Detainees in call for support

5:52pm Sunday 31st August 2008

Hunger strikers at an immigration removal centre in Kidlington have urged people to rally support to stop them being returned to Iraq.

Detainees at Campsfield Immigration Centre claim the war-ravaged country is still dangerous and their lives are at risk if they are sent back.

Last month about 70 immigrants took part in a two-week hunger strike allegedly sparked by reports that a 35-year-old from another centre had killed himself following deportation back to Iraq.

In a text message to a member of the Close Campsfield Campaign, a detainee said: "We don't want to go back to Iraq because our lives are in danger there. We need help. Please ask your politicians not to deport us to Iraq as it is not safe. It is the most dangerous country in the world - everyone knows this. Yet they are trying to send us back. Please help us. Thank you."

Protester Bob Hughes said over the next few days meetings were due to take place between Kurdish refugee groups in the UK, Sweden and Switzerland in a bid to stop forced deportations to Northern Iraq.

On Saturday, the campaign team spoke to detainees inside the centre who had taken part in the hunger strike.