
Mosa Shongwane, originally from Zimbabwe, fled to South Africa with her fiance and her friend. Her fiance was being accused of political spying in Zimbabwe. Once in South Africa, her fiance and friend were shot and killed. Mosa was then raped and threatened to be killed by the same people. She fled the country and arrived in the UK 8 years ago. She has been living a safe life in Basingstoke since then, and has been involved in local church organisations and has made great friends who have helped her a lot.
6 months ago Mosa was detained and she has been in Yarl’s Wood detention centre since then. She has not been well since being detained but has not received enough medical attention or any counselling.
She has just received removal directions for Saturday 14th February. Because she used a South African passport to get here, she is being sent back to South Africa. She has serious fears for her life if she gets sent back there.
Please contact Virgin Atlantic airlines to stop her deportation. Her flight number is VS601 at 2100 on 14/02/2015 from Heathrow airport.
You can make a real difference by helping to contact the airlines and protest their involvement in the Home Office’s deportation:
Virgin Atlantic (VS)
Customer Relations, PO Box 747
Dunstable, LU6 9AH
tel: 0844 811 0000
fax: 0844 209 8708
email: customer.services@fly.virgin.com
@VirginAtlantic
https://twitter.com/#!/VirginAtlantic
https://www.facebook.com/virginatlantic
Feel free to use the template below for your emails:
Re: Flight VS601 on 14/02/2015 21:00
Forced removal of Mosa Shongwane
Mosa Shongwane is due to be forcibly removed by the UK Home Office from London Heathrow to O.R.Tambo, South Africa on 14th February 2015 (VS601)
Mosa Shongwane is being flown to South Africa against her will. Mosa is from Zimbabwe, she fled to South Africa with her fiance and her friend. Her fiance was being accused of political spying in Zimbabwe. Once in South Africa, her fiance and friend were shot and killed. Mosa was then raped and threatened to be killed by the same people. She fled the country and has been living safely in the UK for 8 years.
I respectfully request that Virgin does not take this woman onboard this flight. I am extremely concerned for Mosa’s safety on the flight and after landing, and for the safety and comfort of other passengers, and for the reputation of Virgin Atlantic.
If she is taken onboard, I would request that you inform the appropriate medical officer, as many removals result in injuries sustained from force used by the security guards. In one recent case, a man being deported on a British Airways flight died from injuries while being restrained by security guards.
I ask Virgin Atlantic to look to you conscience, and refuse to take part in this injustice. Mosa must be allowed to put her case to the UK immigration courts, to claim her legal right to sanctuary. You can play a part in right a wrong, and granting sanctuary to this woman.
Yours faithfully,
[Name]
[Address]
[Date]