Human rights campaigners have criticised the home secretary for suggesting that asylum seekers at a controversial mass accommodation site are lying about being suicidal in the hope of being moved off the former military base.
ITV News on Friday night reported on a “severe mental health crisis” at Wethersfield in Essex, with many incidents of suicide and self-harm including five to 10 suicide attempts and 10 of self-harm in January this year alone – the highest level since the site opened.
The report drew on research from Doctors of the World (DOTW), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Helen Bamber Foundation.
The Guardian has received multiple reports of suicide attempts at the remote former airbase since it opened to accommodate asylum seekers last July. The Home Office said it would be a cheaper alternative to hotel accommodation for this group although the National Audit Office found that it had so far cost £49m, almost 10 times the Home Office’s original cost estimate of £5m.
A survey of 122 Wethersfield patients conducted by DOTW found that 70% displayed signs of psychological distress and 41% experienced suicidal thoughts. They have called for the site to be immediately closed down.
Reporters for ITV News asked James Cleverly, the home secretary, about reports of suicide attempts and self-harm at Wethersfield.
He said: “Of course the people in Wethersfield often say things that they hope will have them located away from Wethersfield.”
When asked whether he thought asylum seekers were lying about their mental health, he said: “The simple truth is often when people come to this country illegally they do lie to further their causes.”
Maddie Harris, the director of Humans for Rights Network, which works to support many asylum seekers at Wethersfield, said her organisation had received 13 reports of suicide attempts at Wethersfield involving 12 people since January.
She said: “The comments made by Cleverly are appalling. On what basis is he dismissing the fact that men held in RAF Wethersfield are suicidal? The findings of the report are entirely in line with the levels of acute distress we witness from our clients held there every day. Wethersfield is dehumanising and acutely harmful and is resulting in a mass and endemic mental health crisis.
“Our organisation alone has supported 12 people who have attempted suicide since January this year, with almost all of these men returned to the camp again with no mental health support to speak of. It is only a matter of time until someone held in RAF Wethersfield dies, a claim we make based on evidence.”
Maria Wilby, the director of Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Action, which is based in Essex and works with many asylum seekers at Wethersfield, said: “We have seen almost 1,000 who have stayed at Wethersfield. Currently, there are only 535 people on site. Where have the others gone? They’ve been moved on largely because legal challenges have proved the site is not suitable for them.
“The only basis for that challenge is related to inappropriate age or mental or physical capacity, often as a result of trauma or torture. Of course those people would feel suicidal if forced to remain on site.”
Dr Natalie Roberts, the executive director of MSF UK, also criticised Cleverly’s remarks. She said: “We strongly refute this characterisation. The men our medical teams speak with are clearly showing genuine signs of the trauma inflicted on them during their journeys to the UK, and the conditions in which they are being held is making their mental health worse.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We take the safety and welfare of those at Wethersfield extremely seriously. Welfare officers are on site round the clock and all residents have access to a GP service delivered by a local healthcare provider including mental health support. A 24/7 helpline provided by Migrant Help is available to raise any concerns.”
• In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
