Tag: detention

Nauru: Hunger strike starts as protests spread

6 October, RAC: The protests by asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru that began on Thursday 25 August are continuing, and have now spread to the single men’s camp, OPC 2.

The daily protests inside the family camp show no sign of slowing down. Every evening, between 300 and 500 asylum seekers gather to protest against proposed Australian government policy that would see them left doubly discriminated against and facing a life sentence on Nauru.

Around 90 asylum seekers, mostly Burmese, Bangladeshi and Iranian, have been on hunger strike for the last three days (ie since Saturday 4 October). Hundreds are maintaining a 24 hour protest and vigil at the gates of OPC 2.

Yesterday, Sunday 5 October, around 60 of those found to be refugees held another demonstration in front of the Save the Children offices.

Continue reading “Nauru: Hunger strike starts as protests spread”

Darwin: two teenage asylum seekers flee immigration detention

31 July: Two teenage asylum seekers have fled from detention in Darwin, the Immigration Department has confirmed.

The ABC understands the two are unaccompanied Vietnamese boys, both aged 16, who were moved by the department to Darwin from Adelaide a month ago.

The pair had previously been living in community detention in Adelaide and attending Woodville High School.

Woodville principal Meredith Edwards said staff and students were devastated that the boys had been sent to Darwin.

“These are 16-year-old boys and up until now, they’ve committed no crime,” she said.

She has been told the boys ran away while they were attending classes at Sanderson High, a school in Darwin’s northern suburbs that teaches many asylum seekers detained at the Wickham Point detention centre. Continue reading “Darwin: two teenage asylum seekers flee immigration detention”

Christmas Island: protesters injured by riot squad

3 June: Reports from Christmas Island indicate that at least six people were taken by ambulance out of the detention centre following the bashing of peaceful protesters by the Federal Police riot squad.

Asylum seekers who witnessed the baton-wielding, helmeted riot squad attacking the protesters said they saw people whose faces and shirts were covered in blood. They have told the Refugee Action Coalition that besides the six transported out of the detention centre, other injured asylum seekers are being treated at the detention centre’s medical clinic.

It is believed that there are many injured hands and arms from the baton attack. Continue reading “Christmas Island: protesters injured by riot squad”

Nauru: first two asylum seekers found guilty of riot are sentenced to jail

5 June: The first two asylum seekers convicted of rioting at the Nauru detention centre have been sentenced to jail.

In July 2013, asylum seekers torched the centre, causing $60m worth of damage. Newly built accommodation blocks, the health centre, offices, the dining room and vehicles were burnt. Only the kitchen and recreation facility remained standing.

Sixty-three asylum seekers face criminal charges stemming from the riots.

On Thursday the Nauru magistrate Ropate Cabealawa sentenced one asylum seeker to two years and five months in jail for unlawful assembly and rioting convictions. The second asylum seeker, convicted of rioting, will serve 11 months at the Nauru correctional centre. Continue reading “Nauru: first two asylum seekers found guilty of riot are sentenced to jail”

Christmas Island: Hundreds on hunger strike, seven stitch lips

I June: Around 75 asylum seekers who began their protest in solidarity with Reza Barati last Tuesday are in their sixth day of hunger strike – having slept Saturday night outside their compounds, in the rain.

In response to the protest, Immigration and Serco have locked down the whole of the detention centre, confining hundreds of asylum seekers inside their compounds.

Now the outside hunger strikers have now been joined by up to 300 other asylum seekers, Iranian, Iraqi and Rohingyan, in the locked down compounds. Hundreds are into their fourth day of hunger strike as the anger and frustration grows.

Seven Iranians in Gold and Green compound have also stitched their lips.

The protesters have been on the island for 10 and 11 months.

“We are getting tired with no activity. But they are always warning, you we will be sent to Manus Island or Nauru. We need freedom. The people outside in the rain are calling for freedom,” one asylum seeker said from inside the detention centre. Continue reading “Christmas Island: Hundreds on hunger strike, seven stitch lips”

Melbourne: Co-ordinated attack on Transfield and Toll buildings March 2014

Anarchist News: In the early hours of the 28th of March we co-ordinated an exhilirating attack on both the Melbourne St.Kilda road headquarters of Transfield, and a South Melbourne branch office of Toll.

Paint and glass was hurled, sprayed, thrown all around, and the words ‘Burn the Prison Industrial Complex’, ‘Fuck Transfield’, ‘Get out of Nauru’ and so on were painted on the walls of the buildings.

We have specifically targeted these corporations and workplaces because we think its fucked that anyone can profit off the indefinite detention of human beings in Australia and offshore.

We refuse to accept the Australian government, and the private companies contracted by them, can get away with crinimalising, detaining, torturing and killing people who are trying to seek refuge.

We believe that people have the right to cross any border anywhere to seek refuge from war, oppression, colonialism and economic hardship. We understand that Australia has, and continues to play a leading role in creating those same conditions of war, oppression, colonialism and economic hardship that many people are fleeing from.

With this point we also say to the Australian Government : You do not have the authority to refuse people entry and refuge on a land that was never ceded. You cannot refuse people refuge on land that you stole!

Solidarity to all people in detention centers and prisons everywhere!!

Christmas Island: detainees on hunger strike

16 January: Family groups have joined a hunger strike on Christmas Island as protests spread to three separate compounds.The hunger strike began last week in the single adult male compound at north-west point, where some detainees also sewed their lips together.

A second hunger strike began at the Aqua family compound on Tuesday, according to detainees at the centre. The detainees have put up a banner bearing the word “freedom”. It is not clear whether children are also involved in the protest.

A third group are also protesting in the Lilac facility, which houses men and women. The protesters there staged a sit-in protest and wrote a letter to the Department of Immigration complaining about their treatment and expressing their fears of being sent to Nauru.

The protest was initially sparked by the separation of some asylum seekers from family members. Continue reading “Christmas Island: detainees on hunger strike”