November 2003 www.closeCampsfield.org.uk The Campsfield Monitor Newsletter of the Campaign to Close Campsfield BLUNKETT'S SPECTACULAR U-TURN Campsfield set to expand! The next ten years? It was carried by 28 votes to 8 with 10 abstentions. Labour Councillors led by Liz Brighouse opposed the motion When the Home Secretary, David or abstained, councillor Chris Robbins Blunkett, made his of Kidlington being the only one of announcement on 7th February their number to speak in favour. As 2002, that Campsfield would well as being wrong, their stance close by 2004 because it was contradicts the policy of the 4 out of "outdated" and "inappropriate 6 constituency Labour Parties in for the 21st century" it was Oxfordshire which have affiliated to greeted by supporters of the the Campaign to Close Campsfield Campaign to Close Campsfield and consistently argued against with joy but also a dose of detention. The councillors' action is scepticism - a scepticism now being taken up in the Labour Party. shown to be spot on. Rooftop protest at start of mass hunger Just two months later, in April last strike at Campsfield. March 1994. What now? year, it was announced that the After ten years of campaigning, the closure would be delayed because of Local reaction of shock and dismay Close Campsfield Campaign has no the dearth of detention places created was reflected by the resolution to the choice but to carry on. Campsfield by the fire at Yarl's Wood. But Yarl's County Council by Liberal Democrat may not be a household name but it is Wood reopened in September of this councillor Janet Godden, that: "This a surprisingly well known one. year - and Campsfield did not close. Council was shocked at the Campsfield has a prominent position Worse was to come: Just a few weeks announcement by the Minister for in the Detention Hall of Shame. When ago, as the Close Campsfield immigration on 22nd October 2003 of the first detainees were bussed in Campaign was beginning to gear up her plans to increase the number of from Harmondsworth on 29 for the 10th anniversary of the places at Campsfield House November 1993, it was the first Centre's opening, the minister for immigration detention centre from substantial purpose-built detention "Citizenship and Immigration", 184 to 290. Council resolves to write accommodation in Britain. The other Beverley Hughes, announced that to the Home Secretary, reminding him centres were smaller: Haslar was a Campsfield was to stay open and be of his undertaking in February 2002 former naval prison and expanded from 184 to 290 places. to close this detention centre, and Harmondsworth not much more than This was a spectacular U-turn by the calling on him to do so without some old huts. Government. delay." 10 YEARS TOO LONG! Contents: 5 War on Asylum: recent 11 Bail for Immigration developments Detainees 1 Campsfield to Expand 7 New Labour - Tough on 12 Yarl’s Wood Update 3 Campaign Work in 2003 Crime, Tougher on Asylum 13 No One is Illegal 3 Number Crunching - Seekers 14 Barbed Wire Britain Migration Watch 8 10 year Photo Gallery 15 Bicester’s Protests 4 Oxford Racial Equality 10 Stars support bail for 16 Campaign Information Council refugees & Contact details www.closecampsfield.org.uk 1 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003

At Campsfield, on the other hand, The answer to "What Now?" is to £20m had been spent expanding what Carry On, but do so with an had been a youth detention centre. awareness that much has changed Campsfield was heralded by the since 1993. Detention is one of the Tories as a "state of the art" centre most extreme forms of state racism- when it opened. It soon became discrimination on grounds of race. notorious. The government excluded Almost at once there were protests Immigration matters from being from inside Campsfield, letters to the covered by its most recent Race centre manager, or Immigration, or a Relations Act. The Conservatives minister, petitions signed by many increased the "detention estate" from detainees, some of the biggest mass around 350 in 1993 to 700 in 1997. hunger strikes in the country's history Since then Labour has capped that and the uprisings or riots of 1994 and easily: nearly 2,000 places now, half 1997. The campaign to close way to the government target of 4,000 Campsfield has helped to magnify places (excluding immigration these protests and got a national detainees in H.M. prisons proper). profile by being active in many arenas There are new mega centres (Europe's using many methods. largest) at Yarl's Wood and Harmondsworth. In other words, campaigning against detention is arguably an even higher priority than in 1993.

Demonstration at a preliminary hearing for the Campsfield 9. Oxford Crown, Court Feb 9th 1998.

Campsfield Hunger strike, Local and National 1998.

With the resources built up locally in Young people and students have been key campaigning to close Campsfield and in to some of the most lively campaigning in supporting refugees in Oxford, we have a the past. What about those university job to do to continue offering assistance in academics, 100 of whom signed a letter to the setting up of new local anti detention The Times in 1994 calling for Campsfield groups, and contributing to national to close? Time to say so again! In 1993 no campaigns and lobbies concerning not just national trade union opposed detention. detention but also racism and chauvinism Now, largely as a result of the work of in government and the media, and wider supporters of the Campaign to Close issues concerning refugees and migration. Campsfield at least eight do, but with The single most useful aspect of this may effort we can make that more. There must be to ensure that we work more closely be new methods to try out or supporters with refugees and other migrants, whether in different fields to tap. Strengthening the current or former detainees, as it is they link with the very strong campaign in who will provide the strength and impetus Scotland against Dungavel will be useful that will force changes for the better in on both sides of the border. And there is their predicament, through their own the smaller Maghaberry prison with its organisations. In and around Oxford, we detention places in the north of Ireland to will need to do a bit of getting "back to connect with. Finally, the Campsfield angle basics". Fresh and intensified approaches will continue to be important in the will need to be made to local Oxfordshire national and international movement trade unions, political, student, faith and against detention in ways referred to community organisations through street elsewhere in a report on Barbed Wire stalls, public meetings and talks in schools Britain. and colleges.

