Yesterday's lunchtime, detainees launched the protest on food quality. They complained that foods served here were the same every day. At the dinner time, protest/boycott continued. The ABF did not come to talk despite that Serco central management promised to arrange the ABF to come to talk. But the dinner menu was different from most days. Today, again very different from a usual meal. Detainees got satisfied and the protest ended. I could not believe it!! Never happened in 2006. No matter what detainees said, everything was just ignored in 2006. Now, the ABF act in the same way as everyone did in 2006 but apparently, Serco acts differently.
Yesterday, I made a complaint about the stealing to every possible person. My case manager of the Immigration simply passed my complaint to the ABF. The ABF which received my complaint form ignored it just as usual. But a Serco guard who received my complaint in person telephoned his boss and someone from the central management came to speak to me. He said he would find another room to shift my roommate to make my room for my own. Then he asked me to withdraw my complaint. Would you believe it? It seems that Serco does not want detainee's complaint and makes some effort to avoid it. Interesting.
Today, I heard from some detainee that in her impression, 20% of people coming here get a visa and get out. According to her, in many cases, she cannot understand why they were granted a visa while others who seemingly deserve a visa more could not get a visa. Among 80% of people who cannot get a visa, the majority returns their country of origin voluntarily because they ran out of money to pay for their lawyer. Incredible... In 2006, in my impression, most people stayed here for years and years. Almost no one got a visa. But no one went back to their country of origin voluntarily. No one gave up only because they did not have money to pay for a lawyer. Everyone went to the Court by themselves and fought for themselves.
Things were changed a lot in the last eleven years....
Yesterday, I made a complaint about the stealing to every possible person. My case manager of the Immigration simply passed my complaint to the ABF. The ABF which received my complaint form ignored it just as usual. But a Serco guard who received my complaint in person telephoned his boss and someone from the central management came to speak to me. He said he would find another room to shift my roommate to make my room for my own. Then he asked me to withdraw my complaint. Would you believe it? It seems that Serco does not want detainee's complaint and makes some effort to avoid it. Interesting.
Today, I heard from some detainee that in her impression, 20% of people coming here get a visa and get out. According to her, in many cases, she cannot understand why they were granted a visa while others who seemingly deserve a visa more could not get a visa. Among 80% of people who cannot get a visa, the majority returns their country of origin voluntarily because they ran out of money to pay for their lawyer. Incredible... In 2006, in my impression, most people stayed here for years and years. Almost no one got a visa. But no one went back to their country of origin voluntarily. No one gave up only because they did not have money to pay for a lawyer. Everyone went to the Court by themselves and fought for themselves.
Things were changed a lot in the last eleven years....