From The Psychotherapist, Issue 36, Winter 2007-08

Asylum Seekers Today: Further Reflections

"Since my last article in The Psychotherapist, and my attempt to raise awareness of Home Office policies, I decided to learn more about what happens when asylum seekers are detained.To have a clear understanding of what I disagree with and what I am campaigning for I had to face my fear and meet with an exdetainee.

Through months of research, getting in contact with Medical Justice and Medact and attending their meetings, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to really find out about what truly happens to asylum seekers behind closed doors,when their only crime is to have sought asylum.

Knowing that there would be no turning back, I finally gathered enough courage and cautiously had a peek through that door and this is what I waw.

A couple of loud knocks on the door, then the door is forced open at five o’clock in the morning. A child hides in the corner shaking, the other child crying loudly, the mother tries to calm the children but is forced out of their flat without any questions asked.

"You have no rights, you are an asylum seeker”, she is told.“If you refuse, I have to use force”. She is handcuffed and forced into the car.Your children are with you, something to be happy about. Confused children, and a frightened mother who tries to stay brave for the children and raise no questions.Hearts pounding,minds going blank and the feeling of nausea when the oldest child asks:“Have I done anything wrong, mommy?”

At the detention centre, food is finally served at 2 pm.Children are hungry and eat without any questions asked. They are grateful.There is no washing liquid for the bottles.Despite being told that she has no rights as an asylum seeker, she looks for something to sterilise the bottle. She finds her tooth paste and brushes the bottle with her tooth brush, and quietly sobs.

Four months later, the children have stopped asking questions, stopped eating and stopped smiling. Instead they Have learned that they are being fed chicken most of the week, that they need to pray together for their release every night, and that they should be grateful for what they get.

Mother sits in the dark and looks at the palm of her hand. She can barely see the two white pills that should make her sleep. As she touches them with her index finger to make sure that they are there, she remembers Dr. R’s words: "You need to come back next month for us to review your medication.”

Knowing that she will run out soon, she swallows the pills and says a prayer. Another sleepless night. When they receive the letter stating the date of removal, she shakes, then vomits and then shakes some more. She wishes for home, a mother who would stand in the doorway to make it all better.

Arrived at the plane, she is in despair and cries out loudly, they find this "uncooperative” and “destructive”.This is when the pilot refuses to take off as he feels that the passenger isn’t mentally fit enough to fly.

Verbal racial abuse is thrown at her. She keeps silent as she wants to keep her dignity.Harsh words, harsh grips and harsh attitude. She understands their anger, she has made them look like fools, and she has made them fail.

If they only knew what they were sending her back to.No need to explain, they wouldn’t understand anyway, they don’t care, they are onlydoing their job.Who would apply to do such job? Who would come up with policies like that?

Back to the detention, live to see another day and in the meantime remember to pray and to be grateful.

As for me, through this research, I felt powerless at times.Doors shut in my face and phones thrown down on me for wanting to challenge the system.

The asylum seekers are not receiving proper information regarding any changes in Home Office policies.They rely on gossip and stories of what has happened to those who have been detained, released or even deported.

According to the reports from Amnesty International and the Princess Diana Trust:“detention centres are not a place for children”,“children should not be detained”.

There is a clear lack of emotional and psychological support for detainees. According to reports from Medical Justice, there is a lack of medication and proper GP attention for detainees. Serious illnesses that need proper medication and attention, such as Malaria and HIV, are not being attended to.

The officers’ abusive language and behaviour is humiliating according to ex-detainees. Inevitably the system will break them mentally.

I am embarrassed to be living in a society where all of this happens behind closed doors and where it has been fed to the detainees that they are asylum seekers and as such they have no rights. So, therefore, they have no voice: no ne can hear them in there.

I am embarrassed to live in the only country in EU where they detain children and hide behind the excuse of not wanting to separate a mother from her children.

I am embarrassed to live in a society where asylum seekers are being treated like criminals, for seeking asylum.

How sickening to hear that this is howthe Government can deal with the issue of their asylum seekers today. Is there no other way? Is there no other option?

Verbally,mentally and physically abusing asylum seekers is the answer to decrease the numbers of asylum seekers? Is this what it has come to?

Shirin Amani Azari

Shirin is a UKCP registered psychotherapist and BACP accredited counsellor/psychotherapist. She worked at the Refugee Support Centre from May 2000 to April 2005 and since May 2005 has worked at the Refugee Therapy Centre.

Since September 2006 Shirin has worked at the Mapesbury Clinic as a Senior Therapist and, more ecently, as a Group Conductor.

She is also a Clinical Supervisor and has worked at Dockland’s Outreach since 2002, and is also in private practice.

As a result of Shirin bringing her experiences to their attention Psychotherapists and Counsellor for Social Responsibility (PCSR) is campaigning against these procedures which are so clearly disadvantageous to the mental
health of asylum seekers.

Please contact Shirin if you would like to support this campaign - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it