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DanaC · 07-21-2004, 09:00 AM

I would just point out that the treatment of Asylum Seekers who have reached the end of their appeal process and are due to be repatriated is appalling. The security personnel are unsympathetic bordering on abusive. The conditions within the ariport based centres are shabby, there is no natural sunlight, no windows, people are oftne inthere for many months, those that have been there a shorter span are often shunted from centre to centre across the country and contacting them ( a necezssity for their legal representatives etc) is made deliberately difficult. On top of that the vast majority of the people held in those centres are not in fact bogus asylum seekers who are beiung sent back but other people who should be helped and welcmoed who are instead just dragged off into custody.

My mother works with refugees and asylum seekers. Due to an administration cockup involving a case of mistaken identity one of her colleagues , who happens to be an asylum seeker himself and who was awaiting the results of his appeal having done everything that was asked of him, along with his sister who had just been given permission to seek employment ( asylum seekers have no right to work for a long time) were both arrested. Five in n nthe morning the police arrived at their house and arrested them both, slapped em in cuffs and then held them for several days in a police cell. Having tried to explain that he has every right to be in the country and having provided paper work and testimonial evidence to back him up they then proceeded to shunt him around to 6 different centres. They held him for 21 days and his sister for 15. Despite the fact that there were people in touch with the Home Office from week one it still took three weeks to get him out....Now that he is out he has to report to a police station 20 miles away twice weekly with a sign on time of 9 am, which for someone relying on public transport takes hours.

In the three weeks they held him he was subjected to humiliating medical procedures and checks, was cuffed evey time he was moved, and lost about 2 stone in weight. He had stopped shaving and showering because the showers were so filthy and only had cold water, and besides he had sunk into a deep depression. This was a lad who had been srupulously clean prior to this.

This is the story of a lad and a girl who both have excellent English, friends amongst various useful organisations and the money to hire a half decent solicitors firm to act on his behalf. What chance the majority of the inmates many of whom speak no english and have no idea how to access legal aid. The people in those centres are usually the most tragic and bedraggled of the lot. The people most in need of our help and they are instead treated like criminals and thrown into a prisonlike environment with no windows and helicopters overhead 24 hours a day. Given the oppression some of them have fled this cannot be a kind thing to do.

Whilst in custody Imran sank into a depression and the advice he was given by those in whose care he languished was "if you have a problem, talk to the walls, they might listen"

So.....a desperate group of people get thrown togeter iinto a desperate situation, having escaped God knows what they are treated like the scum of the earth , persona non grata.....Poor bastards I dont blame em one bit. Maybe if the people taking care of them had thought to treat them as people instead of a contagion to be cured we wouldnt have such a response.

When he tried to complain about the cuffs he was told, "what do you expect? you're illegal"

He was freed a few days ago very quietly. Just one day someone came in and said "right you can go". Thats it.No redress. No apology for having made such a mess of things and holding for no good reason someone who had every right to be where he was.

07-21-2004, 09:00 AM	#15
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	I would just point out that the treatment of Asylum Seekers who have reached the end of their appeal process and are due to be repatriated is appalling. The security personnel are unsympathetic bordering on abusive. The conditions within the ariport based centres are shabby, there is no natural sunlight, no windows, people are oftne inthere for many months, those that have been there a shorter span are often shunted from centre to centre across the country and contacting them ( a necezssity for their legal representatives etc) is made deliberately difficult. On top of that the vast majority of the people held in those centres are not in fact bogus asylum seekers who are beiung sent back but other people who should be helped and welcmoed who are instead just dragged off into custody. My mother works with refugees and asylum seekers. Due to an administration cockup involving a case of mistaken identity one of her colleagues , who happens to be an asylum seeker himself and who was awaiting the results of his appeal having done everything that was asked of him, along with his sister who had just been given permission to seek employment ( asylum seekers have no right to work for a long time) were both arrested. Five in n nthe morning the police arrived at their house and arrested them both, slapped em in cuffs and then held them for several days in a police cell. Having tried to explain that he has every right to be in the country and having provided paper work and testimonial evidence to back him up they then proceeded to shunt him around to 6 different centres. They held him for 21 days and his sister for 15. Despite the fact that there were people in touch with the Home Office from week one it still took three weeks to get him out....Now that he is out he has to report to a police station 20 miles away twice weekly with a sign on time of 9 am, which for someone relying on public transport takes hours. In the three weeks they held him he was subjected to humiliating medical procedures and checks, was cuffed evey time he was moved, and lost about 2 stone in weight. He had stopped shaving and showering because the showers were so filthy and only had cold water, and besides he had sunk into a deep depression. This was a lad who had been srupulously clean prior to this. This is the story of a lad and a girl who both have excellent English, friends amongst various useful organisations and the money to hire a half decent solicitors firm to act on his behalf. What chance the majority of the inmates many of whom speak no english and have no idea how to access legal aid. The people in those centres are usually the most tragic and bedraggled of the lot. The people most in need of our help and they are instead treated like criminals and thrown into a prisonlike environment with no windows and helicopters overhead 24 hours a day. Given the oppression some of them have fled this cannot be a kind thing to do. Whilst in custody Imran sank into a depression and the advice he was given by those in whose care he languished was "if you have a problem, talk to the walls, they might listen" So.....a desperate group of people get thrown togeter iinto a desperate situation, having escaped God knows what they are treated like the scum of the earth , persona non grata.....Poor bastards I dont blame em one bit. Maybe if the people taking care of them had thought to treat them as people instead of a contagion to be cured we wouldnt have such a response. When he tried to complain about the cuffs he was told, "what do you expect? you're illegal" He was freed a few days ago very quietly. Just one day someone came in and said "right you can go". Thats it.No redress. No apology for having made such a mess of things and holding for no good reason someone who had every right to be where he was.