After the Iraq War devastated his country and the loss of his mother left him with little to stay for, Zainab* set out on a journey in search of a better life.
Initially believing he would make the crossing by ferry, he was instead told to board a small boat. Battling the cold and harsh waves on a fragile dinghy, he was soaked, shivering, and terrified for his life.
An inflatable dinghy carrying migrants makes its way towards England in the English Channel (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters)
Zainab now lives on an old military base alongside more than 500 others, one of three active ex-Army sites where the Government houses asylum seekers who arrive by small boats.
In the lead up to the election, Labour had vowed to close Wethersfield but in November, facing an escalating backlog of asylum claims, the Government revealed plans to increase its capacity to 800.
According to Doctors of the World, there have been 283 incidents of self-harm and suicide attempts at the site.
Eight months after arriving in the UK, Zainab remains at RAF Wethersfield, a disused military base dating from World War Two nestled in the countryside in Braintree, Essex.
One of those, a 34-year-old from Eritrea, said there used to be four men to a room, but this has now increased to six.
square ASYLUM SEEKERS Home Office facing calls to shut asylum site after 'alarming' legionella found
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He said the container he sleeps in has no washing or toilet facilities. RAF Wethersfield has also experienced outbreaks of scabies, while people have tested positive for tuberculosis. One resident claimed there is no access to medication.
With only £1.21 a day to spend, those living at the base say they cannot afford to travel the six miles to the nearest town, let alone to London to access legal representation for their asylum cases, which they say increases their likelihood of being deported.
The Home Office spent almost £15m on building work at the Wethersfield asylum seeker site over six months last year (Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images)“Rather than spending two months in the camp not doing anything, I would rather spend four months doing some voluntary work,” he said.
Inmates have reported having flashbacks and nightmares, as their night sleep is often punctuated by the sound of gunshots from a part of the facility that is still used as an RAF Barracks, according to health workers.
“I feel like I am in an empty dark place always, because I don’t know what is going to happen.”
“Ten people have tried to kill themselves since I arrived in the camp,” he said.
The £1billion contract
The company has found housing asylum seekers in ex-army camps to be a lucrative business venture, with additional facilities in Napier Barracks in Kent and RAF Scampton.
Entrepreneur Graham King owns 97 per cent of the company and is set to extract a £90m dividend from the migrant accommodation business. He recently made his debut on The Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £750m.
Anna Miller, Head of Policy & Advocacy, Doctors of the World, said: “Our patients have survived war and conflict and then terrible journeys to the UK against all odds.
“The Government’s failure to close the site will lead to more needless suffering and harm.”
Asylum seekers at RAF Wethersfield protesting ‘over their living conditions’ (Photo: supplied)A Home Office spokesperson said: “The welfare of those in our care is of paramount importance.
“A suite of isolation bedrooms are also available should a contagious disease be identified.”
Anyone affected by any of the issues in this article can call the Samaritans for free at any time on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find the nearest branch.
* Zainab’s name has been changed.
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