Manston Inquiry holds second preliminary hearing
It's as local charity Samphire calls for more compassion towards asylum seekers
A second Preliminary Hearing for the Manston Inquiry is set to take place in London on Friday 25th September.
The inquiry is looking at decisions that led to the centre in Kent holding up to four thousand people—more than double its intended capacity—between June and November 2022.
Evidence of staff misconduct, legal compliance, and the death of a detainee will all be examined.
Today's hearing aims to assess the progress made by the inquiry and determine further steps required to prepare for upcoming hearings, including the potential need for additional expert evidence.
Local asylum activist and member of Dover asylum seeker charity Samphire, Aram Rawf says it's important that the findings from the inquiry are taken onboard.
Speaking to Hits and Greatest Hits Radio Kent he said:
"At the time when the people were kept in there, I was one of those who protested outside to try to bring the media and the government's attention to the condition of the people that lived in there.
"I'm a former asylum seeker, so I have a lived experience and have also always been a voice of the people that don't have a voice.
"At first hearing of inquiry, they found out they were overcrowded, which is absolutely what we were protesting about.
"We said 'there's so many people being put in there.'...another finding was they didn't manage the place properly.
"We were trying to tell the government that it is not acceptable."
On those who had been inside the facility he added:
"They went through trauma to come by boat, imagine some children or pregnant woman nearly drowned in the sea. So they have that trauma from crossing the sea and end up in a place where there wasn't the right food for them, or wasn't medical care.
"Whatever people's view about stopping a boat, whatever people's view about people seeking sanctuary, it needs to be shown with compassion.
"Compassion should be at the heart of a human being. We are all human beings. Before we have any skin color, any life situation, any religion, any identity.
"We are human beings and we need to bring that compassion back to the heart of the people."
It's hoped that the inquest findings will lead to safer and more acceptable temporary holding facilities for asylum seekers.