Politics

Sakchai Makao and an island community in revolt

AFTER the outcry over immigrants with criminal records remaining in Britain, it might have been expected that the arrest of a 23-year-old Thai-born man in Shetland who had served time in prison following a conviction for fire-raising would barely raise an eyebrow.

Yet this week an extraordinary campaign has been waged to prevent the deportation of Sakchai Makao by fellow islanders, his employers and politicians against faceless civil servants who, some say, have chosen an easy target.

If that's what they thought, they were badly mistaken. Shetland is now a community in revolt over the forced removal of a man who has been accepted locally.

Earlier this week, more than 800 islanders attended a rally in support of Mr Makao, who works as a lifeguard and has lived in Shetland since he was a boy (he can no longer speak his native tongue). A petition calling for his release has attracted more than 7,000 signatures, one-third of Shetland's population.

Friends and work colleagues are bewildered and angered by the seizure of Mr Makao. Now he awaits a decision on his future in a cell at Durham Prison.

The strength of feeling is exemplified by Andrew Bennett, who is considering cancelling his wedding to fiancee Kirsty Reid if his friend can't be there. Mr Bennett met Mr Makao as a teenager when he joined his school, Brae High, in Shetland. "We have been friends ever since," he said.

Mr Makao left in fifth year to work as a trainee lifeguard at the local swimming pool. Mr Bennett stayed on, later leaving to go to university, but the pair kept in touch. When he made his wedding plans, Mr Bennett asked his old friend to be best man.

But earlier this month, Mr Makao called to say he may not make the 1 September wedding in St Andrews.

"Sakchai rang me just before he got on the plane as he was being taken from Shetland. He said 'I don't think I'll be able to make your wedding' - that's how conscientious he is. He said he had been arrested and was going to be deported. I couldn't believe it; I was absolutely devastated.

"The wedding will not be the same if he's not standing next to me. I don't know if I want to go through with it if he's not there. Hopefully, something will happen and we won't have to cancel the wedding."

James Johnston, manager of Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT) which employs Mr Makao as a lifeguard, is also hoping an appeal will be successful and Mr Makao will be released on bail.

Last weekend, he met Mr Makao for almost two hours in Durham Prison. He said: "I was pleasantly surprised how he was handling it. His face lit up when he saw me.

"He was a lot more upbeat than I expected, though I don't think it had quite sunk in.

"Remarkably, and I suppose it's typical Sakchai, he wasn't complaining a great deal, other than the fact that he couldn't understand why he was in prison."

Mr Johnston was able to tell Mr Makao about the sheer scale of the Shetland community's support for his cause, which lifted his spirits.

He explained: "I told him about what was going on at home. At that time, there were about 4,000 signatures on the petition, and when I was saying that to him you could see his face lighting up. He did ask the prison officers if he could access the internet to see what was going on but he was denied that.

"He was at pains to stress that he wanted me to pass on his thanks to friends, family, work colleagues and everybody else for their support. He said when he got out of prison he would be replying to each one individually. I said maybe he didn't realise the scale - it could take him quite a bit of time."

Yesterday, there was another amazing show of support for Shetland's adopted son when the GMTV cameras arrived to report on the case and 200 people turned up at 6am to back him.

"The support he has in Shetland is amazing, but it is not surprising as he is such a nice bloke. Everyone likes him", said Mr Bennett.

Mr Makao and his family - his sister, mother and step-father - arrived in Shetland in 1993.

His sister, Uthia, said: "We chose Shetland as a friend from the same village in Thailand was there and offered to put us up. We fell in love with the place. Sakchai loved it, he had a lot of friends and a job he loved. Everyone treated him like their own."

At 16, he got a job with the SRT as pool attendant in the Clickimin leisure complex in Lerwick and also got involved in athletics, becoming a highly capable long jumper and triple jumper.

He represented Shetland at county level and at the Island Games in 2001 and 2005 and was capped for Scotland schools. He still holds the Shetland record for triple jump at 14 metres 15cm, set in 2001, and planned to take part in the next Island Games in Rhodes next year.

Martin Leyland, a fellow athlete and now coach at Shetland Amateur Athletics Club, said: "He is a very good athlete. But it was not just about him, he was prepared to help the youngsters as well. A couple of weeks ago, he said he would love to coach the under-18s in their annual competition against Orkney in July.

"It would be a big loss if he was forced to go. If you see him around, he is always happy, he always smiles."

The reason Mr Makao is now in jail dates back to 2 February, 2002 when, aged 20, he set fire to a car and a portable building belonging to a local fishmongers, causing damage estimated at more than £40,000. He later pleaded guilty to two charges of culpable and reckless fireraising. The court heard that at the time he was drunk and acting with another person.

