Day Five: Dublin Hostel Hunger Strike

dublin | racism & migration related issues | feature Monday April 18, 2005 12:47 by redjade

Nigerians 'Fast Tracked' - McDowell Policy of Deporting Fathers of Irish Citizen Children

Written 17 April 2005

On 13 April about 70 asylum seekers in a hostel on Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin went on hunger strike to protest their 'Fast Track' treatment by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). On 17 April two of the men collapsed and were sent to hospital.

All are Nigerian. Most are men. There are also 14 women, 6 of whom are pregnant. Some are in late pregnancy. The pregnant women are not currently on hunger strike.

Seeking Refuge from a 'Safe Country':
The Irish Government sees Nigeria as a 'Safe Country' and today there is an enforcement of a 'Fast Track' policy for arrivals for deportation within months. With Nigeria deemed 'safe' the new policy means an individual's claims of torture, death or fear for their safety at home are officially ignored.

This, in spite of the fact that the US State Department February 28, 2005 report says: 'The Nigerian government's 'human rights record remained poor, and the Government continued to commit serious abuse.' and that 'Security forces regularly beat protesters, criminal suspects, detainees, and convicted prisoners.'

One hunger striker, Idowu, said: 'The people of Ireland and the Government of Ireland should disregard the propaganda of our home country, Nigeria. My country is definitely not a safe place. How could you call a country where the chief law maker, the Attorney General, was murdered - how could you call such a country a safe place?'

One young single man asked a priest at St.Mary's Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning to reserve a grave for him. He says he knows his life is worthless if he is sent back.

Fathers Seeking Wives and Children:
Many of the men who are facing deportation are fathers of Irish citizen children and came here to be reunited with their wives and families. They thought Minister of Justice Michael McDowell's residency offer for non-EU parents of Irish Citizen children applied to them.

Ironically, it does not. McDowell's 14 January 2005 notice only applies to parents of Irish citizen children currently residing in Ireland - thus, a policy of preventing Irish children from being reunited with their fathers is in place.

The hunger strikers say that most of the fathers and all of the single people have other political or religious reasons for leaving - one, for example, is a trade union organiser for two states within Nigeria who left the country under threat. 'If they are 'Fast-Tracked' back', says Rosanna Flynn of the group Residents Against Racism, 'how can these serious issues be investigated by the Irish Government?'

Hunger Strike Demands & Two Sent to Hospital:
Currently at issue at the Lower Gardiner Street hostel is having to sign-on with GNIB officials twice daily. Residents at the hostel believe this is signalling an upcoming deportation. One hunger striker said that signing once a week or daily gave them just enough time to visit family in Cork or Galway and get back in time to Dublin. The hunger strikers have asked for answers but so far have received none.

The Department of Justice told the Irish Times that signing was required just once a day. But GNIB officials demanded signatures twice a day. The Department of Justice also said that residents of the Lower Gardiner St Hostel should take the mater up with the GNIB. The hunger strikers have tried to do this since the first signing-on and have been met with a refusal of any discussion on the issue.

This is has created confusion and distrust of the GNIB at the hostel.

Peter, one leader within the group said, 'And since we are not getting a response from them [...] and they keep saying is that they do not have an answer - they are only working based on instructions. So we think we have been ignored. All that we want is somebody to come forward and explain to us and talk to us about everything that is going on. The GNIB has to understand that we need to be spoken to.'

On Sunday morning two of the hunger strikers were sent to the Mater Hospital. One of the two, Paul, had collapsed during Mass at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, is still there and suffers from hypertension and is on medication. Another, Femi, was discharged and it is unknown if the two have the stamina and health to continue with the others.

The Hunger Strike Will Continue:
Rosanna Flynn of Residents Against Racism said, 'It is outrageous that McDowell has singled out Nigerians like this. He must listen to these people and treat all their cases individually and he must understand that they are serious in their protest. The fathers, especially, must be reunited with their families and be allowed to stay. The Irish government must re-classify Nigeria, it is not a 'safe country.''

The hunger strike continues. Peter from the group says, 'The hunger strike is going to continue - someone from the Irish government should talk to us, as the GNIB will give us no information.' Another spokesperson said, 'Regardless of our different reasons for coming to Ireland, we are united in our determination to stay on hunger strike until our requests are respected. We will see this through and stick together.'