Netherlands: Riot police at Greshospitum
01 January 1991
Netherlands: Riot police at Greshospitum
artdoc May=1993
An investigation is to be carried out into the deployment of riot
police on 30 November at `Greshospitum', a closed off location
for asylum seekers at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam.
It seems that the day prior to the police operation, ten
refugees had complained to officials at the detention centre
about medical provision, food, unequal treatment of refugees and
the length of detention. According to a press release issued by
the refugee support group, Autonoom Centre, the governor of the
prison had promised to take the asylum seekers' complaints to the
Justice Department. Instead, the riot police were called in to
transfer ten refugees to remand prisons. One of the refugees,
Nigerian U. Nehizena, says that a unit of the riot police entered
the hostel after dinner in complete riot gear. `We were told to
stand up. Everyone did so. Then we were just beaten up with no
justification.'
Mr. Nehizena was given two paracetomals to ease the pain of his
injuries which were consistent with being hit around the head
with a truncheon. The fact that he was denied medical treatment
for four days has led the Amsterdam GP who eventually treated him
to complain of `medical irresponsibility' at the border prison.
The Department of Home Affairs claims that Mr. Nehizena's wounds
had nothing to do with the riot police operation but were a
result of his having fallen out of bed.
Once transferred to other prisons, the refugees were kept in
solitary confinement, with no notification of their whereabouts
being given to lawyers.
Further controversy surrounds the treatment of 3 of the
refugees, who were released, without papers and with no money,
and given 48 hours to leave the country. According to the
Autonoom Centre `Their lawyers were given false information about
their release dates. They have, therefore, conveniently for the
Justice department, disappeared. They no longer exist'(De
Volkskrant 8.12.92, NN 17.12.92).
Inquiry into brain damaged Romanian refugee
A police investigation into the attempted deportation of a
Romanian asylum seeker, which left him brain damaged, has found
that `the norms of reasonable and measured behaviour have been
exceeded'.
On 10 April 1992, the 23-year-old Romanian asylum seeker was
taken to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam to be expelled. Following
a struggle, the Romanian - Mr. R - was cuffed at hands and legs.
In order to suppress his screams, tape was placed across his
mouth, wound horizontally and vertically across his head and once
around his neck.
Shortly afterwards, the Romanian collapsed. Minutes later, the
officials in charge removed the tape and started resuscitation.
When the ambulance arrived, the officer was merely told that R.
was unwell. `Extensive oxygen deprivation leading to brain
damage' was diagnosed. Mr. R is now in a wheelchair.
An action by lawyers on behalf of Mr R, who has only now been
granted permission to stay in Holland on humanitarian grounds,
is pending (De Volkskrant 10.12.92, 11.12.92, 14.12.92).
Further complaints about medical treatment
The incidents at Grenshospitum has led the Autonoom Centre to
criticise medical provisions at detention centres, citing the
case of a Liberian man whose complaints that he had shrapnel
lodged in his head led to him being treated for a psychotic
disorder. Only later did doctors find that he did in fact have
shrapnel lodged in his head (De Volkskrant 24.11.92).
Zairean refugees put on the streets
Three Zairean refugees, accused of unruly behaviour at a
detention centre in Slagharen, Drenthe, were put on the street
just before Christmas and told they could return on 7 January.
The director of the hostel justified his actions on the grounds
that the 3 Zaireans had been playing loud music, had threatened
other inmates, and were wearing `expensive track-suits' even
though they received just 20 guilders a week in pock