We will meet at Nottingham train station at 10am to catch the train arriving at Swinderby at 11.10. The detention centre is 10 minutes walk from the station. If people are coming from elsewhere, we suggest meeting at the detention centre at 11.30. The address is Morton Hall IRC, Swinderby, Lincolnshire, LN6 9PT. We encourage as many people to get themselves down there with banners, placards and noise making materials.

Morton Hall detention centre was formally opened by immigration minister Damien Green on 1st June. The centre holds single men and has 393 bed spaces, there are already men imprisoned inside, and ongoing refurbishment work means that detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished in September. This is a chance for us to show solidarity with those imprisoned and to let them know that there are people who oppose the way in which they have been treated by the UK Border Agency.

Morton Hall was officially opened by immigration minister Damian Green. The centre, previously a prison, has space to hold single men with 393 bed spaces. There is ongoing refurbishment work at the centre, so detainees will arrive in stages until the centre is finished (due to complete in September).

Background:
http://ncadc.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/new-immigration-prison-official-opening-ceremony/
http://www.nobordersnottingham.org.uk/regional-news-and-events/new-detention-centre-announced-at-hmp-morton-hall-in-lincolnshire/

“The children’s charity’s decision to work with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in its planned short-term family detention facility has caused alarm among campaigners.”

See also: Barnardo’s to operate detention centre in which children will be imprisoned in ‘secure’ accommodation

Barnardo’s won’t lessen trauma of child detention

Why Barnardo’s is providing support for families at new pre-departure accommodation: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/news_and_events/current_news.htm?ref=67322

Source: http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/newsrelease130111a.htm

Background: http://nobordersbrighton.blogspot.com/2010/02/hmp-morton-hall-to-become-irc.html

See also:
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Children-time-visit-prison-mums/article-1262383-detail/article.html

No Borders Nottingham aims to hightlight the continued use of Morton Hall as a place of detention. We aim to organise a workshop / roadshow around the issue of Morton Hall and how to support people detained there. The last Government dropped the idea of using it as a detention centre and an earlier workshop / roadshow was put on hold. For details about this, please watch this space.

As retribution several people involved in the hunger strike were moved to prisons. Three of those targetted in this way are still behind bars: Denise McNeil, Sheree Wilson and Aminata Camara. They have been away from their families, friends and communities for too long.

Their struggle was “for everyone in detention”. We need to support those who take action on the inside. When they use prison to try to silence resistance we will fight back. At the start of a new year, let’s show them that they have our support and that the struggle for freedom goes on.

At 4pm on New Year’s Eve demonstrate outside Holloway Prison, Parkhurst Road, in solidarity with the Yarl’s Wood 3. Please invite your friends and family. All ages are welcome. Bring noise-makers. [Map]

The nearest underground station to HMP Holloway is Caledonian Road on the Piccadilly line. Buses from outside the station go to the prison.

The Yarl’s Wood 3 will also have bail hearings in the coming month. Your support is very welcome. If you would like to come to the court to show support for them contact freedenisenow@gmail.com.

For a good source of more information visit: http://www.ncadc.org.uk/campaigns/DeniseMcNeil.html

Statement from detainees in Campsfield released yesterday afternoon by email:

“Unlawful Detention of Detainees
147 detainees are staging a protest by refusing meals at Campsfield
immigration removal centre. The protest erupted as a result of the
treatment of detainees in detention centres especially for people who
have been detained for a long period of time. We continue to refuse
meals indefinitely for our voices to be heard.

Some of us detainees have been detained for over 3 years with no
prospect of removal or any evidence of future release. There is no
justification whatsoever for detaining us for such period of time. Our
lives incidentally have been stalled without any hope of living a
life, having a family or any future. More often than not, we are been
detained even when our family (wife and children) are resident in the
United Kingdom, depriving us of having a life with our family. We the
detainees are also humans.

In certain cases, some of us are tortured and even face death or
mental distress. On 14 April 2010, a detainee of Kenya national Eliud
Nyenze died at Oakington IRC due to negligence. Mr. Nyenze, age 40,
had a heart attack, requested for painkillers, repeatedly and kept
crawling around the floor in pain before he died.

