Show compassion to Nyalikonga Babinyanga

We, the undersigned, ask Tony McNulty the Immigration Minister to show compassion to Nyalikonga Babinyanga (HO Ref: B1093711) and allow him to remain in safety in the UK.

Nyalikonga Babinyanga is a 33yr old Law Student from Kinshasa University. He was a member of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and in July 2001 when making a speech to Students, UDPS members and the general public in a church in Kinshasa about the need for a Free Democratic DRC, he was arrested and taken to prison where he was tortured by cigarette burns on his body and beaten about the head with the butt of a gun. After two and a half months his parents found a policeman willing to help him escape. He left the Congo and came to Britain in Oct 2001.

When he entered the UK he immediately applied for Asylum this application was rejected on the grounds of credibility. His medical assessment describes his condition as Severe Post Traumatic Stress including inability to sleep, eat, concentrate or remember properly as well as a severe depression. These are all symptoms of the punishment he received at the hands of Congolese Government officials. The small cell he was in had hour other prisoners and there was no food and no sanitation. Unfortunately the failure of his asylum claim has compounded the condition causing further stress and anxiety.

In spite of all this he is volunteering with the Red Cross to serve lunches to the Elderly and is also speaking at meetings and entering into Committee work again, with the 'Sante Refugee Project' in Camden, as part of his rehabilitation.

Nyalikonga has integrated well into the Camden Community and for Camden to lose him would be a disservice to the community. We would ask you to use your powers of compassion and allow Nyalikonga to remain in the UK.