Sunday Mail
September 26, 2004, Sunday
ROSIE KANE: RATTER LUNACY;
REFUGEE FAMILY TREATED WORSE THAN A RODENT
by ROSIE KANE
TRUST me, it would take something really extraordinary to get me
cuddling a rat.
But the plight of an extraordinary asylum seeker Julia Gulshan
Babayeva and her two sons did just that.
She called me in desperation last week from a detention centre near
Gatwick airport after being picked up by immigration officers. The
terrified family were being threatened with deportation.
I first met Julia at a debate in the run up to the elections for the
Scottish Parliament.
She had fled Azerbaijan after her husband was killed for refusing to
shoot Armenians. Julia is Armenian.
She was devastated by her husband’s murder but continued working as a
psychology lecturer to support her family.
But during an interview on Azerbaijani radio, Julia criticised the
education system and was arrested.
She was subjected to brutality and fled to Britain with her children,
putting in a claim for asylum. She and her sons – Alex and Aziz –
were housed in Sighthill, Glasgow, two years ago.
She is loved and respected by locals for her work in the community.
I tried to comfort and reassure the family while they feared being
sent back to danger. Alex, 18, was also terrified for his beloved pet
rat, Maxi, which he had been forced to leave in Sighthill.
I get the heebie-jeebies where rodents are concerned but promised to
make sure poor Maxi was safe.
I called the SSPCA and revealed how the family pet was locked in and
starving.
They were amazing and quickly called back saying they had collected
Maxi and he was at Cardonald Cat and Dog Home.
I jumped in a taxi, sped to the home and asked to bring Maxi home.
Once convinced I was a suitable carer, I was introduced to my new
lodger.
My heart stopped, I had never wanted to be anywhere near a rat –
domestic or wild -and here I was collecting one to take home. Sharing
my fear and loathing of all rodents, my daughters Nicola and Susanne
immediately threatened to leave home.
But after a couple of hours we were all cooing around the cage. The
best bit was calling Julia and the boys to tell them their pet was
safe and well. They were delighted and described it as a shred of
hope.
Tragically, it seems Maxi had more rights than Julia and her boys.
When apprehended, the family were driven for eight hours without food
or drink.
They were distressed, terrified and unwell but not allowed to see a
doctor.
They were being held in a strange place with little or no rights and
plans were being made to ship them to danger. If I had done that to
my children, social workers would have been right to intervene – but
they are not given any powers to help Julia, despite the obvious
abuse.
The SSPCA were able to intervene to save little Maxi. He was checked
by a vet and liberated into caring hands.
The Scottish Parliament has no power to intervene when basic human
rights are being abused. Our politician’s palace can do nothing to
help Julia and her boys.
We have a skills and population shortage. I know from experience we
have a shortage of psychologists like Julia.
We have let Julia and her children down. We have failed in our duty
to respect and uphold basic human rights and have lost a highly
motivated, intelligent and valued family.
Julia’s lawyers are fighting her case. I only hope they succeed.
#For more info and updates see the Positive Action in Housing website
at
GRAPHIC: Rat’s my boy: Rosie cuddles Maxi, whose owners may be
deported to danger
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress