Many of us met Otis when he volunteered at Hay festival as a steward. He did his duties well and endeared himself to many who met him. He has integrated well into Swansea and is a popular volunteer at the Oxfam bookshop.

 We learnt of his detention in a dawn raid on 20th December when we attended the UID party  in Swansea and he was not there. Subsequently we learnt of a threat to deport him on Christmas day to the Democratic Republic of Congo which is more than usually unstable as there are impending elections. As the outrage and distress started to mount in social media we started a petition  on Saturday  22nd December

Maria our Twitter lead alerted everyone she could about the plight and after discussion  with people at the Oxfam bookshop [ Castle street Arts] and others in Swansea as well as many locals launched the petition on Saturday evening. By Monday morning 24th December over 5000 people has signed with some very supportive comments. The help we received from Peter Florence of Hay Festival was invaluable and his supportive comments and concern guided us. Undoubtedly the best decision Otis made this year was to spend 5 days volunteering in Hay as the support from Peter’s extensive and influential address book was undoubtedly a critical success factor.  Over the last two days when we had hoped to be spending time with our families we were buoyed by the outpouring of goodwill  from so many people including our MP Chris Davies, Jesse Norman MP, Kirsty Williams AM, Archbishop of Wales John Davies and the many friends that Otis has in  our area and Swansea.

 Attached below is the letter we sent to the Home Secretary and the good news received mid afternoon today  24/12 is that Otis is not being deported tomorrow and we hope will have time to prepare a successful claim to remain.

Dear Mr Javid,

please see the enclosed letter sent on behalf of over 5000 people

Please, prevent the Deportation of Otis Bolamu who is currently detained in Brook House Gatwick
We are a group of ordinary citizens involved in the Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Support for Refugees Group. We are writing to ask you to use your powers as Home Secretary to put on hold the deportation of our friend, Otis Bolamu, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, until his appeal can be heard when his solicitor returns after the holidays.  This letter is supported by over 5000 people (and rising) who have signed this petition.

  Here are some facts in support of our appeal.
1). There is extensive evidence that Otis will be in danger if he is returned to the DRC. He   has a background of political activism and was detained in 2017 in Bandundu for speaking out about the radicalisation and enrolment of children and young people by several political groups, including his own.  He escaped from detention in the DRC  in 2017 with support from friends and colleagues and claimed asylum in the UK and had his first substantive interview in January 2018.
As you know, elections in the DRC have been postponed and are now scheduled for December 30th.  The political situation in the DRC is highly volatile and there are widespread reports of mounting risks to public safety as election day approaches. The USA and the UK have ordered all non-essential staff to leave the country and  the UK Government is currently advising against travel to most regions of the Congo due to civil and military unrest  We have grave concerns for Otis’s safety in these circumstances especially given his track record of political activism.  Deporting him now will place him directly into harm’s way.
2.) Since arrival in the UK, Otis has become a well-loved and valued member of his local community in Swansea. He volunteers at a local Oxfam shop and at the Hay Festival.  He has attended ESOL classes and improved his English and his teachers all speak very highly of him.  He is a devout, observant Christian and a participating member of his church community. He represents no risk to the UK. On the contrary, he has already begun to make a valuable contribution and removing him simply hurts his friends and community members.
3.) We are particularly aggrieved at the way Otis was detained.  He was seized at 4am on December 21st, taken into detention in Bridgend and then, swiftly, removed to Brook House at Gatwick.  He and a Welsh friend were told that he is scheduled for deportation on Christmas day.  His lawyer, who has accumulated additional evidence to support his request for asylum is on holiday, so he has had no legal representation throughout this process. He is utterly traumatised by this treatment and in fear of his life should he be returned to the DR.  We are very concerned about his  rapidly deteriorating mental health.
Our community is particularly shocked that these events should have occurred during the Christmas period, when all legal and government agencies are closed, and the country is celebrating. There is a special irony in this case in that the brutal treatment of Otis is wholly at odds with the Christian message of peace, love and compassion.  We ask you to find your own compassion and return Otis to his friends and community to practice his religion this Christmas Day. This would also reassure the thousands of us who have signed the petition that you are, as you have claimed, softening the cultural and political indifference to suffering represented by the ‘hostile environment’ into a more human and sensitive approach to refugees.
The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need protection. The Home Office website says “All asylum claims lodged in the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits against a background of relevant case law and up to date country information.”
Please apply these principles to Otis’s case, stop this deportation and let Otis come home.
Best wishes,
Ailsa Dunn       secretary for Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees [ 1173570]