Daughter

This Is Lorin Sulaiman

Ambition to be a Solicitor

University Student

Syrian Kurd

Sister

Refugee

• Lorin’s parents were human rights activists who campaigned for human rights for Kurds in Syria

• Her father was imprisoned since 1993 and has not been seen for 16 years and he is assumed to have been murdered. Lorin’s brother has been imprisoned since 2002.

• Her mother was imprisoned for 5 years and tortured, then released after bribes and payments made to government officials.

• After her mother’s release Lorin’s family paid an agent to smuggle them out of Syria to a safe country.

The Case of Lorin Sulaiman The Push/The Pull

1. During their escape, Lorin’s family got separated in two and she has not seen or heard anything from her other brother since.

2. They had secured their escape through an ‘agent’ who smuggled them across the border to Turkey. These agents often charge between $3000 and $12000 dollars for the service.

3. The family got separated in Istanbul, Turkey, when her brother did not have time to jump on the lorry.

4. They were hiding in safe houses for months during the long overland journey through Europe.

5. The journey continued once they arrived in the UK. Lorin and her family were moved to Portsmouth to live.

The Journey The Case of Lorin Sulaiman

“We had to sell everything to be

able to leave Syria”

• Lorin had to wait many months to get a place in a UK school, much longer than UK residents. She had a TV where she watched the Teletubbies as it was the only programme she understood. It taught her basic English.

• A place in school finally became available, and Lorin’s English improved massively. Lorin was the only sanctuary seeker at a mainly white school. The reaction to her was not always positive...

The Reaction... The Case of Lorin Sulaiman

Copyright-BBC

http://www.united-states-map.org/world-atlas/map-of-europe.htm

Lorin achieved 8 GCSEs, passed her A levels and managed to get a place at university. She wants to become a solicitor.

The LifestyleThe Case of Lorin SulaimanLorin has been in the UK for over 4 years. Her and her family had no choice about where to move to in the UK.

Lorin was bullied when she first arrived at school...

Some of the students had parents who supported the BNP. They criticised Lorin and another girl from South Africa, who had just returned to the school from hospital...

" "Why have you come here to take our money and use our hospitals," said one of the girls. "She was addressing her remarks to both of us. I got very angry and said to her, 'What are you on about? We haven't come here to

take your money. I came here because my life was in danger.'"

Despite these problems, Lorin was a top student - and was placed on the gifted and talented register for her language skills and chosen to represent her year on the school council.

"Some of them wouldn't talk to me, they just walked past me and gave me dirty looks. I didn't tell people I was an asylum seeker because I wanted to fit

in and be normal."

The Reaction the case of Lorin Sulaiman

In November 2004 Lorin and her family were arrested in a dawn raid in their home and taken to an “Immigration Removal Centre” near Gatwick airport.

From the centre, Lorin called the students at her school and begged them to do something to halt the removal of her family back to Syria.

When students heard Lorin was at risk of being deported, they took action straight away...

3000 people signed a petition for her to stay.

Students mounted a high-profile local media campaign and wrote letter to their two local members of parliament.

"There is a great feeling of helplessness in the school community of

having a pupil plucked away from us like this. What they felt about

what was happening to Lorin didn't fit in with

their view of the world"

Derek Trimmer - Head teacher

of Mayfield School

The ReactionThe Case of Lorin Sulaiman

“In the years that Amina, Eva and Lorin Sulaiman have lived in Portsmouth they have truly integrated into the community and begun to build a life for themselves in a safe, secure, environment. Deporting them to Syria will expose them to political persecution, torture and

imprisonment and would fly in the face of international law and the interests and wishes of the family themselves and the local community – and we

must not allow this to happen.”Dr Caroline Lucas, MEP

The Resolution?The Case of Lorin Sulaiman

Because of the support they had, the Home Office released the family from detention and agreed to review their case.

Following this, a decision was made by the Home Office to allow the family to stay in the UK until 2007. Then the Home Office granted Lorin and her family ‘Discretionary Leave to Remain’ for another 3 years. When that deadline passes they must apply again.

The Resolution?The Case of Lorin Sulaiman

Lorin is now studying Law at the University of Westminster, to fulfil her ambition of being a solicitor.

“I'm happy because at least we're not being sent back, that's what we didn't want. But staying here for another two years is still

not the same as staying here for definite."