More Government Shame

I was shocked to read the story of Isimeli Baleiwai on the BBC website today. Isimeli, who was born in Fiji, has severed in the British Army for thirteen years, completing tours of duty in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Iraq twice and once in Afghanistan, and he now finds himself about to be deported by the British Government.

While suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour in Afghanistan  Isimeli had a fight with a fellow soldier. Pleading guilty at a disciplinary hearing before his commanding officer he was fined £1,000.  Although this wasn't Court Marshall  the offence is a crime under military law and because of that it automatically carry over into civilian life, although many offences of this nature under military law would not be offences in civilian life. In addition to this the military process lacks some of the checks and balances of civilian courts, however that is not taken into account by the Labour Parties Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 which allows the transference of military crimes to civil ones.

The UK Border Agency apply rules that mean that applications for settlement by ex-forces personnel were considered the same way as all others and this it would seem involves consideration of a range of factors including unspent convictions, whether passed by military courts or resulting from police involvement. The result of this is that Isimeli who is married with two children to a British national has been given until the 9th August to leave the country. All this despite being described as an "excellent junior NCO" who is "charismatic, selfless and well-liked", by his commanding officer before leaving the army.

Personally I think it is wrong that we should treat an ex British solider this way who has fought for us for such a long time without taking in to account the circumstances behind any military crime and the system under the military are disciplined. Clearly someone suffering from a condition like  post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour of duty isn't going to be in the best of places and this can lead to irrational acts. They after all have done things and seen thing that most of us could never imagine doing and would never want to see. It is no easy number going out to a war zone and risking you life and watching you friends died next to you.

Isimeli is reported as saying "I was proud to have served in the Army and for that 13 years service I was seen as a British soldier but to the UK Border Agency, as soon as that uniform comes off I'm no longer a British soldier, but just a foreign Commonwealth person trying to reside in the UK. But at this point I had a British family, I had a British wife - two kids that are British - and I'd been given this letter saying that I wasn't good enough. I wasn't good enough to be a citizen of this country and yet throughout those 13 years I've paid my taxes, I've served Queen and country and I felt betrayed."

I am in total agreement with chief executive of Veterans Aid, Dr Hugh Milroy who said it seemed "completely incredible" Isimeli was being barred from the UK because of his brawl, before gong on to say "This is so minuscule as an incident, but the implications are massive.This should have been done and dusted and gone." He paid the price for his crime and given the circumstances, his long service to this country he should be allowed to stay. I urge the Government to look at the rules, regulations and laws covering residency of non national ex-service men and women and correct this clear injustice as soon as possible. Until then Isimeli deserves to stay in the country with his wife and children.