A UK Anti-Detention Network was set up in January to try to halt
the massive increase in immigration detention in the UK. It is made
up of local campaigns near to detention centres and prisons and
national bodies such as NCADC, JCWI and the Committee to Defend
Asylum Seekers.
Why another network?
In the run-up to the general election the government seems determined
to prove that it is tougher than everyone else when it comes to
stopping people who wish to enter the UK, particularly those seeking
political asylum. For its part the Network is determined that the
biggest-ever internment of innocent people in peacetime shall not
go unchallenged. It is scandalous that so many people should be
locked up, without charge or conviction, without written reason
being given, without the say so of a court of law, and without any
time limit whatsoever. In these respects all detainees - including
those in free-association regimes of detention centres ö are treated
worse than people convicted of a crime.
The vast majority of immigration detainees are people who are
seeking political asylum in this country and a large proportion
of them have escaped traumatic situations only to be met with abuse,
not a safe haven, on arrival in this country. It is estimated that
on arrival an asylum seeker stands a 1 in 8 chance of being sent
straight to detention.
There is no national network dedicated to opposing immigration
detention, a government policy which is arguably a cornerstone of
immigration control and denial of the human right to asylum, and
a case of institutional racism if ever there was one.
The Networkâs programme includes:
- a series of demonstrations - locally organised but with outside
support - at all major places of detention
- local public meetings to publicise the issue
- a national media launch in mid-March
- a website to be set up in March
- publication of a map of UK places of detention
- building on the local campaigns for a national profile which
may include events in London, open letters, a concert with big names
- going to see detainees and offering support - through the local
group of the Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (AVID)
More detention centres
Detention centres being built include Yarlâs Wood (900
places) north-east of Bedford and a new centre at Harmondsworth
by Heathrow airport (550 places), both due to open this summer.
Like all detention centres, Yarlâs Wood will be a profit-making
enterprise; it will be run by Group 4, which along with the US company
Wackenhutt runs the UKâs detention centres.
More Criminal prisons to be used.
Reception into Prison of Asylum Seekers
The reception area of a prison for asylum seekers arriving in
custody, is the point at which the asylum seekers, surrender their
freedom, self-determination and individuality and separate themselves
from everything and everyone that has defined them as individuals
In addition the government has recently doubled the number
of immigration detainees in criminal prisons. A wing at Lindholme
(Doncaster) has been converted to immigration detention use and
10 other prisons have been "designated" to take 50 immigration detainees
each. Dungavel detention prison (150 beds) near Lanark is due to
open in May.
January 2001: all-time record numbers detained
On 31st January 2000, 1,565 people were detained under
1971 Immigration Act powers. Of these, 414 people were held in detention
centres - 165 in Campsfield, 117 in Tinsley, 83 in Harmondsworth
and a total of 49 in Dover Harbour, Heathrow (Queenâs Building)
and Longport. In addition 231 were held in the 400-place Oakington
"reception centre".
The total number of 920 detained in criminal prisons included
177 in Rochester, 117 in Haslar, 87 in Lindholme, 68 in *Wandsworth,
67 in **Belmarsh, 58 in High Down, 46 in Winchester, 36 each
in Bullingdon and Liverpool, 30 in Holme "House", and 27 at Gateside.
Apart from Rochester, Haslar and Lindholme, these prisons have only
recently been "designated" by the Home Office and they account for
the bulk in the recent increase in numbers detained. The Home Officeâs
current "detention estate" has a total capacity of 1,842 beds.
*HMP Wandsworth one of the designated prisons for holding
detainees, was thoroughly condemned in a report by Sir David Ramsbotham,
released in December 2000.
**Detainees must do prison work or attend education classes
to qualify for £2.50 a week pocket money.
Why "Barbed Wire Britain"?
The Network is named after a series of European conferences publicising
the spread of immigration detention across Europe. The most recent
conference was held in Oxford last September (see report in the
last Newsletter). The 94-page conference report "Barbed Wire Europe
Conference Against Detention" is available through the Network for
£5 (inc p&p) from 40 Richmond Terrace, Oxford OX1 2JJ.
If you are near one of these places of detention and would:
(1) Like to join the campaign of opposition please phone the Network
on 01865 558145 or e-mail ADN@ncadc.demon.co.uk
(2) Become a visitor to asylum seekerâs in detention, e-mail AVID,
ireland@hj44.freeserve.co.uk
Bill MacKeith, Close Campsfield Campaign and "Barbed Wire Britain"
network