Detainees are currently undergoing mental stress with some of us
developing mental problems on a monthly basis. We are issued removal
directions without given enough time for an appeal.

It has become a habit by the UK Border Agency to use force in
enforcing removal of detainees who have a pending Judicial Review
without giving appropriate time or consideration to our case and
forcing our removal before our cases are concluded. In some
situations, we are not given enough time to appeal against the
decision which breaches our rights under Article 6 of the ECHR. Our
liberty and security has been taking away.

We as foreign nationals are often been criminalised for the purpose of
detention and removal as the law under the European Convention of
Human Rights permits the removal of foreigners who have established
there lives in the United Kingdom and are a treat to national
security. Foreign nationals are now been sent to prison for 12 months
custodial sentence or more prompting the deportation of such
individual. Removals are enforced on specially chartered flights with
security personnel who abuse and torture detainees in the process.
Detainees are restrained, strapped, beating and forced on the airplane.

On 26 July 2010, one of the detainee at Campsfield attempted suicide
due to the level of treatment received at the detention centre.

The Amnesty International has also reported that our detention
breaches the internationally recognised human rights.

On a regular basis, we are tortured, restrained, strapped like animals
and beating to effect removal. This cannot be lawful given that there
is provision within the ECHR convention that prohibits torture both
mentally and physically.

We painfully ask that the government, the house of parliament, the
house of common, the parliamentarians and all concerned to rise to our
aid and address these issues that affects not only our lives and our
future but the lives and future of the thousands of our families who
are constantly under pain and torture.

Detainees – Campsfield House”

Monthly meeting of local group Campaign to Close Campsfield will also be held tonight 7:30 @ Oxford Town Hall

Schedule

19 May – Detention and Deportation
23 June – Capitalism and Migration
21 July – Frontex
25 Aug. – Clandestinity and the struggle of migrants
22 Sept. – European migration policy

In preparation for the Brussels No Borders Camp in September, Nottingham No Borders is holding a series of info nights as an introduction into the topics that will be discussed at the camp. With films, food, and lots of interesting discussion, we hope to create an informal and open space for those who may be new to the politics of No Borders as well as those who would like the chance to delve more deeply into the details of the UK and European border regime and how it can be challenged.

Detention and Deportation
Wednesday 19 May, 7pm, Sumac Centre

The system of detention and deportation is one of the main ways in which the state attempts to control migration and violently curtail people’s freedom to move. What can we do to work in solidarity with those in detention? How do we challenge the private companies that make a profit from running detention centres and forcibly removing people? Is there a wider battle to be fought against the prison system as a whole?

Nor is the brave response by those detained a new thing. In 2004 persons held by Her Majesty’s government rioted after one death at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre near Heathrow airport.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/death-in-cell-sparks-riot-at-detention-centre-for-immigrants-553898.html

Detainees who resist their treatment and incarceration must be supported by anyone with an ounce of humanity. Deaths in custody must not go unnoticed. All immigration detention centres must be closed immediately. 9 deaths in UK detention centres are documented here but there have been more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_custody

Over 50 women have been on hunger strike at Yarls Wood Immigration
Prison near Bedford since Friday 5th February, demanding their
immediate release from indefinite detention.

More info, Read more and visit: http://london.noborders.org.uk

Serco, the company that runs Yarl’s Wood on behalf of the UK Border
Agency, has tried to brutally repress the hunger strike, most notably
on Monday 8th February when Serco guards locked the hunger strikers in
a corridor for 8 hours without access to water or toilet facilities.

London NoBorders calls for the immediate release of the hunger
strikers and an end to immigration prisons and is calling for a demo
in solidarity with the hungers strikers this Friday at 2.30pm outside
Serco’s offices at 18-22 Hand Court (off High Holborn), London, WC1V
6JF. Please bring banners and instruments.

Women’s struggle ongoing in one of UKBA’s detention centre’s run by Serco scumbags. Moved to mainstream prisons to try and keep them down. How you can help:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/02/445917.html

Written demands:


http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2010/02/report_from_the