Yarlswood Detainees are currently on HUNGER STRIKE

The situations that have provoked the protest are as follows:

Many of the people have been in Yarlswood for 2 or 3 months and they have been traumatised, humiliated and their values have been ignored during thier detention.

There are pregnant women in Yarlswood having complications (including one woman having hemmoraging who was taken to the hospital then brought back) and are not recieving proper medical attention.

A woman suffering from epilepsy has not recieved proper medical care and is often found on the floor after her child has been taken to eat.

The children at Yarlswood are restless, many crying and screaming at night. They are sick due to the food they are provided as they are not used to the kinds of food.

Due to all these factors, it was decided last night (Monday 15 June 2009) to go on hunger strike. No one in Yarlswood went to dinner last night and the hunger strike is continuing today. The managers of Yarlswood have met and are trying to see what to do, but are blocking the detainees from speaking to reporters and people outside the detention centre. (from a detainees' collective statement)

THE HUNGER STRIKE CONTINUES

Tonight all the detainees are going to be outside in the courtyard to 'show the world what these people are doing to families.' If nothing is done, 'we are going to advance the protest tomorrow.' (from NCADC)


Update Brook House IRC
(from NCADC)

It seems that the problems had been building since the day before (Thursday 11th June), possibly when some Iraqis had been given either some bad news on their case or removal directions.

On Friday evening, a group of detainees refused to be locked down, and started rioting.

Apparently there were very few Duty Custody Officers (DCOs) on duty at that time, and they quickly removed themselves from the Wing once the trouble started.

This was approximately 9 o'clock at night. Some detainees were locked into their cells, whilst others were able to move freely around the Wing. Officers did not regain control until around 6 o'clock in the morning, when extra officers in riot gear were drafted in to take back the occupied areas.

During the night, many of the cells were damaged, as well as the Wing Office and anything else that the rioters could get at. Mattresses and bedding were burnt, including quite a large fire in the yard outside. There were apparently no serious injuries, but there was a significant amount of damage done to A Wing, which is now closed.

Many of the detainees who were locked in their cells on A Wing during the disturbance were held in their cells until the Saturday night, spending more than 24 hours locked up in total. There are reports that they received just an apple and a Kitkat all day, and no medication, before they were moved onto other wings that evening.