The dramatic events at Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in Bedfordshire on February 14 2002 were sparked off by Group 4 officers pinning a 55 year-old woman from Nigeria, Eunice Edozieh, to the ground.
Eunice had been denied medical attention or pain relief that day and was told by the nurse to "shut up and get out of my office". She wanted to go to the chapel around 7.30 pm and was denied access for no apparent reason. She reacted emotionally.
Four Detention Custody Officers (DCOs) got her on the ground - one at her head, one on each arm, one on her legs - dragged her into a stairwell and locked her in.
Eunice has needed a stick since then and by the end of her detention had a first-degree uterine prolapse requiring an operation.
Female detainees tried to come to her aid and were also locked in the stairwell. Later the nurses left, leaving them locked in alone during the fire. Male detainees saw what was happening through incident ensued. Group4 lost control immediately. Fires started.
Group4 Head of Security and Operations gave the order for staff to leave, and an order was given to lock detainees in the buring building. This was a timber-framed building in which the Home Office had refused to install sprinklers. Access by fire fighters was delayed - one described being demoralised when they were prevented from doing their job. Police were not allowed to take control of operations until 1.00 am - more than three hours after the incident started.
Group4 employees had no fire training, and there had never been a single fire drill that included detainees. But staff were told, "play it by ear". When a Group4 manager was asked "How could detainees escape fire?", he said " | don't know".
Even the frantic calls for help by Group4 staff trapped inside were ignored. Detainees were left: to rescue staff and each other. It took six men forced glass windows to get out. immigration papers. from insurance cover. people were dead or alive. charge. 'Centre's insurance cover had run out • Many detainees lost things in the fire - a precious address book, a family photo, clothes, For some these were their entire worldly possessions - and they received no compensation Worried friends and family didn't know whether
After the fire, detainees were put in segregation for up to 15 days. Conditions were freezing, and staff shouted, "stand back!" and threw food on the floor. 49 were transferred to prisons. Thirteen were charged - two were already out on bail, one already had Exceptional Leave to Remain, the other 40-odd were in prison without
Yarl's Wood. All detainees were transferred out of Yarl's Wood in March 30 2002 as the Remova •The Yarl's Wood defendants in custody were transferred from one prison around the country to 07786 517370 prisons said they couldn't guarantee their safety. Several attempted suicide. Eventually 8 got bail. For one it was a year later when the arson charge against him was dropped Two remained the full 16 months in prison - one of them in and out of the medical wing and hos pital on suicide watch. Defendants on bail were denied the right to work or to claim benefits.
Despite their forced destitution, they were obliged to attend court every day for 15 weeks, depending on supporters for subsistence. These are just some of the reasons why readers of Socialist Resistance should get their trade unions, Socialist Alliances etc to support and make donations to Stop Arbitrary Detentions At • Please make cheques payable to "Stop Arbitrary Detentions At Yarl's Wood" and send to PO Box 304, Bedford, MK42 9WX. • Contact [email protected] or :
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