Close down Campsfield! The racist face of Fortress Britain
Socialist Outlook newspaper1990sPaul ClarkeTranscribed or corrected by hand from the printed page.
ANTI-RACIST campaigners in the Oxford area warned at the end of last year that the opening of the new Campsfield detention centre was part of a new offensive against immigrants and asylum seekers.
Less than one month later their warnings were dramatically confirmed when officials detained 190 people out of 356 on a flight from Jamaica - and promptly shipped many of them to Campsfield.
But what surprised many was that the swoop was not against asylum seekers, but against mere Christmas visitors! The 190 detained and the dozens later deported were accused not of what they had done, but what they might do - an 'intention' to overstay their visits.
Instead of spending Christmas with families and friends more than 100 spent it in detention. Welcome to Britain!
Visitors
The function of Campsfield and the detention system was thus revealed. It is to intimidate potential visitors and asylum seekers, especially from black countries.
If you are black and you try to come to Britain you stand a good chance of being banged up or deported. Imagine the furore if the plane had been full of Americans, Canadians or even white South Africans.
The new 'Fortress Britain' policy is linked to the new 'Fortress Europe' strategy of the European Union.
Major and Home Secretary Howard are doing a double act with French interior minister Charles Pasqua, who has declared 'war' on immigrants and asylum seekers.
According to Pasqua, people should stay 'in their own country' and (what a joke) France should 'lead a crusade' to economically develop the third world.
The problem is the future hypothetical economic development of the third world is not much use to someone fleeing persecution in the here and now.
In November 1992 the government declared its intention to create 330 new places in detention centres for its stepped-up immigration campaign.
Profit-making
In addition to the 100 places at Haarmondsworth and 100 at Haslar near Southampton, the 200 new places at Campsfield, near Kidlington, Oxford, include places for men women and children. Built at a cost of £5m it will be run for profit by Group 4.
Just so people know what kind of people the centre is designed for, compasses have been installed so that Muslims will know that they are facing Mecca.
The first detainees arrived at the new immigration prison on 29 November.
By the time the second minibus arrived, demonstrators were at the gates with placards saying 'Refugees Are Not Criminals' and 'Stop the Detentions'.
On 25 November a torchlit demonstration by some 50 people took place in central Oxford and 1000 leaflets saying 'Stop the Refugee Prison' distributed.
Support the campaign against Campsfield and the government's racist immigration policies. The Campaign against Campsfield can be contacted on 0865 724452.