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Netherlands: refugee maimed for life

01 January 1993

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A confidential report from the Rijkarecherche (internal affairs) leaked to the press said that in April 1992 a refugee was maimed for life by the Dutch military police (KMAR) at Schipol airport (see Statewatch vol 2 no 6). The Rumanian refugee resisted when the KMAR tried to put him back on a plane to Rumania. When he struggled and cried out the military police pushed a gag in his mouth, wound linen adhesive tape around his head - only his nostrils were left free - and handcuffed him. The report quotes a witness as saying: "A short time later he was still and his skin turned blue". When he stop breathing and his pulse stopped the tape was removed and an ambulance called. The ambulance crew and doctors were only told that he was unwell and not told about the tape. In hospital it was found that he was suffering from lack of oxygen and had suffered serious brain damage. He cannot use his arms or legs is blind and can hardly speak.

The report says that the use of adhesive tape in order to calm people down is routine and that they found other cases of violence being used against rejected refugees. The man is being allowed to stay in Netherlands for "humanitarian reasons".

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