His solicitor said it was "two moments of madness" and the procurator-fiscal admitted his behaviour was out of character. In January, 2004 Mr Makao was jailed for 15 months for his first offence, ultimately serving eight months, although no threat of deportation was raised.

Friends attribute Mr Makao's lapse to "serious personal difficulties" at the time. His step- father had died suddenly of lung cancer and, shortly before the fireraising incident, a baby he had with a long-time girlfriend died only hours after being born.

Mr Makao had also been notably absent from athletics practice and meets, and missed the Island Games in 2003.

In October, 2004 after serving his time, Mr Makao returned to Shetland to restart his life. He was given his job back at the swimming pool, a sign of his standing with his employers and an acceptance that he was unlikely to re-offend. He also returned to athletics and competed in last year's Island Games in Shetland.

Davie Gardner, a long-time friend who leads the Shetland For Sakchai campaign, said: "Given that no-one in the community condoned his actions that led to his conviction, and given we also tried to understand the personal problems he was undergoing at the time and relate those to his crime, most were more than willing to offer him a second chance.

"Since then, Sakchai has proved to everyone that this faith was more than justified. He is highly valued by his employers and loved and appreciated by all who know him within the community."

The scale of the battle to win Mr Makao's freedom reflects this. Supporters claim that when immigration officials, supported by members of Strathclyde Police, removed him from his home under a deportation order issued by the Home Office, it was done with haste, secrecy and ferocity. They point out that although Mr Makao holds a Thai passport, he has a visa which allows him residence in the UK indefinitely.

Mr Makao was flown to Aberdeen, then taken to spend the night in Glasgow's Govan Police Station. It is claimed family and friends were not aware of where he was initially and he was not granted access to a lawyer. It is also alleged he had no food for 12 hours and was denied a telephone until the following evening.

On 7 June he was taken to maximum security Durham Prison and put in a cell with a drug addict. When his sister visited three days later, she found him "still in shock, upset and scared".

Yet the family is holding on to the hope that justice will prevail - and winning more supporters by the day.

Last Tuesday, MSPs joined a demonstration outside the Scottish Parliament, a few hours before the 800-strong rally was held in the Clickimin Centre.

Among the letters of support were those from the Church of Scotland and rock star Elvis Costello. Alistair Carmichael, the Orkney and Shetland MP, has tabled a cross-party motion urging the Home Office to rescind the deportation order.

Rob Gibson, an SNP MSP, has also lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament in support of Mr Makao and urged Jack McConnell to intervene.

Messages are also being sent via a website. Typical is one from a friend: "I've known Sakchai for a long while now and I've never considered him to be any different to any other Shetlander or Brit I've ever met and I don't see that where he's from or what he's been accused of in the past should change that".

Another reads: "Sakchai is such a great guy he definitely does not deserve this.

"I have known him for as long as I can remember and he is a true Shetlander. He has lived here for over half his life and should be allowed to live the rest of it here."

His sister Uthia, overcome with the strength of support for her brother, broke down in tears as she tried to address Tuesday's rally, which she attended with their mother, Kesorn.

She said: "It's just been amazing. We expected a few people to turn out, but not 800, it was very emotional. It's very encouraging and comforting such support is there in the community."

Sakchai's letter sent to his work colleagues from prison

HEY, you guys, great picture by the way in the Shetland Times. Just writing to the lot of you to tell you guys I am doing good. Like I said, the food in here [is] not my cup of tea and jail's a jail. I just need to get on with it and hope for the best, but the support back home, it's wordless to me.

I am so happy you guys are always there for me. When I'd read the paper, it's brought tears to my eyes and it's made me so happy that you guys are given me so much hope. You guys are not just friends, you are my families.

I've met my lawyer and she said she can't wait to see you guys because she never had a case like this before. She is trying to get me out on bail so I might see you guys soon. I've missed everyone. Been watching the World Cup and my teams are doing super - better watch out you guys.

Mickey and Lachie, your dad's a star. This could never have happened if your dad didn't sorted everything. So I want to say thank you to you guys and Davie [Gardner] from the bottom of my heart.

Like my dad always said, when you find a true friend that friend will show you how much he loves you and he was right. I've found you guys and I can't be any more happier, no matter what happens.

I want to say thank you to everybody for your love and support. I can't ask for more. I can't imagine life without you guys and there is nowhere I'd rather be is this moment right now. So thank you, you guys. Everyone in Shetland have bring tears and joy to my heart. So don't worry about me. I can handle anything they throw at me. My hope and faith will be with you guys. Hope to see you soon.

Related topics

• Immigration and refugees
  http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=16
• Shetland & Orkney
  http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=860

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Last updated: 17-Jun-06 01:39 BST