"We want the Home
Office to hear us and free us" (Circa June 2006)
Parents of children at Yarl's Wood on
Hunger strike
The parents of Sixteen families incarcerated In Yarl's Wood IRC
have refused their morning meal they have also refused to send
their children to either the school or the nursery.
I have just spoken to some of the parents refusing food at Yarl's
Wood and they are saying they can no longer take life behind the
wire, their main concern is their children, they want to know what
crimes their children have committed to be incarcerated indefinitely.
These parents came together to discuss the issue of the detention
of their children yesterday evening and decided within the hour
that they should make their feelings public and that a hunger strike
would be the best way to emphasise the plight of their children.
Starting at breakfast time this morning they have refused to eat.
One parent said for those of us who have been granted Judicial
review we are still being held as the Home Office has said they
would like to make more enquires. This parent went on further to
say that: "it is like they have put us in a small box, with
the intention of forcing us to go back to our countries which are
not safe." "as I am on medication that I need to take
with food I have stopped taking any medication. We are tired of
being treated less than human beings, the ill treatment of our
wives and children must stop, they deserve to be treated with human
dignity."
One of the mothers said she saw three staff holding and questioning
a little boy about why he was not going to school.
Another said: "We want the Home Office to hear us and free
us, I don't understand how some people are freed without bail and
some have to obtain bail'.
After reading Anne Owers report on Yarl's Wood published yesterday
it is not surprising that the parents have taken action.
Yarl's Wood has seen many hunger strikes since it opened and I
doubt this will be the last one.
The hunger strikers deserve all the support that we can give them,
contact you MP, make him/her aware of the families behind the wire
at Yarl's Wood
Nellie de jongh
Britain's Foreign Bastard Child
Nelliedejongh@freemovement.org.uk |