Mercy Baguma, a Ugandan asylum seeker in Scotland, was found dead lying beside what has been described as her malnourished baby in her flat in Glasgow. Baguma was discovered on Saturday, August 22 following days of not being seen by her friends and neighbors. The police were accordingly informed of the anomaly.
The child of the deceased has reportedly been discharged after it received medical attention and is now in the care of its father.
Baguma had arrived from Uganda as a refugee. She was allowed to work on a limited leave basis but when that privilege expired, Baguma and her child had to resort to the kindness of friends and charities to get by.
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Robert Qureshi, director of Scottish non-profit Positive Action in Housing, said Baguma had approached them about help.
“Mercy contacted our charity on August 11 and said she was not getting any financial support yet had made an application to MigrantHelp (a UK-based national charity for migrants),” said Qureshi.
He continued: “Had she lived she would have been a high priority for a crisis payment from our Emergency Relief Fund like hundreds of others left functionally destitute by the asylum system. The question remains, why are mothers and babies being left to go hungry in this city, why is it being left to charities and volunteers to pick up the pieces?”
Investigators have not confirmed if Baguma died out of hunger which was forced out of unemployment but Qureshi thinks it might be. He connected the Ugandan’s death to the misery of other hopeful immigrants to the United Kingdom antagonized by right-wing politicians.
“You are left destitute and without resources. And you’re left silenced by far right rhetoric for being forced to ask for help,” Qureshi explained.
Anti-immigration rhetoric has been received with resounding support from many in the UK as part of what is believed to be a sweeping phenomenon in Europe and the rest of the West.
