained while signing on at Loughborough. Read more for more info and about what you can do to help.

Lovey has been a volunteer with Refugee Action (in Nottingham) from July 2006 to 27th March when she was detained while signing on at Loughborough.

Please send letters to the Virgin Atlantic and the Home Secretary to try and prevent her forcible deportation tomorrow.

Lovey Nkomo

Lovey Nkomo (46) is a South African woman fleeing serious and sustained violence and gang rape from her partner and his gang. She was interviewed in May 2006 but was sent refusal letter dated 5 November 2007. She appealed in January, but the appeal was dismissed on asylum, humanitiarian protection and human rights grounds. She was detained on 27.3.2008 while signing and taken to Yarl’s Wood IRC. She is due to be forcibly removed on Wednesday 2nd April 2008 on Virgin Atlantic flight VS601 at 20.30 hours to Johannesburg.

What you can do to help:

1. Fax Steve Ridgeway, CEO, Virgin Atlantic asking him not to carry ovey Nkomo back to South Africa using the attached model letter Lovey Nkomo VA or your own words ensuring that the details of her HO Ref.no and flight no.time and date are included.

Fax: 01293 444124

2. Fax Jacqui Smith, Secretary of State for the Home Office asking that Lovey Nkomo should be allowed to remain in the UK. Please see attached model letter
Lovey Nkomo JS ensuring that the details of her HO Ref.No and flight no. time and date are included.

Fax: 020 8760 3132

Please contact us when you have sent a fax because our friend who is co-ordinating Lovey’s case wants to keep track.

CEO Steve Ridgeway 01.04.2008
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Manor royal
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9NU
Fax: 01293 444124

Dear Mr Ridgeway,

I am writing regarding Lovey Nkomo who is to be forcibly removed from the UK at Heathrow on Wednesday 2nd April 2008 at 20.20 on Virgin Atlantic flight VS601 to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Lovey Nkomo arrived in the UK on 4.5.2006 fleeing in fear of her life from a violent partner and his gang. Lovey Nkomo first met Mandla Ntishingila in 1983, had a son with him in 1985 and in same year had one of his gang members shoot Lovey Nkomo?s uncle Themba. Mandla disappeared in 1989, when he returned in 1990 he became more violent and extremely abusive towards her which included raping and also gang raping on a number of occasions as well as threatening to kill her. Mandla is a member of the Inkatha Freedom Party and has extensive networks throughout South Africa, so that each time she has moved to another province he has managed to find her and recommence the abuse.

Although Lovey Nkomo always reported the rape and abuse to the local police, there was never any effective protection offered to her even when she turned to senior officers. There is evidence that the South African police have a very poor record of protecting women from domestic violence.

The UK Home Office says it is up to the carrier, whether they carry deportees!

I, therefore, urge you not to carry Lovey Nkomo back to South Africa.

Yours sincerely,