Keep Kassa Makiese in Sheffield

Home Office Reference: M1440585

Kassa Makiese, 39 years olds, was forced to flee to the UK during the summer of 2011, out of fear for his life, after being detained in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for speaking out against the corruption, dictatorship and conflict surrounding the current government and expressing his political beliefs. Kassa was born in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1995 he joined the UDPS, a political party who are in opposition to the current government. Kassa was an active member of the party and was in charge of mobilising around 300 people in his area to participate in rallies and demonstrations.

Due to his position in the community as a family man, musician, community member and his role in the UDPS, he was very well known and liked. In July 2011 Kassa Makiese left his wife and three children to attend what he believed would be a standard demonstration against the corruption surrounding the current election. During the demonstration Kassa was interviewed by the media. The interview was cut short as he and the cameraman were attacked by the military. Kassa was badly beaten and is still receiving medical treatment in the UK for the injuries he sustained. He and several other members of the UDPS were then arrested and put in detention.

Due to the horrendous well-documented torture, violence, sexual abuse and executions faced by those who are imprisoned because they oppose the government, Kassa Makiese was helped to break out of the prison to save his life. He was instructed that he had to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo immediately as he was at risk of being killed, and he was brought to the UK. Since Kassa has been in the UK, his family in the DRC have been visited 4 times by the police with summons notices, frightening and abusing his wife and children, breaking their home and forcing entry. His family have since had to move to safety elsewhere in the country.

Unfortunately in November 2011 Kassa was refused the right to asylum in the UK and is at risk of being forcibly returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This would be a death sentence for Kassa or, at the least, a life of imprisonment, abuse and torture. Asylum seekers like Kassa, who are returned to the Congo from the UK and are known to the authorities, have been found to be arrested upon arrival, interrogated, tortured, imprisoned and executed.

Since moving to Sheffield at the end of August, Kassa has been an active member of Highfield Trinity Church and has settled into the community helping others. He has been volunteering at Learn for Life Enterprise teaching music and English, assisting in classes and helping the organisation to look after new arrivals. He is beginning to rebuild his life after the trauma he experienced, is very well liked by all that know him and has already integrated well into Sheffield with much support behind him.

We ask that Kassa Makiese be allowed to remain here in Sheffield where he can be safe amongst friends.