Support the campaign to prevent the removal of Jane Mary Mutetsi from the UK this Thursday 16th October

HO Ref: M1146233

Jane Mary Mutetsi is currently detained in Yarl's Wood IRC with removal directions set for Thursday 16.10.08 at 20.00 hrs on Kenya Airways flights KQ101/KQ410 via Nairobi.

Jane Mary Mutetsi fled for her life from Uganda to the UK on 5 April and claimed asylum on 11 April, 2002.

Jane Mary and her husband David built up a food import and export business in their village, but problems started in 2000 when they became involved the a rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) by supporting them with food and money. In January 2002 their factory and premises were raided by Ugandan military forces and her husband was detained for three days. The soldiers returned on 25.3.2002 severely beat her husband and locked him in the boot of a car. This was the last Jane Mary saw or heard of him until 2004 when she received a letter from her husbands friend saying his body had been found in DR Congo.

Jane Mary was also beaten, locked in the bathroom and subsequently brutally gang raped by the soldiers. At the time a friendly groundsman helped Jane Mary escape from the house in wheelbarrow, as she was unable to walk. When she was well enough a friend helped her to flee to Kampala, where she made her way to the UK, having been forced to leave her 4 daughters with a neighbour.

Jane Mary continues to suffer from physical problems as a result of the gang rape, has lost her left ovary and suffers from depression. Jane Mary has become an active and committed member of St. Stephen's, Church of England congregation in Nottingham, has completed a number of child care and child protection courses and, unable to work, volunteers on a regular basis at the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum undertaking whatever tasks are needed. She is also an active member of the Women's Group at the Forum helping to organise weekly activities and occasional outings to the seaside in the summer and children's parties.

Jane Mary misses her children dreadfully and if there was any way that she could return safely to Uganda, she would do. Unfortunately the harsh reality is that her life would be in very real danger if she were to be returned.

The US Governments Human Rights Report in May 2006 states: The Ugandan Governments human rights record remains poor. Serious problems remained, including: unlawful killings by security forces; disappearances; security forces use of torture and abuse of suspects; vigilante justice; harsh prison conditions; official impunity; arbitrary arrest; incommunicado and lengthy pretrial detention; restrictions on the right to a fair trial and on freedoms of speech, the press, and association; limited freedom of religion; abuse of internally displaced persons (IDPs); restrictions on opposition parties; electoral violence and irregularities; government corruption; violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); violence and abuse of children, particularly sexual abuse; trafficking in persons; violence and discrimination against persons with disabilities; forced labor, including by children; and child labor.

We urge the Home Secretary and the Minister for Immigration to exercise your powers of discretion and grant Jane Mary permission to remain in the UK.