2 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor

The most recent ride was promoted by Oxford Trades Union Council, whose Campaign work in 2003 president joined the ride with local members of the teachers, post office The monthly demonstrations at Campsfield’s main gate have carried workers and local authority workers on since the announcement of closure. Sometimes the numbers have unions. There are signs of renewed been around 10 or less, but there is always a useful exchange of news student activity among Oxford University and planning between people from different places (not just Oxford students. The Oxford University Labour but also the ever present Marxist Party from Coventry and others). Club has run a Students Against Campsfield Stall in Cornmarket and the The high point of the demo is always For two years running, the campaign has Student Action for Refugees (STAR) group making a lot of noise round the back, over had a stall at the Cowley Road Carnival, is visiting detainees at Campsfield and its the fence from the detainees' yard. - a this year alongside refugee support members will join the bike ride on 29th chance for shouted exchanges with the organisations in Oxford, and at the November. detainees who get a lift from the November One World fair in Oxford Town Campaign supporters distributed a leaflet outspoken remarks and tolerate our hall. headed "Why you should NOT work for efforts at singing and music. More Campaign supporters played a big part in Group 4" to those going into a Group 4 accomplished visiting singers and helping during the setting up of the recruitment day at the Oxford Job Centre musicians are of course appreciated Bicester Refugee Support group, which in Gloucetser Green in October. without irony. countered the initially simply chauvinist Following the "Campsfield to stay" The meeting organised with Oxfordshire Bicester Action Group opposing the siting announcement, we have started a mass Race Equality Council (see page 4) was a of a 750-place "accommodation centre" at letter writing campaign calling on Mr step forward, and a victory after years of Piddington outside Bicester. The Campaign Blunkett to abide by his February 2002 pressure from the campaign. It was a far also helped to bring BRS and Asylum closure statement. Copies of the letter are cry from the only other OREC meeting on Welcome together to make an impressive available. The Campaign was one of Campsfield, in about 1997, which joint presentation to the public inquiry around 80 signatories to a big Campaign shamefully was addressed only by Group 4 into the centre proposal, where BRS and Against Legal Aid Cuts (CALAC) advert and Immigration officials - they got a very AW were represented by Michael Hall. that appeared recently in the Guardian, dusty reception. Two bike rides have been organised jointly calling for legal aid for asylum seekers not Members of the campaign have spoken at with BRS to make the connection in the to be cut back, and was represented at the numerous meetings, sometimes using the public mind between Campsfield and meeting at which that campaign was set portable exhibition panels we have. Bicester centre and to raise campaign up. funds. Is asylum really a ‘PROBLEM’? NUMBER CRUNCHING - BUT WATCH OUT FOR MIGRATION WATCH The number of asylum seekers is relatively small. Less than 2 per Nevertheless, the government, while cent of refugees in the world as a whole are in Britain, although a perversely claiming that its asylum policies recent poll showed that people believe the figure is 25 per cent. are necessary to defeat racism and the far right, panders to the sections of the media whose political agenda it is to stir up In 2002, the peak year, according to Home The B.N.P go on to pre-empt accusations of racism. Office statistics on Control of Immigration, racism, "Sir Andrew has tried to make sure there were 84,130 asylum applications in that no one can accuse Migration Watch The Daily Mail, the Daily Express, the Sun Britain. In the same year, and in each of UK of being a racist organisation. "It's not have almost daily headlines disseminating the preceding five years, there were racism, it's realism," he said." lies and slander about asylum seekers and 'illegals', some of them using language and around eight million visitors from abroad. But the reality is that Migration Watch is information which appear to have come Moreover, removals have increased made up of committed racists. Migration from official sources, attacking refugees steadily under the Labour government, Watch's chief researcher is Professor David for supposed crimes, scrounging and ill from 6,990 in 1998 to 10,740 in 2002, but Coleman, of Oxford university, who has health, for being too many, or for resorting apparently this is not enough. held office in the Eugenics Society and its to catching and eating swans. The successor the Galton Institute, bodies So why do the think tank Migration Watch, government only very rarely seeks to which promote the notion that the purity widely quoted as an authority on counter the media's lies and distortions of the white race should be preserved. immigration and the supposed dangers of with the truth. The government 'over-population', claim that Britain can The main basis for Migration Watch UK's encourages the Tories to outbid it by expect 2 million extra migrants in 10 estimate is the official International making half-baked proposals such as that years? Passenger Survey, which asks those all incoming asylum seekers should be The answer is simply that the group, arriving at British ports whether they confined to an unspecified off-shore which leans on its connections with intend to stay for 12 months or more. This island. The BNP has made full use of the Oxford University, has a racist agenda. includes British citizens returning to the growth of prejudice against asylum The B.N.P.'s web coverage of the group is country from abroad as well as foreign seekers in its sometimes successful local illuminating. The headline "Ex- migrants. Even the Home Office admit election campaigns, especially in areas Ambassador makes a stand against that the group's argument is deeply flawed where no asylum seekers or refugees live. immigration", referring to the and that their analysis should be treated Asylum seekers themselves, especially organisation's chair, Sir Andrew Green, with "caution". those who are being dispersed outside former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, London and the South East where their clearly attempts to borrow credence from communities are strong, are being the profile of the fascist characters that subjected to increasing levels of violence, make up this statistic twisting group. such that many fear to leave their accommodation. www.closecampsfield.org.uk 3 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003 Oxford Racial Equality Council confronts "Immigration Detention in Oxfordshire Ten Years On"

