A NIGERIAN woman fighting deportation on the grounds her two young daughters would risk being subjected to genital mutilation on their return should be allowed stay in Ireland, novelist Roddy Doyle has argued in a letter to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern.
Last month, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) intervened in the case of Sligo-based Pamela Izevbekhai after she lost her High Court bid to prevent the deportation of herself and her two daughters, aged six and seven.
The court was told Ms Izevbekhai's eldest daughter had died as a result of being subjected to genital mutilation in Nigeria. Following the ECHR's intervention, the Department of Justice announced Ms Izevbekhai would not be deported prior to December 10th, in order to allow the ECHR time to consider her application.
In his letter to Mr Ahern, dated yesterday, Roddy Doyle explained how he was moved to write after watching a TV report on a civic reception held for the Izevbekhai family in Sligo last week.
"I thought how profoundly upsetting it would be to see these three people being deported from our country, and how ashamed I would feel if this happened," he said, noting that he was writing the letter two days before the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. "I'm no expert on law and won't pretend to be, but I can think of no moral reason why Ms Izevbekhai and her children should not be allowed stay here.
"I am a very proud citizen of Ireland but I hate to think how I will feel if I have to witness these two children being hauled out of my country and sent to a place where they might be maimed."
Doyle wrote that Ireland was moving into uncertain times made more frightening by "much of the commentary and political decisions". He added: "I can't think of any other time in my life when acts of generosity and reassurance are so vital. The decision to let Pamela Izevbekhai and her children stay would be such an act."