Help Lydia and Bernard to Stay Campaign

Grant Lydia and Bernard Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom


Lydia Ebok Besong & Bernard Oben Batey: HO Ref: B1236372

Lydia and Bernard came to UK on the 17th of December 2006 late at night and claim asylum on the 18th of December 2006. Lydia and Bernard fled from persecution because of their role they play in SCNC [Southern Cameroon National Council]. SCNC is a pressure group that fights for the freedom and liberation of southern Cameroon [English Speaking Cameroon].

Lydia and the husband Bernard Oben Batey have been tortured in Cameroon and Lydia was raped whilst in detention by one of the uniformed officers. Lydia presently still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the abuse she encountered whilst in Cameroon, and she is under depression drugs at the moment still waiting for counseling.

Lydia and Bernard presently are doing voluntary job with Shamwari Project as a means of fighting against depression and social isolation, and also attend a local church in their community.

At present they have no legal representative, as such they made their asylum fresh claim on their own, still waiting for the Home Office reply. If not for their MP Mr. Paul Rowen of Rochdale and the parish priest of St Ann Belfield, Lydia and Bernard could have been in deportation centre because of the blunder the Border and Immigration Agency made. They came to take them to deportation centre whilst they still have an application in the Home Office pending; also they went to the wrong address whilst Lydia and Bernard were still living in the accommodation provided by the Home Office. This shows how incompetent the Border and Immigration Agency is dealing with their case.

We the undersigned, call upon the Home Secretary to reconsider Lydia and Bernards' case and grant them stay on Humanitarian grounds.