Members of the Refugee Advocacy Network organized an emergency vigil today “to mourn the passing of a young Hazara man found dead at Scherger Detention Centre last week, and also to protest against the continuing practice of offshore detention, and the absurdity and secrecy surrounding security clearances.”

“In the last seven months, 4 asylum seekers have committed suicide and another young Afghan man died after a heart attack while in Curtin Detention Centre. This is a crisis”, said Pamela Curr, spokeperson for the RAN Network, who also spoke at the vigil, making the point amongst other things that “No-one chooses to be an asylum seeker”. By way of illustration, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has issued a post card with statements from two refugees, one from Ethiopia, the other from China:
” I cannot go home because of what happened to me. I have no family left. I have no male protection. My father was arrested and my brothers too. The government is after me and my family. They can kill me. I wish sometimes I was dead.”

“I was severely prosecuted for the belief of Falun Gong. The police just arrested me, put me away, put me into the detention centre, several times. The longest period was two years in their forced labour camp.”

By way of background to the emergency action, apart from the callout above, see this post on Melbourne Indymedia http://indymedia.org.au/2011/03/19/another-night-of-shock-and-awe-on-christmas-island and another recent post on the e-news list refugee@lists.justfreedom.org.au –

[quote]
THIRTY TWO detainees in Maribyrnong were despatched to Villawood today as an unknown group of detainees from Darwin were despatched to Maribyrnong Detention Centre.
Shifting the deck chairs on the Titanic!
Is this a case of deliberate provocation to stir up unrest?
Who is running the Immigration Department?
These are human beings with connections, relations and supports in Melbourne.
Without notice or explanation they were transplanted like used cars to Sydney as no doubt were the men from Darwin.
Among the men transferred today were some very vulnerable fragile men.
What does the department think will happen to these mentally unwell men?

The riots on Christmas Island were deliberately provoked by DIAC and the AFP and TRG who were spoiling for a fight and for a chance to use their BOYS TOYS. They would have been condemned if they had used these weapons on students, workers or even Indigenous Australians ( and we know that they can kill Indigenous Australians with impunity)
BUT ASYLUM SEEKERS COUNT FOR NOTHING- incendiaries and synthetic bullets were ok for them.

What is this about? In whose interests is it to stir us unrest in detention centres?

[end quote]