Guiding and providing information to destitute Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in getting support from relevant agencies and organisations.

Our immigration commission have been working with over 15 well experienced volunteers members who attended leadership and sign posting training by helping, and accompanying individuals or families going through the asylum system to interviews, court hearings, reporting procedures or any other important meeting, Ensuring that individual or family have access to good quality legal advice and representation, Signposting individual or family to relevant support projects, Assisting with a swift integration of the individual or family once status is granted, this could be accompanying to job centre plus, ensuring they apply for a NI number, assisting with applying for jobs, bank accounts etc. Ensuring an appeal is launched within 28 days.
 

Some Activities and Concern of the Immigration Commission:

1. Organise Conferences, and invite lawyers and psychologist to encourage them and fill being part of modern society (UK).

2. Organise some evening recreation for them to share their story (Good for health).

3.  Organise regular immigration workshop, that will help them to have representation and know their right

ESOL Course to remove language barrier most DR Congolese in UK can not speak English.

Big number are still suffering back slash as history of sexual victim (rape) and torture they were victims in our country of origin DR Congo.

As result most of them are living on a very low self esteem and low income (poverty)
Unaware of any opportunity out there for them, and lack of any facilities to help them as result of our language and culture blockage.

They feeling completely abandon, unable to come out with their concern due to lack of opportunity.
Some do not have representation (immigration lawyer),family and General Practitioner
Most of them do not have even basic life skill background.
 

1. Immigrations (Asylum seekers, Refugee, Deportation, Removal, Regularisations for long stay) How can we help each other?

All delegates must work closely with Congo Support Group, to denounce any organisations that are asking bread to DR Congolese asylum seekers.

We must create a link with BID, Bail for Immigration Detainees the only official organisation that is helping and assisting people in detentions.

Congo Support Group must work closely with South London Citizen for the regularisation of long term migrant, this included our people as they done before.

Support existing organisations that campaign on the issues that cause migration e.g. Oxfam, Cafod, Christian Aid, CAAT, War on Want, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth esp. for Just Trade rules.

Vote for MPs who support issues such as just trade, against arms trade, against international debt, against climate change, limit multinational companies, etc. Money for education & health- not for arms. Bishops in developed countries need to support church leaders in developing countries in their struggles for Justice and Peace, and to speak out against corruption, and unfair deportations of our people.
 

2. Lobbying Government 

Activists – All Forum delegates must meet individual DR Congolese, leaders and members of churches, political and non profit organisation to denounce the on going risk of all removal or deportation of DR Congolese from United Kingdom.

Meet with sympathetic MPs sensitive to the needs of asylum seekers, to highlight concerns, personal cases.

Congo Support Group must write a memo to all Members of British Parliament to denounce with evidence the disappear, risk and life treatment of all DR Congolese deported from UK, this include absence of and follow up from UK.

Congo Support Group must draw up list of MPs to target by constituency, geographical area, Parishes with experience, refugee agencies,

Congo Support Group must meet with local and regional press to report injustices.
 

3. Creating better shared information systems 

Information and expertise are available from many sources: IND, Country guidance, Caritas SAN, Refugee Council, Citizens Organising Foundation, Churches Refugee network, Independent Asylum Commission, Bishops’ Conference etc.

Provide details of some DR Congolese removed and disappeared online, Update it regularly. 
 

4. Telling the stories of asylum seekers and detention centres 

Be aware of the UN Charter of Human Rights.

Improve networking between different agencies involved in supporting asylum seekers, refugees and people in detention.