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"Meg, stop imprisoning innocent children!"
2010-04-18 19:22:56
Home Office minister Meg Hillier, Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, is a vocal defender of Yarl’s Wood detention centre, where the children of asylum seekers are kept locked up with their parents.
The Children’s Commissioner for England recently reported that children at Yarl’s Wood were subject to extremely distressing arrest and transportation procedures. His report concluded: “Yarl’s Wood is no place for a child.”
Yet Hillier claims it is necessary to imprison families because allowing them freedom would create a black market in trafficked children!
The Liberal Democrats have always opposed the detention of asylum seekers’ children. Now Hackney Lib Dems intend to use the general election campaign to pressure Meg Hillier into ending the Yarl’s Wood scandal.
Last summer, a two-year-old boy was left without his parents for four days when his mother was, without warning, arrested. The little boy was reunited with his parents in a car park, under guard, then taken to Yarl’s Wood where the family spent more than three weeks behind razor wire.
However, when their appeal was heard, the family was released and can now live safely in Britain.
This young family had committed no crime, only exercised their legal right to request asylum in Britain, because they were at risk of death in their own country.
Liberal Democrat candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch, Dave Raval, says:
“The scariest thing is that this isn’t an isolated incident – this is government policy. Sure, it is right to send back asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected, but it is wrong to lock up their children in prison, often for weeks, before making a final decision. And theminister in charge of this policy is Meg Hillier, our own local Labour MP.
“One can only imagine the damage this may cause to children who are often already disadvantaged and under extreme stress. Doctors are queuing up to tell the government to stop harming these children and even fellow Labour MPs have criticised Hillier for her stance. Imprisoning children is what we associate with the worst dictatorships and the most fanatical of regimes. It has no place in a civilised society. Now is the time to put a stop to this inhumane policy.”
Tags:
meg hillier, dave raval, yarlswood
