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Somali family evicted by city council

Conrad Astley
30/ 1/2003

A TEENAGE refugee who escaped the horrors of civil war in Somalia said this week he had never experienced anything worse than being uprooted by Salford Council.

He made the claims after his mother, who speaks little English, was evicted from her home of two years and told to move into an unfurnished house with no heating and no cooker.

The family, who do not want to be named, moved to the city as asylum seekers two years ago after the woman's husband was killed in the Somali civil war.

They have lived in a Blackfriars house waiting to be granted refugee status, during which time they were not allowed to work, and were given official documentation confirming this just weeks ago.

The family's 14-year-old son had to arrange a new council house for them to move into and, although one was found, the family asked for an extra fortnight while a grant came through to buy furniture and bedding to put there.

The family were told this could not happen and yesterday (Wednesday) a worker from the council's asylum team came to tell them they had to move into the new house.

The distraught mum asked if she could stay one more night but was told she had to go and was threatened the police would be sent around.

She went to see a local Primary Care Trust community worker, who went back to the house and found the police there.

The community worker has now told the family they can stay at her own home temporarily, as that is the only alternative to them living in a house with no heating or furniture.

The 14-year-old, who is in the first year of studying for his GCSEs, told us: "It makes me feel worse than anything I've ever imagined. I've never seen this much trouble. I've not been able to sleep for three days."

Donna Hewitt, manager of Salford RAPAR, an organisation which aids asylum seekers and refugees, told us: "I've seen this before with single men but never with families of children. I thought they might exercise a bit more discretion.

"To uproot a family with children for the sake of two weeks doesn't make any sense. I think the transition from asylum seeker to refugee status needs to be looked at because it's not a smooth transition at all. The whole resettlement policy needs to be looked at."

A spokesman for New Prospect Housing, which manages the council's housing stock, said the family had known they would have to move out and the Blackfriars house had to be evacuated as they had a contract ending on a certain date and it was needed for other asylum seekers.

He added: "We feel we've acted in a reasonable manner, but we have to stay within the law."

Cllr John Warmisham, the council's lead member for housing, said: "The Home Office set very tight rules for the move from asylum seeker to refugee status.

"As a council we cannot be seen to be breaking the law.

"We are very concerned about this and have raised it with the Local Government Association and have also written to the Home Office minister, Beverley Hughes."