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National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC)
110 Hamstead Road
Birmingham B20 2QS
Phone: 0121-554-6947 Fax: 0121-554-7891
E-mail  ncadc@ncadc.org.uk
Web site:  http://www.ncadc.org.uk/
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Urgent Cyber Action UK

The Home Office are deporting witnesses to the Yarl's Wood incident. A number of MP's have tabled a
Early Day Motion (EDM) to try and stop this.

Contact your MP immediately and ask them to sign EDM 1048.
Use FaxYourMP.com, you don't need a fax machine, just a computer that is linked up to the internet,
go to:
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/ in the left hand frame click on 'Fax Your MP For Free', when it takes you to
the next page, just type in your post code, hit return, and it will bring up your MP.

In the form box, just copy and paste the EDM below and ask your MP to sign immediately.
Early Day Motion 1048

Please notify NCADC, when you have done this, we will check to see if the MP has signed, just email
 info@ncadc.org.uk, with the name of the MP you have notified.

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Fire At Yarls Wood EDM 1048 20th March 2002

That this House is aware of the concerns which have been widely expressed following the fire at Yarls
Wood detention centre regarding such matters as the absence of a sprinkler system, how the fire started
and spread, problems of access for police and firefighters, and the evacuation of the centre; urges the
Government to hold an inquiry which has a significant public element in its proceedings into events at Yarls
Wood, including the subsequent treatment of detainees, and to impose a moratorium on the removal from
the United Kingdom of anyone who was detained at Yarls Wood at the time of the fire so that potential
witnesses will all be available for the inquiry.
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Important: on the day after you send the request, phone the House of Commons 020-7219-3000.
Ask to be put through to your MP's office, and ask them have they signed the EDM, if not ask them why
not.

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Yarl's Wood blaze witnesses deported

MPs call for moratorium as fears grow over loss of evidence about detention centre fire
Steven Morris and Maria Margaronis, The Guardian, Friday March 22, 2002


Asylum seekers who may have important - and potentially embarrassing - evidence about the devastating
fire at Yarl's Wood detention centre have already been deported, it emerged yesterday.

Amid fears that the moves could stop investigators getting at the truth of what happened, a group of MPs is
tabling an early day motion calling for a moratorium on removals of Yarl's Wood detainees.

The Guardian has also learned that around 70 former Yarl's Wood inmates are now being held in prisons -
to the concern of the UN commission for refugees.

The blaze on February 14 caused more than £40m to the centre run by Group 4. Fourteen detainees who
escaped were recaptured and 19 remain unaccounted for.

Separate inquiries into the fire and disturbance have been launched by the police, the fire service, the
immigration service and Bedfordshire council.

The Home Office confirmed that some Yarl's Wood detainees had been deported, but would not say how
many.

Neil Gerrard, Labour MP for Walthamstow and signatory to the early day motion, said: "I would have
thought it better to make sure that all potential witnesses were still available."

A spokeswoman said the Home Office had assured the police that "witnesses and potential offenders will
remain available to police investigation." Bedfordshire police said it was working closely with the Home
Office and was happy with the situation.

However, a legal source told the Guardian the Home Office did try to deport a woman who says she was
present when the incident which triggered the disturbance - which involved a woman being restrained by
Group 4 staff - took place. Her lawyers are fighting the move.

The MPs who signed the early day motion are concerned that such witnesses could be lost.

Alistair Burt, Conservative MP for North East Bedfordshire, said: "The problem is we don't know what those
who have been deported would have had to say. I do not think it is a good idea that it is the Home Office
which seems to be deciding who might have valuable evidence."

Meanwhile, the UNHCR expressed concern about the former Yarl's Wood detainees now being held in
prisons around the UK.

None of the 70 have yet been brought before a court in connection with the violence but, according to the
Home Office, they are being held in prison because they are considered "high risk".

A spokeswoman for the UNHCR, which says that asylum seekers should not be held in prison, said: "We
are extremely concerned that the government is again using prisons for asylum seekers. The people who
have been transferred from Yarl's Wood to prisons around the UK have not been charged with a criminal
offence. They should be released or failing that allowed to apply for bail.

"The UNHCR urges the British government to be more in line with most other EU countries where detention
is used as a last resort."

The revelation about the number of asylum seekers being held in prison is especially embarrassing as it
comes at a time when overcrowding in jails is on the political agenda.

Meanwhile police are continuing to sift through the rubble at Yarl's Wood. It could be another two and a half
months before their search is complete.

There was huge embarrassment when it emerged that no sprinkler system had been installed at the
centre, the largest of its kind in Europe. Concerns were also expressed about staffing levels and training.

There were also disturbing claims from the fire brigades union that firefighters were initially held back from
tackling the Yarl's Wood blaze for an hour.
The fire left the government's immigration policy close to chaos. Yarl's Wood, which had a 900-place
capacity, was crucial to stepping up the pace of deportations and getting asylum seekers out of ordinary
jails.