New hunger strike at Yarl's Wood
We have received the following report from North West Asylum Seekers Defence Group about a protest by detainees at Yarl's Wood in Bedfordshire:

'Aside from only three families who were still eating, all the detainees about 70 people including over 40 children and babies, are on a hunger strike at Yarl's Wood IRC, which started on Thursday 30 November 2006 at 5.30pm. They were told today by racist staff: 'it's none of our business if you eat or not'. They demanded to see the manager this morning and were told they could have a meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Instead the healthcare manager came and saw them. When they complained about sick children with diarrhoea, some for 2 weeks now, She replied, 'we don't have much to say to you, however if the children are sick with diarrhoea, give them water'. When they demanded to know why they were being imprisoned, she replied, 'we don't care it's not our problem.'

The protest follows a report that the day before e day before Yarl's Wood was quarantined, with no visitors allowed in after over 40 of the children suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting.

Contact Yarl's Wood gaol on 01234 821 000 and demand medical treatment and a safe environment for the children and all detainees to be released!

The protest follows a hunger strike at the Yarl's Wood over the summer.