Asylum seekers treated as commodities

Asylum seekers treated as commodities

Thursday, February 07, 2002

Government promises in today's White Paper to turn Britain into a "safe haven" for those fleeing oppression by providing a "comprehensive service to asylum seekers" fall far short of reality.

The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture is deeply concerned that today - the day the assurance was made public - some 20 families, most of whom are torture survivors receiving treatment at the charity's north London treatment centre, were abruptly moved without warning from various locations to a building in Peckham, South London, being converted into a hotel.

Some 30 - 40 men, women and children were peremptorily informed that they would be transported to the new Peckham address, a former trade union building, giving rise to fears that they were to be dispersed out of London. Having arrived at the building, where work is still in progress, initially they refused to enter out of concern at their children being forced to live there.

Medical Foundation Director Helen Bamber said: "The speed with which the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) decants torture survivors from one hotel or hostel to the next, all within London, is iniquitous and unnecessary. These are highly vulnerable people who have the right to remain in London under a Government concession given three years ago, who are being treated as commodities, not people.

" We cannot comprehend how it could be in the Government's interest to disrupt the lives of these torture survivors by suddenly shifting them, without written explanation or a decent period to prepare for a move."

The Medical Foundation called on NASS:
· to give two weeks' notice to any asylum seeker to be moved to a new address;

· to provide those to be moved with a written explanation of where they are going and why the move is necessary;

· to provide a sufficient number of decent housing units close to where NASS-supported torture survivors currently reside so that they do not have to be needlessly torn from local communities, medical services and schools where they have developed supportive relationships;

· to confirm that all NASS-provided housing meets the objective test of approval by the Health and Safety Commission, especially regarding children.

The 1999 Government concession, given during parliamentary debates about dispersing asylum seekers round the country, states that torture survivors in need of ongoing care and treatment from the Medical Foundation will be housed in London.

"Now on a daily basis we are getting highly distressed and frightened clients who do not understand why they are being bussed to new unknown addresses at short notice, " said Helen Bamber.

"The Government says it is committed to ensuring that asylum seekers are properly supported and accommodated whilst their claims are being considered. NASS's behaviour cannot be viewed as proper support and raises a question mark over the Government's real commitment to this pledge."

For further information contact: Press Office 0207 813 3445, Mobile (out-of-hours): 07881 550274

Source: http://www.torturecare.org.uk/