(This report first appeared in Melbourne Indymedia. See also http://web-beta.archive.org/web/20041224225932/http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2004/12/85196.php)

An email from one of the hunger-strikers:

Dear people who care about asylum seekers,

I am going on a short public fast on Christmas Day in support and
sympathy with the Iranian detainees at Baxter Detention Center. I will
fast from 10am to 10pm, at Flinders St Station. I would love if any of
you would join me in this. This is the first public protest I have
ever organised so if you have any advice or media contacts, I’d
appreciate your help immensely. Contact me with questions, comments,
anything via email (…) or phone (…). Please publicise this among your networks..

Thank you most earnestly,

Juliana Qian
[Juliana was later joined in the protest by Emily Smith.]

From the protesters’ flyer:

Why are we doing this?

Even though the fast at Baxter Detention Centre has ended, we want to show our support to the
detainees, and to draw attention to their situation by making sure that their message stays in
the Media without them having to fast to the death or cause themselves further permanent damage.
Many Iranians have been detained in Australia for four or five years. It is clear that the
Iranians, who are fearing persecution, came to us for protection. The fact the we keep denying
them that protection is a scandal that should be known around the world.