The Institute of Race Relations has recorded on Because by the end of its web-site 24 deaths in racist attacks since the evening, with 1999, including four murders of asylum seekers breaks for food and a chance to look at in the last two years, and ten major violent material on the reality attacks, including, for example, systematic facing migrants and attacks on Iraqi Kurds in Hull, resulting in those seeking refuge injuries to at least 13 of them; The Institute has in Oxfordshire, the also recorded 14 suicides of 'victims of the A British brain discussion was starkly asylum system' in the last five years, three of focused on the rising tide of racism we face them in immigration prisons. that comes directly from the way we treat Only last week, research This was welcomed by refugees and the way commissioned by Article 19, a the packed audience - the media and the group that campaigns for free around 60 people - government describe expression, has found that the representing ethnic them. British media's coverage of minority community Jean-Baptiste warned asylum seekers and refugees is groups, and the A Refugee brain of the likely characterised by stereotyping, various organisations consequences of the exaggeration and inaccurate working and inflammatory articles language. campaigning with in the British papers; After four years of asking, the refugees in racist press, he said, Racial Equality Council in Oxford Oxfordshire. led in Rwanda to organised a public meeting with The audience pushed racist violence - and the title, "Immigration Detention both the national CRE A Racist brain racist murder. Tim in Oxfordshire Ten Years On". and the local REC Baster from BID This co-operatively organised hard on the importance of taking described the state racism event took place in the Asian a lead against Campsfield House detainees face every day in the Cultural Centre on October 13th Removal Centre - which operates virtual legal maze of the with support from the Campaign as a prison - and the proposed Immigration Courts, and in to Close Campsfield, Refugee Bicester detention centres across the UK. Resource, Asylum Welcome, and Accommodation Centre - which We also hope this will be one of OREC itself. will allow very restricted many co-operative events between Speakers from the CRE, Asylum movement. These two places - one refugee support organisations, Welcome, and Bail for which already locks up 184 men campaigning organistions, Immigration Detainees were and the other which is set to minority ethnic organisations and joined by Jean-Baptiste Kygamba contain 750 men, women and the Oxfordshire Racial Equality from Rwanda, an international children - show the worst Council. Only by working journalist, genocide survivor who inhumane extremes of the British together will we effectively now has refugee status in the UK. government. challenge the racist policies on our own doorstep - and see the The evening began with the We hope the CRE and OREC will end of Immigration detention in Campaign for Racial Equality take strength in their new stand Oxfordshire and the rest of the describing their current policy on from the arguments and stories UK. migrants, which is to actively they heard during the support asylum seekers and evening. migrants and to work against policies that will increase discrimination.

4 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor The War on Asylum RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

In recent times, the application of immigration controls Some of this material is has become progressively more vicious. There has been from the preface to a new virtually nothing in the way of improvement or reform. edition of Teresa Everything has been done to make the suffering of Hayter’s book ‘Open refugees and migrants worse, in the largely mistaken Borders: the case against belief that this will cut their numbers. immigration controls’, to be published by Pluto The viciousness has been directed In 2002 the largest numbers of Books in 2004. overwhelmingly at refugees, or refugees were from Iraq, www.plutobooks.com/ 'asylum seekers'. But it is also Zimbabwe, Somalia, Afghanistan increasingly directed at others, and China, in that order. As mostly Caribbean, South Asian before, the overwhelming It also increasingly rounds up and African, who are described as majority of asylum seekers come others, who may have lived for 'over-stayers', picked up, detained from areas in which there is years in this country and have and eventually deported. In the severe political persecution or jobs, houses and families, for process the position of asylum conflict. They surely deserve sometimes minor infringements seekers as the new object of race sympathy rather than vilification. of the immigration rules. hate campaigns has become entrenched. THE CONTRIBUTION THE REAL COST OF OF ASYLUM SEEKERS "ASYLUM SEEKERS" - JOINED UP THINKING - Most asylum seekers, whatever DESTITUTION AND Wars create refugees their reason for migrating, are DETENTION The demonisation of asylum highly educated, and also willing Asylum seekers cost public seekers has no obvious to work long hours for low wages money almost entirely because of justification. Such increases as in jobs that do not require their the escalation of the repressive there have been in their numbers qualifications. A recent Home apparatus which is supposed to are, more than ever, related to the Office report estimates that stop them coming here, and wars perpetrated by the major immigrants make a net because they are no longer powers: first Kosovans and then contribution of approximately allowed to work. The cost of Iraqis (in the months before the £2.5 billion a year to public detaining asylum seekers ranges US/British invasion of Iraq in finances, since they are mostly from £364 to £1620 per week. March 2003) accounted for almost young, fit and have been educated The government bears heavy the entire increase. at others' expense. responsibility for the growth of Just this week it has been Despite this, the government is the hysteria against asylum announced that the home conducting what has become seekers and so-called 'illegal secretary intends to start known as a 'war on asylum'. It immigrants' (the terms are often deporting some of the 14,000 attacks asylum seekers for their used interchangeably). It is hard Iraqis who fled here for protection supposed abuse of the system to see why it thus aids and abets when the government decided to and singles them out for harsh the racists, unless it is that it is so bomb their homeland. What treatment. It drives them into unpopular on most issues that it possible justification can there be illegality, locks them up, does not believes it can win a little for this when the shelling allow them to work, reduces them popularity by appearing to be continues and our government to destitution, splits up their stemming a 'flood' of asylum continues to dig its hands in the families, labels them 'illegal seekers who might otherwise public purse to help the immigrants' and promises to 'swamp' British schools and the Americans to fund the continued deport more of them if it can't welfare state. military presence? stop them coming in the first Continued overleaf... place. www.closecampsfield.org.uk 5 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003

The scene outside the opening of the Campsfield 9 trial. Oxford Crown Court, 1st June 1998.

