Also meeting Sisawo Jobarteh, a cousin of Bakary in 1986, who's father had died the year he got born and then in
late 1986 he became an orphan when his mother also died, I tried to help him with his schooling and after an other
year became his legal guardian. He came to England in 1988 and went to school in Tiptree, Essex
In 1991 Sisawo Jobarteh went on holiday to Sweden, to visit his old school pal, from his school days in
The Gambia. On his return he was refused entry in the United Kingdom and was accused of falsifying his
passport.
This was the start of a long legal battle with the British Home Office. I managed to get him into Holland, my
home country, and with one of Holland's top lawyers we took the case to the European courts in Strasbourg and
Luxemburg. Hundred of letters where send to all important people, asking for help
Tremendous help from the head of Thurstable School where "Sis" (as he was called in Europe) was for two
years
Even the Queen was asked for help, but it was the media and especially the team from BBC Look East TV, who
really got the publicity that was needed.
"it's so good to be back", that were the headlines on the front page of the Evening Gazette. BBC TV went to
Holland especially to record the return of Sisawo Jobarteh, who spend 7 months in a school in Holland.
re: Sisawo Jobarteh
This boy, a Gambian whose guardian under Gambian law is Mr. S. Wezel of Tiptree,
has lived here at Mr. Wezel's expense for two years. In that time, with the knowledge of the Essex Education
Authority, he has attended this school. During this period, he made several visits abroad and on each occasion
until the last, in August 1991, returned without difficulty. The last time, he was refused entry at Stansted
Airport. The subsequent history is complicated and known in detail by your Minister. He is now on a temporary visa
in Holland.
I write to you now, because Sisawo is one of my pupils. He had begun, his G.C.S.E.
work, and although the school is attempting to maintain contact, he obviously is not making the progress he should.
Sisawo has neither parent living, and is totally dependent on his guardian, who intends to give him care and
support until he is old enough to manage his own life in his own country. It is an unthinking cruelty to a child in
his position to deny.
him proper guardianship under the law and an education, and I ask you to intervene
personally in this matter so that Sisawo may pick up his disrupted education at the earliest possible
moment.
Yours sincerely,.
Head. Thurstable School
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