Students campaign against deportation of Edson Cosmas

Former OBV volunteer Anthony Kalu highlights a new campaign to stop the deportation which could result in the deportee being imprisoned or worse.

Britain prides itself on its liberal freedoms. Now imagine a scenario where our country is being complicit in denying those very freedoms to citizens from other countries.

Currently, Edson Cosmas (Eddy) is being held in a detention centre (Harmondsworth Removal Centre) with the possibility of being fast tracked back to Tanzania. This is significant because Eddy is gay and that alone would see him imprisoned for up to 25 years in Tanzania.

It deeply troubles me to know the freedoms that encapsulate what it is to be British are being tainted (not extended to those who seek refuge in our borders). Britain has long been seen as the ideal liberal democracy that developing countries aspire to. I remember the media uproar at the Ugandan government and their stance on gay rights. Who knew the same bigotry and homophobia would be evident here too? We have a chance be proactive rather than reactionary.

Before I continue I must address the elephant in the room.

When I initially heard about this I turned to the New Testament for guidance with the scripture Leviticus Chapter 20 Verse 13 (King James Version) “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.” firmly in my mind. As I came to the book of Matthew Chapter 22 verse 39 “…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Now this scripture was not new to me I live by the Golden rules but verse 40 I had not truly digested. Mat 22:40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

You must ask yourself the question and I have would you want to be beaten and jailed for up to 25years because of your sexuality?

I can never understand how Eddy feels but can sympathise with his struggle because I like many of you reading this have been discriminated against in some way or another.

Slavery was only 200+ years ago where the Old Testament was used to justify it because we were deemed the "cursed" seeds of Ham. Genesis Chapter 9 verse 22-27

“…Ham, the father of Canaan … Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”

I refuse to define someone by their race or sexuality and nor should you!

For those of you who come from the school of thought that believes being gay is a lifestyle choice, a parallel can be drawn by how you worship. Historically, the freedom to worship has not always been permitted.

A UK Supreme Court ruling in July 2010 stated that the government could “no longer turn away anyone” (asylum seekers) who is gay and faces political persecution for being gay if returned to the country they were born in.

If this case is lost this could potentially change the political landscape for immigration and LGBT rights. I implore you to look past the fact that he is a (African) black man who happens to be gay and understand he is a migrant and like many of your siblings, relatives and friends have come here seeking a better life in this country.

Fundamentally, we are here to get support for an amnesty for immigrants but in doing so we cannot exclude anyone who is part of our community and this is why I joined Movement for Justice because we fight all forms of discrimination because we know they are all wrong and most importantly all connected to oppress and divide us.

I am asking for your help in any way possible

Sign the petition, Join Free Edson page on Facebook, circulate this article and our press release to your contacts, volunteer yourself and demonstrate with us on Tuesday 24th May, 2pm at the Home Office Marsham Street, anything to highlight Eddy’s plight.

Support our campaign!

Anthony Kalu