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Francoise’s long fight for asylum ends in victory
Ed Thomas
A NURSE who fled her native Cameroon after being raped and badly beaten up has been granted asylum after a seven-year battle with the Home Office.
Francoise Motoum-Kamga can now stay in London after convincing the authorities that going back would seriously endanger her life.
The plight of the 34-year-old attracted support from many Ham&High readers who generously made donations for her to mount the legal battle.
Having been granted asylum last week, Ms Motoum-Kamga says she is deeply indebted to everyone who helped out and saved her life.
"There was no way I could pay the solicitors' fees, so I am very grateful to everyone who helped me," she said.
"I am now very happy to be able to stay in London. Life in Cameroon was very bad. I was raped and beaten and almost died.
"It was so bad I wanted to kill myself."
Ms Motoum-Kamga's ordeal took place at the hands of prison guards after she was locked up for demonstrating against rising petrol prices and profiteering in 2000.
Over a five-month period behind bars, she was forced to have sex with guards in exchange for food. She was also tortured, burned and beaten.
In October 2000 she escaped by promising a bribe to a guard and travelled by ship under a false French passport.
When she arrived at the Tavistock Clinic in Hampstead she was in an appalling physical and psychological state.
A Ham&High appeal was launched and thousands of pounds raised for Ms Motoum-Kamga to fight to stay in the country.
Dozens of big names, including Michael Foot, Michael Palin, Lord Melvyn Bragg and Esther Rantzen, helped out.
An initial asylum bid was turned down. But last week a fresh appeal to the Home Office was successful and Ms Motoum-Kamga, now living with her husband and four children in Enfield, can work towards her UK nursing qualifications.
Matthew Lewin, former Ham&High editor who headed the campaign, said: "Thousands of pounds were raised over the course of six or seven years. In one instance, a Ham&High reader gave £1,000.
"People were enormously generous. It's been a long haul but this was a perfect example of someone who really needed help.
"Seven years later, Francoise is a different person. She has put on weight and has a broad and happy smile for everyone. She can now make a real contribution to society in Britain as a nurse here."
Highgate actress Juliet Stevenson also helped out.
She said: "This is fantastic news. Francoise's circumstances were very desperate. Unfortunately there are many other women like her who are suffering. So while it is wonderful that Francoise has won her case, others now need to be looked at."
ed.thomas@hamhigh.co.uk
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