The 39 irregular immigrants temporarily housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge, which had to be evacuated after four days due to an outbreak of legionella, have written to the Secretary of the Interior Suella Braverman to denounce the feeling of “insecurity, fear and isolation” in the floating residence and the suicide attempt of one of its first occupants.
The Department of the Interior has reiterated, however, its intention to “reship” the immigrants, who arrived by boat through the English Channel, as soon as the health authorities give the go-ahead and certify that the dangerous bacteria found in the water system of the barge is no longer a threat to health.
Suella Braverman’s initial plan was to “embark” 506 immigrants on the Bibby Stockolm, anchored in the port of Portland, in the south of England. Conservative MP Chris Loder has stated his intention to block the return of immigrants citing security problems, since the Bibby Stockolm was designed to house 222 occupants.
Several parliamentarians have openly called for Braverman’s resignation due to the successive fiascos of his immigration policy, such as the deportations to Rwanda stopped by the courts. Criticism has peppered the “premier” Rishi Sunak for his hard line against immigration under the slogan “Stop the Boats” (“Stop the boats!).
The letter of the 39 immigrants has been released by the British media one day after the news of a new record number of asylum seekers (175,457) waiting for their cases to be resolved. The figure represents an increase of 44% over last year.
The cost of coping with the avalanche has doubled to reach 4,600 million euros per year. The Home Department has warned that the number of migrants risking their lives crossing the English Channel is “unacceptable” and is straining the UK’s asylum system.
The British government intended to enable at least half a dozen barges like the Bibby Stockolm to house thousands of immigrants temporarily staying in hotels. The resistance of the municipalities, however, forced the plans to be left to soak, except in the case of Portland, where the barge has been compared with the HMP Weare floating prison that was in use until 2005 in the same port.
The Bibby Stockholm has in fact been adapted to double its capacity by installing berths in the cabins. The immigrants denounce in their letter the hygienic conditions, the oppressive feeling and the lack of living space on the barge, surrounded by barbed wire, from which it is only possible to leave and return by bus until eleven at night.
“In a tragic incident, one of the asylum seekers attempted suicide, although swift action prevented the unfortunate incident,” the letter read. “Considering the difficulties, it is to be expected that these situations may occur in the future.”
“The days I spent there have been horribly marked in my brain,” says one of the immigrants. “Being locked up on a barge makes us feel like we’re criminals or second-class citizens. We’re upset, and even more so by the Department of Interior’s decision to go ahead with this ‘horror show.’
“Within a few hours I had stomach aches and dizziness,” warns another of the signatories of the letter addressed to Suella Braverman. “A few started coughing and people were scared. You would turn on the showers and the water would burn your eyes. We were the last to be informed of the legionella outbreak.”
“Would you put a member of your family there for just one day?”, the immigrants ask Suella Braverman. “We have been fleeing persecution and now we are persecuted in the UK.”
The Bibby Stockholm had to be evacuated four days after its first occupants arrived on August 7, after discovering the legionella outbreak. The 39 immigrants were transferred to a disused hotel where the days count for a decision: “The barge has sabotaged all our hopes. Our morale is below zero.”
