Tears flow freely from my eyes in the closing scenes of Fit for Purpose. In one short hour I’ve been transported from the comfort of my own existence, to the trauma of Aruna’s and her daughters. As I return to myself I feel a deep sense of guilt at leaving them behind. It ends in darkness.
Aruna and her 13-year old daughter Kaela arrive in the UK claiming asylum and are immediately detained by the Border Agency. The treatment they are subjected to there, the anxiety of their journey and the conditions they have escaped in Somalia make this distressing to watch.
However, this is the closest many of us will get to hearing the voices of the voiceless and it’s time they were heard.
Treated with disdain by British officials
Aruna and Kaela are treated with disdain from the second they step on British soil. Seen as an inconvenience at best, the venom directed towards by various officials is chilling. It’s heartbreaking to witness their assumption that on arrival here, everything will be OK.
This dream comes crashing to the ground and vulnerable Aruna and Kaela are left mourning the pieces. Aruna is clearly emotionally and physically drained, with no one to look to for help, she retreats into herself leaving Kaela confused and frightened of what will become of them.
Language barriers make claiming asylum difficult and traumatic
A clearly stretched caseworker assigned to them doesn’t have the time to hear Aruna’s story as she struggles to divulge her painful past in Somalia. Language barriers stand firmly between her and her claim to asylum coupled with her fear of making the situation worse than it already is. There is no one to pacify her. She is trapped in a system she doesn’t understand with no escape.
Kaela’s eyes portray a depth of emotion that is hard to forget. She shifts from despair to hope to despair, back and forth, again and again. She is only 13 and struggling to cope with the complexity of her mother’s withdrawal. Her voice is haunting, it’s echo seems to go on forever, unheard.
Deaths in UK detention centres
Fit for Purpose highlights the conditions that asylum seekers are forced to endure in the UK. Human beings, who come to this country for a safe place. In reality, they are often left to suffer in fear with little or no idea of what will happen to them. It also exposes the limited access to healthcare due to an overstretched system. In the last month, three detainees have died in British detention centres. (Guardian 2011) They came here for a safe place.
I see the play as a call to action, to no longer be compliant in the continued suffering of asylum seekers who we are duty bound to protect.
Close your eyes, imagine you are trapped in a dark place, alone. Nobody knows you are there and you have no idea what will happen to you.
It ends in darkness.