The detention of asylum seekers To facilitate removals the According to the Oxford Mail of 1 is one of the harshest government has announced its October 2003, three companies consequences of immigration intention to set up a smooth are bidding to operate the Bicester controls and causes great process under which asylum accommodation prison: United suffering for migrants and seekers are first to be sent to Kingdom Detention Services, refugees. But it is little more than 'induction centres', then moved Group 4 and Premier Prisons. (See window-dressing. It does not on to 'accommodation centres' or, page 15) serve its main function of failing that, made to report to There are to be medical, legal and deterring potential immigrants, 'reporting centres' from the educational facilities and meals and it does not even make it easy accommodation to which they provided within the centres, but to deport people. In the end the have been dispersed, and then, if no self-catering facilities and government seems to be doing their claims are rejected (but probably little transport. Children little other than trying to convince sometimes in practice before they will not be allowed to go to local the opponents of immigration are rejected), to 'removal centres'. schools, so the chances of them that it is keeping people out of The induction centres and learning English, let alone getting Britain. accommodation centres are not to an adequate education and having Immigration detention centres be locked, but they are prisons in the chance to integrate, will be have been renamed 'removal effect, with strong inducements minimal. The home secretary centres'. The government has and penalties for the people David Blunkett, outdoing his announced that it intends to assigned to them not to leave, and predecessor Jack Straw, said that increase the numbers detained to they will operate a kind of curfew. schools were in danger of being 4,000. Two big new detention The Home Office has stated that if 'swamped' by asylum seekers' centres at Harmondsworth, near people fail to obey 'clear rules' children. Heathrow, and Yarl's Wood, near then not only will they lose all Meanwhile, increasing numbers of Bedford, opened in 2001 (see page future public support, but asylum seekers who are granted 12), were meant to expand the 'breaking the rules may also affect their liberty are finding 'detention estate'. But half the 550 their claims for asylum' (which themselves enslaved by poverty. spaces at Harmondsworth are no must be unlawful under the rules Currently around 5,000, are being longer in use. Meanwhile, a Young of the refugee conventions). The reduced to destitution. They are Offenders' Institution at Dover, a centres will be built and run by not allowed to work, and they prison at Dungavel near Glasgow private contractors. receive nothing from the state. and part of Lindholme prison near Doncaster have been redesignated as immigration prisons.

6 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor New Labour: Tough on Crime, Tougher on Asylum Seekers "Refugees are not criminals" and "No one is illegal" are chants regularly shouted by campaigners at demonstrations. But New Labour is not listening. Rather, pandering to the racist and right wing agenda that dominates the asylum debate, New Labour has consistently implemented legislation and policies that are increasingly designed to penalize asylum seekers. Many of the basic fundamental rights and freedoms incorporated into English law by New Labour have been held simply not to apply to asylum seekers.

Rights that automatically accrue As the system is so tipped against The 2002 Nationality, Immigration to defendants in the criminal applicants, it is crucial that and Asylum Act was preceded by justice system, such as the right lawyers are granted the resources a White Paper entitled 'Secure not to be detained arbitrarily just to adequately represent their Borders, Safe Haven: Integration do not apply to refugees and clients. But the government has with Diversity', published in migrants not even accused of any announced, in a further twist of February 2002. This is a curious crime. Of course, New Labour is the screw, that legal aid to document. Its first half is devoted also trying to whittle away the prepare for appeals will be limited to arguing that immigrants make long established rights of criminal to four hours for initial advice, a large contribution to British defendants. including solicitors' travel time to prosperity and to meeting remote detention centres and Even in the darkest days of the shortages of skills, and that everything else, and five hours to Tories, refugees never faced the Britain needs more of them. The prepare an appeal. In most cases, sheer destitution that the 2002 second half is about how the good conscientious solicitors Act has subjected thousands to. government will stop them know that they cannot remotely Lawyers have had an up-hill battle coming. stay within these limits. So they to fight for miniscule benefits for The government, like other may withdraw from the work, asylum seekers who are not European governments, is worried leaving what the government calls allowed to work and have been about skills and labour shortages, the 'legal aid gravy train' in the denied assistance on the basis declining birth rates and an hands of the charlatans. Blair, in that they have not applied quickly ageing population. It had already his speech to the Labour party's enough - in some cases as little as launched a scheme called the October 2003 conference, said the two hours has been held to be too Highly Skilled Migrant following: slow! In some instances, lawyers Programme, under which certain have had to rely on case-law from "We should cut back the 'highly skilled' people could be 1803 to argue that such people ludicrously complicated appeal admitted without the need for cannot simply be left helpless and process, we should derail the them to have work permits for destitute. gravy train of legal aid, fast-track specific jobs. The number of work A High Court judge recently ruled those from democratic countries, permits issued to employers has that asylum seekers do not have and remove those who fail in their nearly doubled, from 68,400 in the right to have their interviews claims without further judicial 1998 to 120,115 in 2002. The with the home office tape interference." government allows foreign recorded, even at the expense of There have been many incidents students, increasingly in demand their own solicitor. Most cases of clients saved at the last minute because they pay higher fees, to are rejected on the basis of from deportation only to be stay in Britain if they complete inconsistencies arising from eventually granted full refugee their courses and find a job. interviews, often attended by poor status on appeal. The hypocrisy is stunning. Printed interpreters. In the criminal in thick black ink at the bottom of justice system, the idea of having every asylum refusal letter from an unrecorded police interview the Home Office are the words would be unthinkable. And yet in "BUILDING A SAFE, JUST AND extreme cases the penalties for TOLERANT SOCIETY". refugees are far worse. www.closecampsfield.org.uk 7 Demonstration soon after the opening of Campsfield Detention Centre.

