Shaima: The Impact of Control Orders on a Child
12-03-2010
Shaima is the eight year old daughter of Faraj Hassan Alsaadi. She delivered this address to the Queen Mary Islamic Society Annual Dinner on Friday 5th March 2010.
As a victim of oppression in the UK, I decided to come along with my Dad to
this event for one reason - to represent other Muslim children who are still
going through the same thing that I went through myself, or even worse. I
want to spread awareness, so all of us as Muslims can do something to help
those people.
My Dad left Pakistan when I was seven days old. I saw him for the first time when I was six
and a half years old. Throughout that time I felt something was missing from my
life but my lovely mother did than everything to make me happy. She managed to
convince me that my Dad, who was in prison here in the UK, was actually
working for us there and that he would soon be back.
Suddenly I heard the best news in my life: that we were going to travel to
England to see the most important person in our life; our life will be much
better. But there were many issues. My Dad was under a control order. I realised
that the police can come to our house anytime they want; sometimes nearly ten
of them came at 6 o’clock in the morning. They always search the house. They
turn everything upside down. A few times they took my things. I was always
scared as was my Mum.
That was not the end. I realised that I was not allowed to use the internet. No
play station allowed, no MP3. I couldn’t go with my Dad to visit any places because
his boundary was very small.No friends could
come to my house. Once they refused to let my Dad take me to my Islamic school until
one Aunty from HHUGS did it for me for 3 months. There were some Muslims who
helped us.
I thank HHUGS for everything they did for us, paying for my school, taking me
to school, sending me gifts, looking after my family all the way. I hope everyone will support HHUGS. I have trust in them after Allah that they
are very sincere and will help many Muslim children in a similar situation.
