SNP MSP Christina McKelvie has branded the UK Borders Agency actions over the case of Fatou Gaye and her son Arouna, detained at Dungavel and deported to the Ivory Coast “utterly chaotic” as the two were rejected by the Ivory Coast after deportation yesterday and are now back in the UK.
It is understood the UK Borders Agency chartered a plane to take the two to the Ivory Coast but that officials in Ivory Coast would not permit Fatou and Arouna to enter the country
and have rejected her as a citizen.
Ms McKelvie, who has been campaigning against the detention and deportation said;
“This ridiculous farce has exposed the utterly chaotic nature of the UK Borders Agency.
“Hurriedly taking a single mother and her son into detention days before they were due to report to the Home Office and shortly before the young boy was to undergo medical examination, deporting them and then being forced to bring them back is humiliating for UKBA but more importantly will have been deeply distressing for Fatou Gaye and her son.
“Before Fatou Gaye and her son Arouna were bundled onto what is reported to be a chartered jet bound for the Cote d’Ivoire with five UKBA officers, the Border Agency was assuring us that she had travel documents that were all in order and that the UKBA had arranged for her to be received by Cote d Ivoire.
“Now we find that all was not well and she has been refused entry to the Cote d’Ivoire because they do not consider her a citizen.
“Fatou and her four-year-old Scots born son are now back in the UK and back in a detention centre, held there by a Government that has promised time and time again to end the practice of holding children in detention centres. Holding children in these prisons is inhumane at the best of times, but this boy, too young to have started school, is now serving his fourth term in a detention centre.
“Given that her home country has refused to let her return, she is now a stateless person.
“Her son was born in Scotland and needs medical treatment which can be provided here. Fatou Felicite Gaye and Arouna should be allowed to return to Scotland and resume living in the community they were ripped out of last week. If for no other reason than compassion, they should be granted indefinite leave to remain. This family has suffered more than enough.”