Demonstration for the Campsfield 9. Demonstration outside Campsfield. Oxford Crown Court, Feb 9th 1998.

Picket on the first day of the Trial against the Campsfield 9. National Demonstration outside Campsfield. Oxford Crown Court, June 3rd 1998.

8 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Celebration after the collapse of the Campsfield 9 trial.

Detainee protest at Campsfield. Aug 20th 1997. Photo: Oxford County Newspapers.

Student-led protest at Heathrow terminal 1, on the day that cash benefits were taken from half of all asylum seekers. May 5th 1996.

‘Scapegoat’ Demo at Crown Prosecution Oxford to London walk (with a 5,000 Detainees inside campsfield (before trees were Service, Victoria, London. April 29th 1998. names petition for No. 10). Dec 1994. cut and fence height doubled). Feb 25th 1995. www.closecampsfield.org.uk 9 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003 OPENING THE DOORS TO FREEDOM Radiohead top the list of famous names giving their support to Opening the Doors to Freedom, a new publication that is a tribute to the tireless work of the many people in Oxford who try to secure bail for asylum seekers detained at Campsfield House Immigration Detention Centre. Stars support bail for asylum seekers

Money raised from the Radiohead says: "We're proud that Oxford-based band's our music has helped provide famous 2001 Oxford South funds so that the Oxford Bail Park concert financed the Support Group can offer hope and book, which includes liberation for some of those messages of support from people unjustly imprisoned at Radiohead, actress Dame Campsfield." Diana Rigg, poet Benjamin The authors of the book all live in Zephaniah and novelist Oxford - Niamh McClean, a Beverley Naidoo, plus the postgraduate student who story of how DJ John Peel specialises in the human rights of helped bail a Romanian detained asylum seekers, Anne human rights activist from Mobbs, co-ordinator of the Oxford the immigration detention Bail Support Group, and Ionel centre in Kidlington just Dumitrascu, a Romanian human outside Oxford. rights activist and trustee of More than a 100 asylum- Asylum Welcome. seekers have been released Opening the Doors to Freedom from Campsfield over the past three years by visitors published by Oxford Bail Support from the Oxford charity Group and Asylum Welcome Asylum Welcome, which price £3.50 (inc p&p) or from set up the Oxford Bail Support Group with money Oxford Bail Support Group at donated by Radiohead. 43A Cardigan Street Opening the Doors to Freedom gives an insight Oxford, OX2 6BS. into the personal plight of Tel- 01865 511079 these refugees and tells of nerve-racking court- All proceeds go to the dramas, the victories and Oxford Bail Support Group. failures of the judicial system.

10 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID) BID was set up in 1998 to provide a dedicated and free bail service to detained asylum seekers and migrants. BID (Oxford) We work to improve access to bail, to raise awareness has had some powerful of detention issues and offer training to solicitors. successes recently:

BID is a registered charity with its main This has disrupted our work considerably, Asylum Welcome asked us to help detainee office in London and local offices in but even more, we are concerned by the N who spoke no English and no one else in Oxford and Portsmouth. It is staffed by unsettling effect on detainees. Written Campsfield spoke his language for most of trained volunteers, who undertake statements have been sent to us by his 8 months there. N had no visits from his casework and administration, by a paid detainees of over-zealous physical solicitor and no telephone communication he Coordinator, Legal Officer, Outreach restraint and treatment by Group 4 guards could understand during that time. He Officer and Policy and Research Officer. when moving them to other centres. Also received some papers in English which he BID receives funding from individual we have received accounts of long waits in could not read. N had been badly treated by donations, charitable trusts and support in white vans (up to 8/9 hours on some the army in his country and had Temporary kind from volunteers and pro bono occasions) when the private firm Admission on arrival here but inexplicably advocates. There is no government Wakenhut transport people about the was detained later after being hospitalised as funding. country. The processing of paperwork for a result of a racist attack. At N's bail hearing Detainees are entitled to apply for bail so entry to a centre is often held up due to the Home Office did not contest his release that they can live at liberty while their the numbers involved. and the Immigration Service could offer no applications to stay in the UK are Lack of food, water and sleep have been reason for incarcerating him for over 8 processed, but there are no automatic bail described. We have reported incidents months. N was released with 1 surety and no hearings. Public funding does exist for known to us to the Immigration Service, reporting conditions. He is now living with solicitors to make bail applications but and the Chief Inspector of Prisons relatives and has a new solicitor. many do not do so and this funding is amongst others, but little seems to have M, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker had been currently under threat. been done. detained on arrival by the UK Immigration People seeking asylum and their children, Recently Campsfield was emptied for Service, spending more than three months in can be detained at any stage of their electrical work to take place. Our clients detention. BID asked Refugee Council asylum claim. There are no basic were spread far and wide. Now Children's Section to send one of their procedural guarantees to protect people Campsfield is up and running again but advisers to do an age assessment on this from arbitrary detention. less than 10% of our previous clients have individual. The adjudicator released M in spite been returned. Others have been moved in of having no surety or an accommodation People who have committed no crime, address. Therefore the adjudicator directed including children, vulnerable adults with and we have been unable to trace many of our original group. that an address to be provided by the social mental and physical health problems, rape services. M spent another five days in and torture victims, are being deprived of We have successfully run a number of detention until the social services provided their liberty. Detention is often for long cases for 'overstayers' where the right to him with an accommodation address. The periods without automatic access to family life for a man with children and a address was provided only after BID contacted review by a court. Many people are settled way of life has prevailed. In some M's solicitor who threatened the social detained on arrival and remain detained cases the detainee has lived here for more services with legal action. in breach of their human rights. They have than 10 years. Adjudicators have great difficulty in accessing good legal repeatedly said that the detainees in these V had been in detention for four months. He advice appropriate medical facilities. cases are unlikely to abscond. spent the initial three weeks in Oakington and was then taken to a removal centre. The Government is set to increase the use Over the years announcements from the Following investigations into the facts of this of immigration detention to 4000 as soon Home Office have left uncertainty about case BID found that V had not been served as places are available. Detention centres how long Campsfield detention/removal with a refusal on his asylum claim. BID listed are now officially called removal centres, centre would be kept open. the case in front of an adjudicator. The two although our experience shows that many In October 2003 it was announced that pages of fictitious allegations in the bail detainees still have ongoing cases and Campsfield is going to be part of the summary proved very embarrassing for the finally do get status here. permanent detention estate and enlarged Home Office Presenting Officer who was to accommodate 290 male detainees unable to sustain the facts in court. Due to the compared with the 184 they can take at seriousness of the allegations of the bail BID Oxford present. The need for BID¹s services is summary, the adjudicator directed BID to likely to escalate with increased detention investigate with the relevant departments of and we already have long waiting lists. the Home Office all the allegations contained BID (Oxford) opened in 2001 to work with local immigration detainees at Campsfield in the bail summary and then to re-list the case for bail. BID sent a detailed letter to and Bullingdon Prison. Although we still Contact: BID (Oxford) MODCU (part of Immigration Service focus on Campsfield we often deal with cases further afield, particularly in Dover Tel: 0845 3304536 responsible for detainees) requesting clarifications on at least six issues raised in and Lindholme in Doncaster. Fax: 0845 3304537 the bail summary. No reply had been received One of the most disturbing features of E-mail: [email protected] after seven days and BID had no option but to detention BID (Oxford) has experienced re-list the case for bail. Next day V was this year has been the frequent movement released from detention on temporary of detainees from one detention centre to admission. another, often for no apparent reason and against the wishes of detainees. www.closecampsfield.org.uk 11 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003 The disgrace continues… Yarl's Wood - Europe's Biggest Refugee Prison Yarl's Wood, designed to hold 900 asylum seekers, is Europe's biggest refugee prison. It was built inside a military complex, with high security and a series of metal barriers in all the corridors so that moving around is extremely difficult. Detainees who have been in both Campsfield and Yarl's Wood say that Yarl's Wood was much worse, and far more restrictive, in spite of its deceptive external appearance which led the tabloids to call it a five-star hotel. Like Campsfield, it is run by Group4.

