Thursday, July 07, 2005
saucepans and musical instruments
I went to Campsfield removal centre in kidlington on saturday. I'd been meaning to find out what the close-campsfield group do each month for a while, and also thought i'd take the opportunity to show a meagre bit of support for the Zimbabwean hunger strikers.
I was quite impressed. Their project doesn't involve trying to get "media attention" by waving placards etc; instead, it's more meaningful, human, realistic: the plan is to make noise that the detainees will be able to hear, to shout friendly messages, clap, bang saucepans, play musical instruments etc, at the part of the fence which is closest to their yard. Sometimes they respond, and there is dialog.
I think the plan is 1. to let them know that we are here, and 2. to let them know that we know that they are there. - to demonstrate that they haven't been disappeared, they aren't in guantanamo, they're in kidlington. Being locked up in campsfield sounds shit, and a shouted conversation over the fence won't help them with their legal cases, but might help someone who is desperately lonely, frightened and feeling very unwanted, to get through.
I think this is a refreshingly achievable aim. It's not ambitious, maybe it's not enough, but at least it's not the usual hollow student crap. I am keen to go again, prob to the September one. Happy to offer lifts from east oxford.
I was quite impressed. Their project doesn't involve trying to get "media attention" by waving placards etc; instead, it's more meaningful, human, realistic: the plan is to make noise that the detainees will be able to hear, to shout friendly messages, clap, bang saucepans, play musical instruments etc, at the part of the fence which is closest to their yard. Sometimes they respond, and there is dialog.
I think the plan is 1. to let them know that we are here, and 2. to let them know that we know that they are there. - to demonstrate that they haven't been disappeared, they aren't in guantanamo, they're in kidlington. Being locked up in campsfield sounds shit, and a shouted conversation over the fence won't help them with their legal cases, but might help someone who is desperately lonely, frightened and feeling very unwanted, to get through.
I think this is a refreshingly achievable aim. It's not ambitious, maybe it's not enough, but at least it's not the usual hollow student crap. I am keen to go again, prob to the September one. Happy to offer lifts from east oxford.
