Emily spent Christmas and New Year in Yarl’s Wood detention centre/prison.
Women for Refugee Women sent a Christmas message to all women in detention:
And the following is what Emily told us about her experience:
Christmas Day began by discovering a present put under the door from the detention centre – a little packet of Cadbury’s individual bars which was given to all the girls in there. Emily’s said she’s not going to eat her’s – but keep it as a souvenir!!
Christmas dinner sounded horrible – 3 slices of turkey with white rice and gravy – and don’t forget the little bowl of stuffing on the side! (Oh, and Christmas pudding or fruit for dessert.) No crackers!
And after that games – a raffle draw with little prizes. The prizes: little shampoos, lotions and creams – all travel size!!
At the same time as people trying to make the best of their ‘festive’ days there, Emily and others are making friends but then having to witness their departure to other countries.
One of her friends is in a wheelchair has been in and out of detention for 6 years. She doesn’t want to go home, she has a husband and 5 children here. Others have been in Yarl’s Wood 5 or 6 months now.
As for Emily, she is frightened that she will deported for sure as the British government will not want to ‘let down’ their Taiwanese friends. She said ‘I don’t want to be this thing that makes a deal between governments’.
Despite still feeling unwell, Emily attended a little church gathering over New Years.
She didn’t know where all the Chinese ladies were. There were about 30 African ladies present. They stood in a little circle, holding hands, the prayer leader was a woman in a wheelchair, one of two ladies in wheelchairs. They each took it in turns to say a little prayer for the forthcoming year and their future. As each lady said her prayer the tension would build and they would start crying. They were saying how they had come to seek protection and all that happened to them was that they were locked up for doing nothing wrong. Emily said that it was so hopeless, everyone was despairing, everyone felt helpless and did not know what to do.
After this they attempted to celebrate and hugged one another. They were permitted to hold this small ceremony from 11pm until 12.30am…
On New Year’s Day there was a little party with games, a raffle with token prizes, activities, music and food…though at first Emily did not feel like going… she said ‘we still have to go back to our rooms, we still have to eat the bad food and attend the roll counts’…
mymuststay 