February 2002 was a good month for At one point it looked as though they David Blunkett says "The anti-detention campaigners. Not only could face corporate manslaughter Government, and those agencies and did Blunkett announce the long charges after one of its officers said organisations delivering nationality, awaited closure of Campsfield but he had been ordered to lock in immigration & asylum services, need Yarl's Wood was temporarily closed detainees after the fire had broken to demonstrate that they know what by a fire that destroyed half the £100 out. But a six-month forensic search they are doing, and that they are million detention centre. - despite the concluded no one had died there. doing it well" - some say it is blatantly extensive facilities of Europe's Further, potential defence witnesses evident they do not know what it they flagship detention centre, the were deported, thus depriving the are doing, or even worse, they do. department with responsibility for the accused a fair trial. Campaigners look to the Inquiry by fire service allowed it to be opened Judge Sanders was "staggered" when the Prison and Probation Ombudsman without installing sprinklers - hence it emerged that the woman whose ill for badly needed clarifications but it the speed with which the fire spread treatment had triggered the incident seems the Home Office aren't - they through the wood-framed building was seized by immigration officials re-opened Yarl's Wood, with Group4, once lit. the day after the trial began and was on 28th September 2003 - way before The fire started after a 51 year old to be deported immediately. the publication of the Inquiry. This female detainee -having been refused betrays their intention to totally Instead of praising Group4, why does permission to go to chapel - was disregard the Inquiry's findings, as the Home Office refuse to confront pinned to the ground and dragged well as a lack of concern to avoid the reasons why Group4 were along the floor by Group 4 guards, repeating the same mistakes. investigated for Corporate triggering a major incident. 11 Manslaughter? detainees, accused of various offences including arson and violent behaviour When their flagship arising from the disturbance, were detention centre was tried in a three-month trial costing publicly shown to have more than £1m, and not resulting in a gone badly wrong, why single conviction for arson. did the Home Office seem to simply turn On 15th August 2003, 7 were around and blame acquitted of all charges, 3 were found detainees, but not look guilty of violent disorder and 1 towards its own person of affray. Apart from failing to immigration detention secure any arson convictions, the trial policy and and the publicity that surrounded the responsibilities? Even event unearthed the appalling though the profit incompetence of the home office and making Group4 sued Group4. Group4 staff were accused them for £97m, they of inadequate detention training and continue Group4's being ill-equipped to handle fire and contract now Yarl's Chained March from Bedford to Yarls Wood evacuation. Wood has re-opened! Detention Centre. Sept 28rd 2003.

