Girl refugee was on hunger strike

By Liz Lewis
BBC News, Bristol

The school hopes to hold more question and answer sessions

A young refugee at a Bristol school has spoken about being so afraid her mother was to be deported, she and her sister went on hunger strike.

The teenage girl from Year 11 at the City of Bristol Academy said: "My mum got a letter from the Home Office saying that she had an interview with them.

"It said that she wasn't allowed to take us with her, and I was really worried about it.

"We were just a normal family with a normal life, we just wanted peace.

"My sister and I were so worried that we might be separated from our mum that we went on hunger strike.

"In the end it turned out that there was no interview - it was just an administrative error - so it was all for nothing."

Students organised a special question and answer session at the school in response to hearing this story and about the experiences of other peers sent to immigration detention centres.

Their aim was to better understand what happens to young people seeking asylum.

Panellists invited to the event included Kerry McCarthy MP, city councillors Peter Hammond, Barbara Janke, and Jon Rogers, representatives from Refugee Action and Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign, as well as Anna Vardanyan, a former detainee.

Liz Fekete, author of "They are Children Too: A study of Europe's deportation policies" gave the introductory talk.

It was very exciting when two of the panel members, Kerry McCarthy and Jo Benefield started to argue Bristol City Academy pupil

"I believe this has been the first event of its kind," she said.

"I've visited other European countries but I've never seen anything like it. Personally, I think it's a blueprint for other groups to follow.

"The level of debate and seriousness with which they came to the issue was staggering. Every child knew someone who had been detained. I felt overcome by their sense this was unjust and should not happen to their young friends."

The event, named Time for Questions, was chaired by a 13-year-old pupil.

She said: "It was really good with lots of discussion, lots of questions.

"We want it to stop. We were able to listen to others and to make points.

"I hope they (the panellists) go back to their jobs and help stop the detention of young people," she said.

Other pupils also said they thought the session had been worthwhile.

"I really enjoyed the question time. I liked Peter Hammond, what he said was really good and everyone clapped, he said good things. Liz Fekete also said really good things and we all enjoyed her talk," said one.

"Yes I enjoyed it too," said another. "Some of the questions from the year 11s were very good, and I learnt a lot. It was very exciting when two of the panel members, Kerry McCarthy and Jo Benefield started to argue."

The school hopes to hold more question and answer sessions in the future.