‘I’ll take my life’: UK refugees being deported to Rwanda despair

Editor’s notes: Names marked with an asterisk* have been modified to defend identities. If you or somebody is susceptible to suicide, these organisations could have the ability to assist.

London, United Kingdom – Refugees being detained in Britain who’re scheduled to be deported to Rwanda have informed Al Jazeera that they’re on starvation strike as they wrestle with extreme psychological well being circumstances, with one saying he has suicidal ideas.

The United Kingdom introduced a controversial plan to offshore asylum seekers to the African nation in April. The first deportation flight is about to take off on June 14.

Ahmed*, from Syria, mentioned he fled the war-torn nation after refusing to be a part of the military and arrived within the UK with out paperwork. He is due to be deported on the primary flight.

“I escaped and came to the UK through the Balkan countries,” the 20-year-old, detained on the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre close to London Heathrow Airport, informed Al Jazeera by telephone.

“Unfortunately, on May 20, the Home Office notified me of the decision and gave me a ticket to Rwanda.”

He mentioned he’s on starvation strike to protest in opposition to the transfer and doesn’t perceive why he’s being despatched to Rwanda, given the language and cultural variations.

“I don’t see any reason why I should go to a country in Africa where I don’t have relatives and family. I don’t know the people there. I will refuse to go, but if the UK government insists on my deportation to Kigali and forces me to the plane, I will take my own life.”

Ferhad*, a 23-year-old Kurdish detainee from Iran on the identical centre, mentioned the prospect of deportation is particularly bleak in comparison with the European welcome for Ukrainian refugees.

Now, when he hears a aircraft flying above the centre, he feels nervous. He can also be on starvation strike and scheduled for the June 14 flight.

“When the war in Ukraine started, all Ukrainians were welcomed and given better treatment,” he mentioned. “Since we’re all refugees, I didn’t perceive why I’d be relocated to Rwanda when Ukrainians are welcomed, given a greater life, shelter and all the things they want.

“Regardless of our origin, we are all human beings. Kill me here or let Iran kill me, instead of taking me to Rwanda.”

Al Jazeera spoke to 15 detainees at Colnbrook, the place greater than 60 persons are scheduled for deportation to Rwanda. More are understood to be held in different detention centres close to London.

Al Jazeera contacted the Home Office to ask how many individuals general are scheduled to be deported, however a spokesperson on the division refused to remark.

Asylum seekers from Africa had been additionally among the many group of detainees this reporter spoke to.

Asim*, a 25-year-old from Sudan who arrived in Britain in early May by way of France by boat, mentioned he risked his life travelling by means of Libya and over the Mediterranean Sea to attain the UK. But days later, on May 17, “I was given the decision to send me to Rwanda,” he mentioned by telephone from Colnbrook.

“I fled Darfur due to conflict. Kidnapping and taking me to Rwanda is against my basic human rights and to protest that, I am on hunger strike.”

British Home Secretary Priti Patel, who signed the multimillion-dollar deal to relocate refugees to Kigali with Rwanda, has touted the association as an environment friendly approach to course of the rising variety of irregular migrants.

She additionally claims it’ll stop trafficking and scale back deaths within the English Channel, the stretch of water between France and southern England the place some have died whereas making an attempt to attain Britain in unsafe boats.

While many of the immigrants being eliminated have spent hundreds of {dollars} on their journeys, the introduction of the UK Nationality and Borders Act in April permits the federal government to switch irregular migrants to a 3rd “safe” nation.

About 20 of the 60 detained at Colnbrook are understood to be from the Middle East.

Rights teams and opposition politicians have mentioned the deportation transfer is unethical.

Home Office paperwork obtained by some refugees, seen by Al Jazeera and dated June 1, say that the people can’t enchantment the choice to ship them to Rwanda on June 14.

As they described a distressing environment, the detainees additionally spoke of questionable circumstances.

They claimed that guards on the centre seized their smartphones on arrival and offered them as an alternative with cell phones with out web entry. One Muslim detainee mentioned he didn’t really feel assured that the meals being served on the centre was halal.

“We are hearing tragic stories about the severe impact on mental health, with reports of self-harm,” Enver Solomon, head of the UK-based Refugee Council, mentioned of the data his organisation has obtained from detainees. “We are concerned the government is not seeing the face behind the case and it should be doing far more to exercise its duty of care towards vulnerable people.”

A Home Office spokesperson responded to these claims, saying detainees have been in a position to contact their authorized representatives by phone, e-mail and video name – and obtain half-hour of free recommendation by means of a authorized support scheme.

The spokesperson additionally mentioned detainees are supplied with three good high quality meals every day assembly non secular, dietary, cultural and medical wants.

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