12 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor

Others getting through day by day, in Inside constant fear that it may be them next. Frightened of reprisals whilst they are still in detention, and Yarl's Wood afterwards, many feel they cannot SAFETY’S SAKE speak out. It all goes on behind Behind the plush visitors' centre at ...the complete insecurity solution. locked doors - leaving few avenues to Yarl's Wood - long corridors, endless evidence and bring to the public's roll-calls, and for some, medical attention. The Home Office have sanctioned neglect, and segregation for speaking Don't waste time feeling pity for Group4 - now discredited in two out. Children torn away from school friends became 'child females' and detainees - feel angry, because it's major trials as totally incompetent - being done in your name. At some running a reward and punishment 'child males'. Many have fled point we stop being innocent scheme. "Good" behaviour gets persecution and are now detained by guards paid £6.95 p.hr, including at bystanders and become complicit in detainees on an "enhanced" regime, the process unless we stand up and and "bad" behaviour results in getting one time - the local BNP Candidate. speak out. a "strike". But according to the Home During the trial it emerged that the Office, Yarl's Wood is supposed to be book of immigration rules was Contact: Campaign To Stop Arbitrary a "removal centre", where detainees removed after a detainee had used it Detentions At Yarl's Wood Officers referred are placed just 24 hours prior to to claim her rights. Tel: 07786 517379, removal: It's not clear when exactly to an area of the centre as "the green Email within the "24 hours or so prior to mile" - a tasteless reference to death : [email protected] removal" a pattern of "good" row. One described a detainee as behaviour is to be demonstrated. speaking gibberish. In fact she was speaking her own language. Officers Sat 13th Dec 2003 The UK is the only EU country to were given as little as five weeks' Yarl's Wood deprive children of their freedom training before dealing with through immigration detention. detainees. demonstration Yarl's Wood will predominantly be used for locking up women & Around the "detention estate" visitors 12noon Bedford children, none of whom will be to immigration detainees hear Town Centre and accused of any crime but precisely detainees describe the daily those about whom Chief Inspector of degrading and humiliating way in 3pm at Yarl's Wood Prisons Anne Owers said "We did not which they are treated, medical Close Yarl's Wood! consider that they were suitable neglect, being dragged off to airports places for lengthy detention, of without removal notices, assault. End immigration anything other than a few days at detention now! most."

Ten years of campaigning have shown that, though we can win some partial No one is illegal and temporary victories, the government's desperate attempts to Soon after we set up the Campaign to stop people coming to this country Close Campsfield we had a big meeting of (or to convince the racists that it is supporters in the Oxford Town Hall and trying to do so) have led to more and discussed the objectives of the campaign. more vicious attacks on refugees and We all agreed that we wanted Campsfield migrants. Their suffering is not some closed and also that we wanted the end of unintended consequence of immigration controls. It is deliberate all detention of asylum seekers and government policy. It will not end migrants who had committed no crime. until immigration controls are abolished altogether. Then we had a discussion about Most of us believed and still believe whether we were against immigration that there can be no such thing as To try and win more people to this controls. The campaign was, and is, non-racist immigration controls. view, to make the abolition of immigration controls more central to broad-based, and there were some Racism is inherent in immigration campaigns in support of refugees and who were not opposed to all controls. - it is the explanation for immigration controls. migrants and to propose the setting their introduction in 1905 and then in up of groups similar to many which Eventually we agreed that the third 1962; they pander to the racists and, exist in the rest of Europe, five of us objective of the campaign would be far from eliminating racism, they feed produced in Manchester a manifesto 'No racist immigration controls'. it. So, for many or most of us, to called 'NO ONE IS ILLEGAL'. The oppose racist immigration controls is manifesto is on our web-site at the same as to oppose all immigration controls. www.noii.org.uk www.closecampsfield.org.uk 13 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003 Barbed Wire Britain Network to end refugee and migrant detention

Set up in 2000, Barbed Wire Britain links local campaigns against detention with each other and to concerned national bodies including the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, National Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns and Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers.

Together with the last two These are very powerful pieces-some East Kent Committee to Defend organisations, Barbed Wire Britain very personal, some very critical of Asylum Seekers is the body (BWB) convened a successful government policy-and deserve wide campaigning to close Dover "removal" conference on the rights of migrants circulation. So far 500 copies have centre. Tom McGowan and others and refuges in Manchester in March been distributed and a reprint of 300 work closely with refugees and 2001. Since then a series of meetings is in hand (get yours by phoning support groups around the now at the Diorama centre near Portland 01865 558145-free but contributions closed Red Cross camp at Sangatte Place in London has planned a further welcome). near Calais. conference. Members of the BWB steering group They staged a day of action starting Barbed Wire Britain meets from time of representatives from local with a demo at the Dover centre to time, mainly after demonstrations. campaigns attended two meetings at attended by French and British people The last meeting, in late 2002, gave the European Parliament in Brussels who then crossed to join others at a training in getting publicity and this year. Called under the auspices of demo at Sangatte. Members of the information out via its website the Green and Independents group of Droits Devant group in France came www.barbedwirebritain.or.uk -which MEPs and held in the Petra Kelly over for a pre-ESF discussion with provides information on detention Room, the meetings have compiled Campaign to Close Campsfield and events. The treasurer of BWB, Gill information about detention in members in late October. Baden, has coordinated a series of different EU states and set up a useful And members of the campaign have BWB meetings with MPs at the Houses online discussion and information been to meetings called by PICUM of Parliament in Westminster, group (Email: [email protected]). specifically on detention. These have (Platform for International Proposals for Europe-wide anti- Cooperation on Undocumented been particularly useful in getting detention days of action and on Migrants) in Brussels. Early Day Motions tabled, and in lobbying the European parliament and Finally, BWB has two splendid briefing MPs (very few of whom the Interior Ministers (who decide banners, based on the sticker actually turn up although some 150 immigration and asylum policy in get invited). They are organised with secret) were discussed at a special reproduced here, that are available for use at local or national Neil Gerrard MP, who chairs the All seminar on immigration detention, in actions/conferences. Party Group on Refugees. which BWB is a leading initiator and BWB has published a collection of participant, at the European Social They have appeared many times writings by immigration detainees in Forum (ESF) in Paris in early outside the Yarl's Wood trial hearings the UK, Voices from Detention, November 2003. at Harrow Crown Court, and at edited by two former detainees, demonstrations and confer14ences in Gabriel Nkwelle (one of the authors) the UK and abroad. and Ionel Dumitrascu, and by Liz Peretz and Jo Garcia.

www.barbedwirebritain.org.uk

+44 (0) 1865 558145 +44 (0) 1865 726804 +44 (0) 1993 703994 +44 (0) 7767 414714 +44 (0) 208 571 5019

Barbed Wire Britain 17c West End, Witney, Oxon OX28 1NQ, UK Local campaign details on the website or by phoning the above.

