By Tererai Karimakwenda
05 July 2005

The United Network of Detained Zimbabweans UK reports that 2 detainees at Harmondsworth Centre at Heathrow Airport are nearly comatose as they continue the hunger strike against forced deportations. Their names have not been released but one of them has not eaten any food for 33 days. The other hit day 14 along with the majority of detainees but he has not had anything to drink for the last 7 days.

Nobel Sibanda, a spokesperson for the Network, said they are trying to convince immigration officials to release these 2 detainees to the hospital for observation. He said the situation is pretty bad because some detainees have fainted several times and one cannot even walk now.

Meanwhile, activities aimed at pressuring the British government to change its policy on deportations gathered steam as G8 leaders descend on the city of Edinburgh. And Zimbabweans have become quite creative and aggressive about getting their messages across.

A group of Zimbabweans in Edinburgh for the G8 summit besieged the local Dungavel Detention Centre on Tuesday. Speakers from various European countries were there to highlight the plight of asylum seekers in the UK. Zimbabweans took the opportunity to publicise the hunger strike and the abuse of detainees.

Activist Louise Davies was at Dungavel as the speakers appealed to the UK immigration officials to reverse their policy on forced deportations. She said the crowd was huge and enthusiastic and the case for Zimbabweans on the hunger strike was heard loud and clear.