‘I’m frightened’: the asylum seekers rounded up to be sent to Rwanda
www.theguardian.com
Asylum seekers from Sudan, Eritrea and Afghanistan detained in government’s Operation Vector share their stories. When Helen arrived at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre, she was taken to her cell and handed some cleaning spray and wipes and told to use them before making up her bed. She had no idea why she had been arrested when she went to report.
“They told me I had been detained for Rwanda and tried to convince us to go voluntarily saying it is now the law and we have already been selected. But they didn’t explain to me why I had been chosen.”
“There were about seven of us women detained and we all tried our best not to think about being put on a plane and tried to support each other.”
She said that materials promoting the east African country were visible around the centre and made everyone feel more terrified.
“The walls in this place are tall and horrible and scary. I had never been detained before and knowing that the Home Office can take me to the airport and put me on a plane at any time was terrifying. All I could think about was how I could get out of this place.”