14 www.closecampsfield.org.uk Nov 2003 Campsfield Monitor Oxford's Double Shame Bicester Accomodation center to go ahead Report by Bicester Refugee Support Group

Since the last edition of The Campsfield Monitor was published, it has been announced that Campsfield is not to close but is after all to be expanded. Thus, there will be for the foreseeable future, not one but two major institutions, euphemistically and inaccurately termed the Government's "removals estate", are within the north Oxfordshire district of Cherwell, north of Oxford.

In Spring 2002, Bicester was In August 2003, it was earmarked by the Home Office as announced that John one of the proposed sites in the Prescott had decided pilot scheme to house asylum to overrule the seekers in Accommodation recommendation of the Cycle Ride between Bicester and Campsfield Removals Centres. The Centre is to house independent Public Centre, Kidlington, Oxford. (31 May 2003). 750 asylum seekers with all Inquiry planning facilities and support provided in- Inspector and push house. It will be in a rural area ahead with its plans, despite At the same time, we are lobbying about four miles outside Bicester, condemnation by every refugee to ensure that if the Centre goes adjacent to a military base and a support organisation in Britain. ahead facilities and support are prison. Residents will be expected Even the local council opposes the adequate. We will be involving to remain in the centre and to center and plans to judicially ourselves in voluntary work with participate in structured review the Deputy's Prime asylum seekers when the Centre activities. They will not be allowed Minister's decision. BRS is goes ahead. to work and will be expected to planning now for the prospect of We need ideas, volunteers and live on a welfare payment set far hundreds of asylum seekers being funding. If you would be below standard benefit levels. forced to live in Bicester. So far, interested in helping us to achieve neither the government nor our Bicester Action Group (BAG) was our aims you would be welcome local representatives have made formed by villagers living close to to attend our meetings, which the slightest effort to prepare the proposed site. They put usually take place in Bicester. Or local people for this possibility, posters up in Bicester warning the you could show your support by but instead have allowed rumour town of increased crime, a threat taking out membership or and fear to dominate public to our culture and a drop in house affiliating your organisation to opinion. prices if the centre went ahead. BRS: details are available on our The British National Party and We continue to oppose the web site. Please offer your National Front, riding on the Accommodation Centre on support today and help to build a xenophobia encouraged by BAG, humanitarian grounds. We are positive future for Bicester. began campaigning locally. campaigning to change the tone of the debate in Bicester to one Bicester Refugee Support (BRS) more sympathetic towards was formed in order to put refugees. forward pro-refugee views about the Accommodation Centre. While we would welcome asylum Links: BRS Membership & Affiliation : seekers and refugees to Bicester, www.bicesterrefugeesupport.org.uk we believe that the size, location and regime of the proposed Bicester Refugee Support centre are inappropriate for their needs. PO Box 231, Bicester OX26 6ZN Tel: 01869 240852 www.closecampsfield.org.uk 15 Campsfield Monitor Nov 2003 Campaign to Close Campsfield

Campsfield House is an Immigration Detention Centre at Kidlington, six miles from Oxford. It is a prison run for private profit by Group 4, supervised by Home Office immigration officials. It used to be a youth detention centre, but it re-opened as an Immigration Detention Centre in November 1993. The local parish council was opposed Photo taken through a quarter-inch diameter bolt hole in the security fence . to it, but their wishes were overruled Campsfield Detention Centre. Sept 17th 2000. by the Home Office. Following Blunkett’s devision to How you can get involved expand the centre, there may be The Close Campsfield upto 290 detainees in Campsfield campaign aims to: We hold monthly campaign House at any one time. Most are planning meetings on the first political refugees fleeing danger, · Close Campsfield, other Tuesday of every month from torture and even death from detention centres, and 7pm at Oxford Town Hall. countries such as Nigeria, Algeria, detention wings in prisons; Everyone is welcome. Afghanistan, Turkey, Iraq, the · Stop immigration detentions former Yugoslavia and Zimbabwe. and imprisonment; We demonstrate outside They are held without charge, · Stop racist deportations; Campsfield on the last Saturday without time limit, without proper · Repeal immigration laws of every month. These demos are reasons given, and without proper which reinforce racism. from 12 noon to 2pm at the main access to legal representation. gates, Langford Lane, Kidlington Amnesty International report that The Campaign to Close Campsfield is (Oxford bus, 2B/C or D, or lifts supported by refugee organisations, these are breaches of trades unions, political parties, student from outside Debenhams at internationally recognised human organisations and religious groups. 11:30). rights. You can affilitate to the Close Campsfield Campaign as an individual or an organisation. The cost of joining / affiliation for individuals is £5 (£3 unwaged) a year. The cost for groups is £10, or £20 a year (to include minutes of meetings). You can send cheques made out to: The Campaign to Close Campsfield. You can also contact us by phone on 01865 558 145or 01865 726 804 or 01993 703 994. If you would like more information about the Close Campsfield Campaign or how to get involved, please see our website. www.closecampsfield.org.uk

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