New appeal brings hope for Sukulas
12:45pm Sunday 26th November 2006 in News By Anna Youssef
A FAMILY threatened with deportation to their war-torn homeland have been given fresh hope that they may be allowed to stay in Bolton.
A legal team, acting on behalf of the Sukula family, who are living in Great Lever, has lodged a new case with the Home Office.
They are hopeful the family will be given permission to stay permanently in Britain in light of previously unheard evidence.
The Sukulas - mother Ngiedi Lusukumu, father Kiala Sukula and children Flores, aged 19, Daniel, aged 16, Destin, aged seven, Sarah, aged five, Exhauce, aged three, Benedicte, aged one, and two-week-old Miracle - fled to the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002.
The were escaping militia after Ngiedi was beaten unconscious and soldiers threatened to come back and "kill them all".
They settled in Bolton but failed to be granted asylum, sparking the Let Them Stay campaign that is backed by The Bolton News.
Leading campaigner Jason Travis said: "We had really reached the end of the process but we've been able to lodge a new case with the Home Office in the light of new evidence, so in theory we're back to round one. Both Flores and Daniel witnessed the brutal attack on their mother but they were never questioned about it. I think this will be crucial to their case "We've also included information on how well they've integrated in Bolton and the particular educational needs of the children.
"It's difficult to say when we will hear something. Sometimes they reject fresh claims quite quickly but the whole procedure may take several months.
"We're feeling quite hopeful about this new development."
The Sukula family is one of the first families to fall victim to the Government's get-tough legislation on failed asylum seekers.
When their asylum application failed, they were told they could not claim benefits from the Government and they have since been living on handouts from family and friends.
The children live under the threat of being evicted from their home and taken into care because of government legislation, known as Section 9, that removes children from failed asylum-seeking families if the parents can no longer provide for them.
