A resident of a Birmingham hotel that is housing asylum seekers has warned that some of them are threatening to commit suicide because of the poor conditions and the uncertainty of their future. The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said that he had witnessed several suicide attempts and self-harm incidents among the migrants, who are mostly from Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Eritrea.
According to Guardian, The hotel, which is located in the city centre, has been contracted by the Home Office to accommodate about 200 asylum seekers since September 2020, as part of the government’s response to the influx of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. However, the resident said that the hotel was not suitable for long-term stay, and that the migrants were suffering from overcrowding, lack of privacy, inadequate food, hygiene issues, and boredom.
He said that the migrants were also frustrated by the lack of information and communication from the Home Office, and that they did not know when or how their asylum claims would be processed. He said that some of them had been told that they could be deported to Rwanda, a controversial policy that the government announced in April 2020, as part of its plan to deter illegal immigration.
The resident said that the threat of being sent to Rwanda, a country that many of the migrants had never heard of or had any connection with, was causing a lot of distress and anxiety among the asylum seekers. He said that some of them had fled from war, persecution, and torture in their home countries, and that they feared for their safety and human rights in Rwanda.
He said that he had tried to help and support the migrants, by providing them with clothes, toiletries, books, and games, and by listening to their stories and concerns. He said that he had also contacted the hotel management, the Home Office, and local MPs, to raise awareness and seek improvement of the situation. However, he said that he had received little or no response, and that the situation had only worsened over time.
He said that he was worried that the migrants would harm themselves or others, if nothing was done to address their plight. He said that he had seen some of them cut themselves with razors, hang themselves with bed sheets, or overdose on pills. He said that he had also heard some of them say that they would rather die than go to Rwanda.
He said that he felt that the migrants were being treated unfairly and inhumanely, and that they deserved better. He said that he hoped that the government would reconsider its Rwanda policy, and that it would provide the migrants with proper accommodation, care, and legal assistance. He said that he also hoped that the public would show more compassion and understanding towards the migrants, and that they would not judge them based on stereotypes or misinformation.
He said that he believed that the migrants were not criminals or terrorists, but human beings who had fled from hardship and violence, and who had risked their lives to seek safety and freedom in the UK. He said that he wanted the migrants to have a chance to rebuild their lives and contribute to society, and that he wanted them to be happy and hopeful.
