Shameful - please give your support
 

Not aircrew, but worthy of our help and support methinks.

Stop Bale being deported after 13 years serving British Armed Forces Petition

Isimeli Baleiwai known as 'Bale' to his friends is facing deportation from the UK after serving 13 years with the British Armed Forces. Bale is a foreign and commonwealth soldier from Fiji who was recruited by the MOD when he was 18.

He has served in 5 operational tours including Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. His wife Kim is British and they have two young children a boy of 3 and a girl of 6; both British. Bale voluntarily discharged from the Armed Forces on June 15th 2012 in order to provide stability for his family.

He applied for British Citizenship in March while still a serving soldier. This was advised to him by MOD personnel because he had served 13 years and had a British wife and children. This was refused on 28/06/2012 by UKBA, Bale sent an 'appeal for review' but recieved a letter from UKBA on 14/07/2012 stating he had until 9th August 2012 to leave the country.

Under changes made to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1973 (ROA) in 2010 disciplinary offences dealt with at the Commanding Officer's discretion can now be equated to a criminal conviction.

Bale was fined in 2011 by his Commanding Officer for fighting with another soldier who instigated the fight. There was no police involvement, no trial, no defence and nor was it impartial. Bale did not know he was being charged with a criminal conviction. He believed this was an 'in-house' disciplinary offence only. He has no criminal record, this offence is only on his military record. There was no court martial. He has now appealed the conviction.

Under the changes made to ROA in 2010 Bale is now defined as a criminal by the Home Office and of not good character to become a British citizen or apply for indefinite leave to remain.

This is devastating for him and his family. It is a breach of Article 6 of the Human Rights Act (1998) and Armed Forces Covenant (2011). It is also inherently racist because the changes made will have no impact on his British Armed Forces colleagues because these military offences are not held on a criminal record. This change only has implications to immigration Law and Policy. The family believe the law and policy is discriminative.

Please show your support for Bale and his family, their lives are in turmoil. Bale has been told he has until the 9th August 2012 to leave the Country.

The Home Office has been using this 'Law' to deport Foreign and Commonwealth soldiers who have been medically discharged as well. This is a disgrace and immoral!

Commonwealth soldier kicked in the teeth by Britain - Telegraph

BBC News - Fijian-born soldier Isimeli Baleiwai fights to stay in UK

Anyone can be 'British'
 

Without going into every aspect of this case and accepting that the basic facts given present a fair summing up of what does indeed seem to be
an injustice - In no way wishing to appear flippant and if all else fails then cannot the standard cry of 'Against his human rights' then not also be claimed - as used with great success by most of the UKs criminals
who were ordered to be deported after serving jail sentences but seems
will almost certainly remain in the UK - thanks to this loophole used by
many of the UKs undesireables - Hastening to add that it is an insult to this mans honour that he may need to lower himself to the use of this popular
criminals get out !

...

Duly signed - as I hope this petition will be by thousands of others.

Perhaps his ex-CO, to whom reference is made in the Daily Telegraph's article, might be prevailed upon to intercede?

Done.





...

Done. It made the BBC Radio 4 News today as well, so good for the cause.

Time for an outrage!

Done

Ivor Fynn

That's 82 signatures in less than 20 minutes!

5355 signatures at 12.27pm thats not to shabby. just to add that this case is absolutely scandalous. Loyalty to our Armed Forces?????

Signed.

Would rather 10 men like him remained in the UK than 1 criminal

Needs a good Human Rights lawyer - right to enjoy Family Life

Done, 5739 now.

proud to add my name to this injustice. Anyone remember the Iraqi `refugee` in Lancashire who mowed down and killed a young child. Convicted of Death by Dangerous driving but allowed to stay because he had family here....Courts were adamant he must remain and we try to throw this Servant of the Crown out :ugh::ugh:

I cant make up my mind if the the uncivil servants responsible for this debacle are all left wing military hating nutters or just as thick as pig **** :rolleyes:.......usually one is synonymous with the other isnt it..

There are occasions when I miss not being in the UK, but sadly such occasions seem to be increasingly few and far between, this is but one example of issues that make me more content where I am. Signed !!!

PS IMHO this is not a matter where the likes of the man's former OC should perhaps be called upon to intervene; oh no, it's time for the Chief of Defence Staff to make a very loud public statement in support of HIS MEN !

I've signed because I think it's wrong.

However, I do find on things such as this there is great play made that 'This man has served his country' - I would point out that since we don't conscript anybody (more's the pity) that anyone out there 'serving' is actually a volunteer. We all were, for good or ill.

Plainly this IS wrong and he and others like him are owed an obligation far greater than that given to a criminal - because it's just plain JUSTICE, something we don't see much of in this country.

I feel similarly about the Gurkhas too, although when they joined, the norm was that they'd return to Nepal, I'd far rather they be here because they've already proved their loyalty, their standards and discipline and will work rather than sponge off the state.

Have also just signed up - But isnt it to our shame and typical of
our Govt to cave in to cancelling deporation orders served upon
convicted foreign criminals - while they will so callously sanction and approve deportation orders upon those that have served the UK with loyalty.

...

Done :ok:
Best wishes to him from LR

Signed.

I cannot believe [can I?] that this sort of injustice occurs in the country that my father, and both grandfathers, fought for.

Done. .

Done, 5996 now.

Done - signature number 6031