Last night on their eighth day of hunger strike, six detainees at Passaic
County Jail decided to suspend their strike in order to give the INS a
chance to move them to Hudson County Jail for somewhat better conditions and
contact visitation.
The six hunger strikers have been visited every day by various INS
officials, some of whom have tried to intimidate them, while others have
made promises of immediate transfer.
Kerry Gill, spokesman for Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
Newark District Office, insists on attempts at "cooperation," stating to the
New York Times yesterday, "Our position is that they should stop this kind
of disruptive behavior in the facility, and then they can say, `Here are our
demands about visitation.'" The hunger strikers have responded with a
temporary suspension of the strike, in order to show that they are open to
dialogue; however, they are still insisting that their demands be met.
The six strikers are united in their general demands, yet each have unique
goals and objectives. Farouk Abdel-Muhti has been in detention for nine
months; while the INS is unable to deport him, they continue to hold him
against their own rules and in violation of Supreme Court decisions.
Abdel-Muhti is demanding his release. Saleh Hamzeh and Mohammed Seif,
detained on minor charges for 13 and 5 months, respectively, cannot even
hold their young babies in their arms because Passaic County Jail does not
allow contact visits.
The six detainees had not eaten since Tuesday, January 14th, in a protest
against conditions and violations of their constitutional and human
rights. Their health was being seriously affected by the strike. One of
them collapsed on Monday night and had been vomiting blood. Another two
had very high blood pressure levels and all of them were losing weight.
Prior to the hunger strike, requests from detainees and advocates to
improve medical care at Passaic went unheard. Medication was administered
on an irregular basis, and dental care was and is still limited to the
pulling of teeth.
"Transfer to Hudson County for its contact visitation is a basic and very
simple demand for the INS to follow through on. Clearly it is the INS
District Director's office that is displaying 'disruptive behavior',"
said Namita Chad of Desis Rising Up and Moving.
Organizations working with the detainees are urging their supporters to
call INS New Jersey District Director Andrea Quarantillo at 973-645-4421
and ask that she meet with the detainees and follow through on their
demands.