My friend Majed Hassan, who has died aged 60, was a member of the migrants’ rights campaign group Haringey Welcome, in the north London borough of Haringey. Majed (also known as Sharif) had been a migrant from Sudan, and he was killed during a return to his native country, during an armed attack on a displaced persons camp in El Geneina, Darfur, while attempting to help women and children to safety.
Majed had extraordinary warmth, resilience, generosity and integrity, and never gave up hope of building a better life for his family and community, in Darfur and the UK. In October 2019 he joined a delegation to the European parliament in Brussels, where Haringey Welcome presented our petition for migrant and refugee rights, and Majed shared his story, to highlight the experiences of refugees.
He was born into the Masalit tribe and grew up in the village of Sendikoro, Darfur, in western Sudan, as part of a large family. A peasant farmer from early on, his intelligence and practical nous meant he could turn his hand to almost any task. He was happily married with two young sons.
By 2002-03 the genocide was begun, by Sudan’s dictator Omar al-Bashir arming the janjaweed militia. About 300,000 people died, and millions were displaced into camps. Majed, along with many others, was arrested and tortured, before fleeing to the UK in 2003.
The Home Office rejected his first asylum claim. His support was cut off; he was destitute. In desperation, he made a second claim, using another name. He was arrested and sentenced to nine months in prison, after which he was to be deported. His UK-based cousin and the organisation Freedom from Torture intervened, arranging legal representation. Majed was released, granted asylum, and moved to Haringey in 2005. During that time his wife and sons had been killed.
Majed faced months of homelessness. He found it impossible to access English classes. Unable to undertake higher education, he was limited to low-paid manual work. Over the years, he took jobs as a panel beater, motor mechanic, security guard, warehouse cleaner and cleaning supervisor, delivery driver and Uber driver. His application for citizenship was at first rejected: but he finally achieved this in 2013.
With a British passport he could travel more easily. After 14 years he returned to Darfur, and in 2019 remarried there, hoping to bring his new wife to the UK. Last year they expected their first child; but his wife died while giving birth. Majed was killed during a return to Darfur to arrange to bring back his daughter. She survives him.
