FAMILY’S FEAR OF BEING SPLIT UP
By Laura Pitel

Newcastle Evening Chronicle
November 26, 2009 Thursday
UK

A COUPLE and their talented children fear being torn apart if a
deportation order hanging over them goes ahead.

Kamo and Nonna Manukyan have lived in Wallsend, North Tyneside, for two
years and their children, Lusi, 18, and Arsen, 19, are model students.

But they could soon be evicted from their home, deported and possibly
even split up after being refused asylum.

Lusi scored top grades at A-level and won places to study medicine
at Newcastle and St Andrew’s universities.

And brother Arsen is a star pupil on his Art and Design course at
Newcastle College and hopes to study fashion at London’s famous
Central St Martin’s College.

But last week the teenagers and their parents had their only support –
free food vouchers – cut off.

The family, of Helmsley Drive, expect to be evicted within days.

Ian Ferguson, of the Wallsend People’s Centre’s Walking With project,
said: "They have no means of obtaining any food.

"At the moment they are still in their house, but they are sat there
with their most treasured possessions in bags because anyone could
come at any time to say ‘You must leave.’ "Then there’s the other
danger of being taken to a detention centre.

"So they’re in limbo, dangling on a piece of string to see if someone’s
going to cut it.

"It’s almost like psychological torture."

The Christian family fled Uzbekistan in 2007 after persecution by
Muslims. They are popular in the community and have done thousands
of hours of volunteering between them.

Lusi and Arsen are part of several youth drama and music groups,
and parents Kamo and Nonna volunteer at the Age Concern cafe at Mea
House, Newcastle.

But this month they were told their final claim for asylum had been
refused. They now face deportation to Armenia, where the family could
be torn apart.

While Nonna, Arsen and Lusi have Armenian citizenship, dad Kamo
does not.

He could be extradited to Uzbekistan, splitting the family in two.

Arsen claims he will be jailed if sent to Armenia.

Military service is compulsory in the country and, since his 18th
birthday, Arsen has missed two call-ups.

He said: "If I go there will be a person waiting for me from the
military service.

"They will take me into prison and treat me badly.

"They will send me into the army where I will be sent to war. I could
be killed and would to be trained to kill, but I don’t feel like I
could ever do that.

"The way they treat you is so bad. They beat you up every day. They
treat you worse than a dog."

Arsen, sister Lusi and their mum and dad are desperate to stay in
the North East, where they have made a life for themselves.

He said: "I love the life, the freedom, the democracy and all the
opportunities I have to become a successful artist, designer or
musician."

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "Our decision to refuse this family
asylum has been upheld throughout the full appeal process.

"Once a decision has been made we expect people to leave voluntarily.

"We will take steps to remove people who chose to remain here
illegally."