Plaid plea on immigrant rules

Mar 23 2008 by Sarah Manners, Wales On Sunday

NEW rules to stop immigrants who are being treated at Welsh hospitals being removed from the UK should be put in place, according to Plaid Cymru.

Plaid’s bid comes after the death of Ama Sumani, who was removed from a Cardiff hospital on January 9 by UK Immigration Officers and taken back to her home country Ghana.

Medical journal The Lancet described her removal as “an atrocious act of barbarism” and money flooded in to a support fund for Ama, including several thousand pounds from an anonymous donor living in Wales – enough to pay for three months’ medical fees in Ghana.

With £10,000 from Sting’s wife Trudie Styler, in total more than £70,000 was raised to help the cancer victim get vital drugs she needed in hospital in Accra.

But plans to bring Ama, 38, back to Wales for further treatment came too late.

For the former accountancy student, who broke the terms of her visa by working as a cleaner, died in Accra earlier this week.

Her death leaves her daughter Mary, 16, and seven-year-old son Samed orphans.

“I would like to offer my condolences to Ama’s family and friends,” said Plaid’s Leanne Wood.

“I am going to be asking the Health Minister to establish a protocol that will prevent the UK immigration authorities from removing people in this barbaric way again.

“I know that the Health Minister and many other Assembly Members from all parties have a progressive approach to immigration matters.

“We can and must prevent something as tragic as Ama’s death happening again.

“Ama was given an effective death sentence by the Home Office.”

The Assembly Member for South Wales Central had asked for Ama Sumani to be allowed to return to Wales to continue her treatment for cancer.

“Wales has a long history of showing compassion to people who come here from abroad,” said Ms Wood. “Ama’s story shows a total lack of compassion.

A benefit concert to raise money for Ama’s children will take place at Cardiff's Clwb Ifor Bach on Sunday.

No-one was available from the UK Borders and Immigration Agency to comment.