Since Friday (25th of Feb) thousands of people have been mobilising to save Shiromini Satkunarajah, a top student at Bangor University, from being deported to Sri Lanka just 3 months before she completes her Engineering degree. Shiromini faces deportation in less than 24 hours unless the Home Office can be convinced to u-turn on the decision. Shiromini started a petition asking the Home Office not to deport her and her mum before she finishes her degree, and so far over 32,000 people have signed her petition.

Welsh student representative, Carmen, is supporting Shiromini’s campaign. Below she has written a public plea explaining why she needs you to sign Shiromini’s petition and support the campaign.

—–Letter from Carmen—–

Shiromini is a 20 year old student on track for a first class degree, just three months from completing her engineering degree at Bangor University. Last week this model student was arrested and taken to Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre with her mother. She is due to be deported to Sri Lanka at 9pm tomorrow.

What is happening to Shiromini is brutal. As a representative of students in Wales, I have been working hard with other students to get the Home Office to reconsider the case. It is absurd that the Home Office are removing Shiromini at such a crucial time of her studies, and that’s why I’m calling for the Home Office to stop her deportation. Please join me.

Since the age of 12, Shiromini has been living in the UK after fleeing the Sri Lankan civil war. She was dependent on her father’s student visa but he died in 2011 from bowel cancer complications. Since then she and her mother were granted leave to remain. She went on to pass all her exams and get a place at Bangor University in 2014.

Shiromini launched this petition on Friday in a desperate attempt to get help, and her friends have been trying to speak with her but it has been difficult and she says phone signal at the centre is bad.

Support for Shiromini has been covered in national press, the Vice Chancellor of Bangor University released a statement saying that he has written to the Home Office asking them to allow Shiromini to stay and complete her studies. Welsh MPs are also backing the campaign.

We only have 24 hours to stop this. Please join us in asking Amber Rudd to let Shiromini and her mother stay.

Carmen Ria Smith
Deputy President at NUS Wales

Speaking out: NUS representative Carmen on BBC talking about Shiromini’s campaign

Go to change.org/SaveShiromini to find out more about the petition or email press.uk@change.org