Ann* has always had a soft spot for the downtrodden. Helping people in need, however, took on a different meaning when a year ago she was invited by a foreign friend to visit detainees at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) Bangkok.
IDC is where illegal immigrants, asylum seekers, urban refugees and people who have overstayed on their visas are kept while their cases are sorted out. It is estimated that there are a total of 12 rooms for both male and female detainees, each housing approximately 70-100 people.
The one-hour visitation, Monday to Friday (10.30-11.30am), is also the only time they can stretch their legs and catch some sun. Between 8.30-10am, visitors who wish to see the detainees have to send a request form with a copy of either their passport page with a valid visa or Thai ID. They also have to specify the names of the persons they want to see.
"I felt saddened to see how they suffer," said Ann. "In my opinion, they are not criminals but have even fewer rights than them. It was sad when I saw how families are separated, because regulations allow only one visitor per detainee. So for example, if a husband and wife want to meet [in the visiting area], they need two visitors to come and request to see them on the same day.
"As most of the detainees don't have family here, many depend on handouts. From experience I have found that while food and clothing are much appreciated, for most, it is the visit, even from strangers, they look forward to most.
"When I realised the needs were too great for me to shoulder, I shared my experiences with people I knew. Soon after, we saw people eager to help, giving of their time, money and resources."
Ann doesn't belong to any charity organisation. She first came to IDC out of curiosity and word of mouth, and the visits have since become regular. Some of the detainees see her as a friend, and would even call her up -- to chat, she said, since they have no one to talk to.
It is the kindness of strangers like this that the detainees rely on as their futures remain uncertain. Besides Ann, there are others who have developed the habit of coming to see the detainees and bringing them stuff.
One of the biggest challenges Ann faces is bringing together families and detainees who do not get visitors. The challenge starts with filling out the visitation-request form, requiring the visitor know the detainee name, room number and the ID. As regulations stipulate that visitors have to be friends or family members of the detainees, she inquires about detainees who do not receive visitors from people she visits regularly. Afterwards, she makes an effort to visit them.
"The first time I visited IDC, I was introduced to Pakistani couple Mark and Maria, a Christian refugee family with two children. They had fled due to religious persecution. Despite the huge setback of being refused refugee status, and being separated from loved ones at the IDC, their efforts to remain positive in the midst of a precariously uncertain future made me respect them. This family eventually decided to return to their country, which means a death sentence, but they felt that it was better than staying apart at the IDC, like they have for over two years."
The stories of Pakistani asylum seekers Reena and Salam are no different.
"Reena's plight just came to my attention a week ago, she has been at the IDC for two years, awaiting UNHCR's decision, and has yet to receive a visitor. Just recently, she received her first visitor. It was me. She was pleased and made me happy to be part of the reason she was able to stretch her legs and see the 'outside world'.
This "world" means a longer corridor with visitors and detainees shouting at the top of their lungs across a partition.
"Salam's case is also unfortunate because, besides a sister who is detained in the women's ward, he doesn't know anyone. A few days ago, I received word that his sister wanted to see him during the visitation hours to pass an important message over to him about family back home. Here again, to see both brother and sister meet, they would need to have two visitors on the same day.
"It grieves me to see their plight. They don't deserve to be in this condition. They have not robbed a bank or committed a serious crime.''
Whenever possible, Ann goes out of her way to -- for instance -- help cover miscellaneous expenses incurred by the people she has befriended; transport expenses to the airport; and top up cards for their mobiles, especially when they urgently need to call family back home.
Sharing the current needs of the detainees, Ann said: "I would honestly like to have more people visit, but I do realise this might be asking too much, because regulations don't encourage people to visit.
"Among other things, they require stretchable clothes, as it is difficult to get the right size. Drinking water, fruits, bread and edibles that are locally made are also needed. Foreign brands are usually rejected because officers are uncertain if there is something questionable in them."
Ann said that, on a positive note, children of detainees get to study. Younger ones are allowed to attend a kindergarten-type set-up while teenagers are sent to study at a school. The children can often be heard calling the IDC staff big brother and uncle, so there are officers who have a heart for the detainees, but, due to their job description, are not allowed to get personally involved in their cases, she said.
Despite the obstacles, Ann hopes to lend a helping hand to the people she is destined to meet, saying: "My happiness is in seeing that they know they have a friend. I do my volunteer work in the name of humanity."
