10/7/2008

Plaid MEP Jill Evans has intervened in the case of a Nigerian born woman from Cardiff who faces deportation.

Ms Evans is writing to Home Secretary Jackie Smith asking for the deportation to be stopped on compassionate grounds given that Kemi Ayinde is a victim of people trafficking and is heavily pregnant.

Ms Evans is supporting the No Borders Wales campaign to halt the deportation and allow the family to return to Cardiff.

The Plaid MEP says that deporting victims of people trafficking could discourage other victims from coming forward, meaning they remain trapped in an abusive situation. Ms Ayinde was trafficked to Britain and forced into prostitution. She escaped in 2004 and has been living in Cardiff.

Ms Evans has called for a specialist centre to be set up in Wales to help victims of people trafficking and wants the UK Government to deal compassionately with victims.

The Plaid Cymru MEP said: "Victims of people trafficking are in a terrible situation, they are often women and are often forced into prostitution. These people deserve our help, not to live in fear of deportation if they come forward.

"The case of Kemi Ayinde is a good example of this. I am writing to the Home Secretary asking for the deportation to be halted on compassionate grounds. We need to send a clear signal to victims of people trafficking that help will be made available for them to live independently of their captors.

"Ms Smith should remember that in 2007 the UK signed up to the European Convention Against Trafficking under which they have an obligation to help victims. Ms Smith needs to send a signal to people who've been trafficked and forced into prostitution
that they needn't fear deportation, and she would do that by halting the deportation of Kemi Ayinde.

"I fully support the campaign of No Borders Wales to allow Ms Ayinde and her family to return to Cardiff."