CHENNAI: “Prison was better than the camp. At least there we got cooked food,” a foreign national detained at the Cheyyar Foreigner Special Camp in Tiruvannamalai told TNIE.
He is among 34 foreign nationals lodged at the facility, several of whom continue to remain in detention despite securing bail, being acquitted or completing their sentences, as they await deportation or other administrative clearances.
Most of the detainees are from Nigeria, while the others are from Sudan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the US, Iran, Russia and Cote d’Ivoire. The men, aged between their 20s and 50s, receive a daily subsistence allowance of around `175 each, which they say is inadequate to meet even basic needs.
The Cheyyar sub-jail was converted into a special camp following a home department directive, initially to house Sri Lankan Tamils booked under the Passport Act for overstaying or in connection with criminal cases. The revenue department took over its administration in March 2014, while the Q Branch is responsible for security.
Detainees said the water supplied at the camp was highly saline, forcing them to buy drinking water despite the meagre allowance. One inmate, who has been confined for years, is now suffering from a heart condition and deteriorating eyesight but has allegedly been unable to access proper medical treatment.
“The facilities are horrible. They treat us like animals. There is no proper food, and drinking water is a major problem. Officials hardly communicate with us,” an inmate said.
The detainees also alleged that the residential blocks were in poor condition and that snakes were a more frequent presence than revenue officials tasked with administering the facility.
For many, the prolonged shortage of escort personnel has added to their woes. Several inmates are facing trial in courts in the southern districts but have been unable to attend hearings. “I have not attended my trial for almost four years due to insufficient escort strength,” an inmate said.
In a representation submitted to the revenue department officials in May, the detainees sought a visit to the facility and redressal of their grievances. They also sought permission to contact their families, lawyers and embassies, but said their requests had gone unanswered.
Though phones are prohibited, inmates alleged that even supervised communication was difficult and that visits by relatives had been denied.
Language has further compounded their problems. Several detainees speak only English or their native languages and said they struggle to communicate with officials or understand the status of their cases. The detainees have also questioned the legal basis for their continued confinement, particularly in cases where they have secured bail, been acquitted or completed their sentences. “Even after getting bail, they won’t let us leave, saying we might escape,” an inmate said.
The conditions at Cheyyar are not an isolated concern. Advocate K R Raja, who recently visited the special camp in Tiruchy, said the conditions there were inhumane and broadly similar to those at Cheyyar.
When contacted, Tiruvannamalai Collector Vandana Garg told TNIE, “We are continuously monitoring the camp. We will get it checked.”
What the law says
Power to detain
While the centre has no power under Section 3(2)(g) of the Foreigners Act, 1946, but the state has certain powers under Section 3(2)(e) to restrict the movement of foreigners
Healthcare in detention
The Model Prison Manual, 2016, and Model Detention Centre Manual, 2019, require timely healthcare and diagnostic facilities for detainees, irrespective of their ability to pay
UN standards
The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as Nelson Mandela Rules, require healthcare to be provided at standards equivalent to those available in the community and without discrimination
