Please can you help us to put pressure on our government to provide clean, safe, humane accommodation and access to legal representation, for people seeking asylum in our  country?

People seeking asylum are running from the worst of the worst situations: wars, torture, sexual violence at the hands of their police and army officers, deadly homophobia and violent paramilitary gangs. By the time they reach the borders of a safe haven country, they have survived unimaginable suffering, including the uncertain, exploitative and traumatic journeys they must make while fleeing. Ideally, then, by the time they reach a "safe" place to ask for asylum, they should be received with compassion, support, love, and sombre respect for all they have been through. 

Sadly, the reality is very, very different. On arrival, they are faced with the Home Office’s  deliberately “Hostile Environment”. They too often find themselves housed in unsanitary, unsafe conditions which are not fit for human habitation. Numerous reports in the media have alleged poor access to healthcare, severe over-crowding, poor hygiene, and concerns over safety at the sites. This is extremely worrying given that Covid 19 is now spreading rapidly throughout the Napier Barracks. 

They are denied access to visitors and almost no legal representation - a fundamental human right enshrined in our own laws for everyone, including those people who seek sanctuary with us. They are kept in ignorance regarding the progress of their claims for asylum and in some areas they are subjected to intimidation and abuse by right wing extremists.

The treatment they experience often mirrors the very circumstances they hoped they’d left behind for good. They are scared of being deported and sent back to even worse conditions in their countries of origin where they could face death or serious abuses of their basic human rights.The whole experience, including the risk of catching the Covid 19 virus, impacts hugely on their mental and physical health re-traumatising them. We now know that many are contemplating, and in some cases, attempting suicide. 

We are a caring society. At the start of the pandemic, 750,000 people volunteered to help vulnerable people. We are asking you: PLEASE extend this spirit of kindness and goodwill to desperate people seeking a place of true humanitarian sanctuary in our country. 

We want our government to:

- Close the Barracks
- Provide Proper and Urgent Access to Legal Representatives
- Provide Clean, Safe accommodation with Nutritional Food
- Carry out Risk Assessments of Those with Severe Mental Health Issues and   provide Appropriate Support