From the fire into the frying pan

On Thursday ( 26th June) I got a shock when they moved me to this terrible prison hospital in Hohen-Asperg. I was actually expecting to be released, because my lawyer had sent by fax my new asylum application the day before. Instead of being released I was forcibly taken to Hohen-Asperg and put in a special cell with a camera and with a psychiatric patient who had obviously received strong medication. He was in a pitiable condition.
I knew that the authorities were determined to stop my hunger strike. From the first day of my hunger strike they applied different kinds of pressure on me at the Rottenburg deportation prison. For example, after several days, when I refused to stop the hunger strike, the doctor got men to force me on to a weighing scale and informed me that my weight had actually increased! Hostility from the authorities continued on a daily basis and their anger against me increased as it became clear that I will not stop my protest.
Now I was put in a terrible hospital prison in this special cell with this man - without any possibility to contact my supporters (whereas I could phone my supporters daily at the deportation prison, I was never allowed to make any calls from Hohen-Asperg – no one even by lawyer could see me for the 5 days I was there). The message was clear. They will stop my hunger strike one way or another. For twenty four hours I thought about it. I was mentally prepared to continue the hunger strike up till the end – this was my decision, I knew that I was getting weaker – but it was under my control – I was able to deal with it. But now the situation had changed. They were clearly threatening to drug me – threatening to make me into a drug addict – where I will loose any possibility to decide anything for myself. I had not been prepared for this. I had no way to contact my comrades – I was isolated. I was confronted to think about this very old prison – think about what the  Nazis had done here in their time.
My mind went back to the situation in Nigeria which forced me to flee. When I resisted the Oil companies on behalf of my people I had no intention to flee the country. But I was put in an impossible situation where the powers against me were so strong that I could not confront them head on and survive. I had to decide to flee so that I can fight in a different terrain.
So when on Friday morning when the authorities in Hohen-Asperg came and informed me that they are going to take my blood – I though to myself – if they can take my blood now without my consent they can also inject something into my blood stream. I then decided to tell the medical authorities there that I will stop my hunger strike. The psycho-terror had worked. So after 23 days of hunger strike I started to eat. I hope all my comrades understand my decision.
Now I am back from the fire to the frying pan. I have to consider now that if I start the hunger strike again are they going to send me again to Hohen-Asperg?
I thank you all for your support and hope you continue with the struggle, I will continue certainly continue from inside here.