[noborders-brum] Update on the detention centre hunger strikes and timeline

[phunkee at aktivix.org]

Update on Detention Centre Hunger Strikes

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/04/338896.html

26.04.2006 01:49

 24 April 2006: The hunger strikes in Colnbrook have ended. Meanwhile, on 20
April, around 20 Turkish Kurdish detainees began hunger striking in
Harmondsworth. A coalition of Kurdish organisations are planning a campaign of
support. Here are some details about the situation in Colnbrook:

The hunger strike at Colnbrook Detention centre, near Heathrow, has now ended,
and the sanctions against those on hunger strike (such as no access to IT,
chapel, shop etc) have been lifted. But:

- Detainees within Colnbrook have formed a movement called 'Cry Freedom' within
detention centres, to demand an end to detention.

- They had a meeting on Friday with a home office official, who has promised to
look at all their cases individually, and they will have a further meeting
today.

- John McDonnell, the MP for Harmondsworth, has been in touch with Charles
Clarke's office, who have promised to send a Home Office minister to Colnbrook
to talk with a delegation of detainees. They don't know when this meeting will
be but when it happens they will make a delegation from each wing to send to
the meeting.

- At this meeting they wish to discuss the issue of detention, as a whole,
rather than just individual cases, particularly the length of time people are
detained, the lack of any automatic bail review, reasons for detention and the
quota-driven attitude of the home office.

- At the moment they don't wish to issue any public statement, but will wait for
the outcome of this meeting.

However, on Thursday 20 April around 20 Turkish Kurdish detainees began hunger
striking in Harmondsworth. A coalition of Kurdish organisations, are planning a
campaign of support. At the time of writing this is ongoing.

london noborders
- e-mail: noborderslondon at riseup.net 


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Colnsbrook Hungerstrike - Timeline


http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/04/338897.html

26.04.2006 01:55 

 Detainees in Colnbrook detention center were on hunger strike from 10 to 23
April. Here is a timeline:

Saturday 8 April: 120 detainees at Colnbrook begin refusing food during a
demonstration outside Harmondsworth & Colnbrook detention centres, near
Heathrow, where detainees are prevented from going to windows or accessing the
exercise yard, to see and hear the demonstration.

Sunday 9 April: Many Colnbrook detainees refused to leave the chapel after their
Pastor, who had spoken via mobile phone to the demo the day before, was
punished by being put in isolation, then moved to Harmondsworth, and wasn't
present at the service.

Monday 10 April: 150 detainees at Colnbrook refuse food, with some declaring
that they are on hunger strike [report]. 97 detainees issue a statement
demanding an end to their detention. Many of them have been detained for over 6
months, some for up to 3 years. One man has been in detention since 2001.

Wednesday 12 April: 2 men at Colnbrook who have been doing telephone interviews
with journalists, are put in isolation cells, and refused phone calls and
visits for over a week. One man alleges he is beaten and told by guards: ‘why
did you talk to journalists and bring trouble for this company’. Colnbrook is
run by Serco.

Thursday 13 April: Most of Colnbrook refuse food in protest at length of
detention. Those on hunger strike continue.

Saturday 15 April: 125 Detainees at Haslar detention centre near Portsmouth
begin a food refusal in protest at length of detention, conditions at Haslar,
and in solidarity with the protests at Colnbrook. The home office deny that the
protests at Colnbrook and Haslar are connected, but detainees in both centres
are in touch with each other by phone, and claim that the protest at Haslar is
a direct result of those at Colnbrook.

Monday 17 April: A delegation of detainees at Colnbrook meet with a home office
official to discuss their demands. He focuses more on individual cases, rather
than the length and arbitrary nature of detention generally. They decide to do
a further mass food refusal the following day, with the demand of a meeting
with local MP John McDonnell.

Monday evening: Detainees at Haslar stage a peaceful sit-in protest in the
exercise yard, and refuse to go inside. Staff lock them out and call the mufti
squad (prison riot police) who search them all before allowing them back
inside. During the night, 40 detainees are removed from Haslar and moved to
Colnbrook, in order to try and contain the hunger strike. One man, whose name
appeared in the Guardian newspaper, is badly beaten by guards. At the time of
writing, several of these men remain on hunger strike.

Tuesday 18 April: More than 300 detainees in Harmondsworth detention centre,
next to Colnbrook, have a mass one-day food refusal, in protest at length of
detention, and in solidarity with the protests in Colnbrook and Haslar.

Wednesday 19 April: Detainees on hunger strike at Colnbrook are told that they
are not allowed to use the chapel, IT room, library or shop.

Thursday 20 April: Around 20 Turkish Kurdish detainees begin hunger striking in
Harmondsworth. A coalition of Kurdish organisations are planning a campaign of
support. This is still ongoing.

Friday 21 April: A delegation of detainees at Colnbrook, meet again with a home
office official who promises to consider all of their cases, particularly those
of people who have been detained for a long time.

Sunday 23 April: Detainees at Colnbrook report that many of them have ended
their hunger strike, and await a meeting with a home office minister.

Monday 24 April: Detainees within Colnbrook have formed a movement called 'Cry
Freedom' within detention centres, to demand an end to detention [update].

noborders london
- e-mail: noborderslondon at riseup.net