Asylum seeker prisoners riot in Christmas Island, Australia

butcher · Mar 18, 2011

Police fire on Christmas Island rioters as detention centre burns

Nobody ↑ :

The Australian Federal Police has confirmed it used tear gas and shot bean bag rounds during violent clashes with protesters at the Christmas Island detention centre overnight.

About 200 protesters rushed at a police line, throwing rocks at officers after they were called to the centre about 8.15pm local time, an Australian Federal Police spokeswoman said.

In return, the AFP fired tear gas and bean bag shots at the protesters who covered their heads and faces with cloths and towels to avoid the gas.
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Two administration buildings and seven marquees were set alight during the protest and at 10pm the AFP were formally handed control of the centre.

The AFP remains in charge as tensions are still high at the compound.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says 70 extra AFP officers are on their way to the island bringing the total contingent to 188.

He says the AFP will remain in control for as long as necessary and warned those involved in the riots that character considerations would be taken into account when processing their visas.

A Department of Immigration and Citizenship spokeswoman said the turmoil lasted until about midnight with a small group continuing to cause damage until early this morning.

The Christmas Island fire brigade was called to respond but because of safety concerns for officers did not work inside the detention centre perimeter fence and the fire was allowed to burn out.

Around 280 detainees - not associated with the violence - had to be moved from the North West detention centre to a recreation hall and to Phosphate Hill for their safety during the violence.

Children and families are housed away from the compound where the protests took place.

‘‘I would suggest that these problems have been caused by a relatively small minority of detainees. Most of the clients on the island have not been involved and many have moved away from the troublemakers,’’ the Department spokeswoman said.

The protest was sparked by a letter asylum seekers received from Canberra stating that security checks would be undertaken in April.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul believes the letter contained other information that has angered the asylum seekers, and called for restraint at the centre.

"It is obvious the use of force by police is leading to escalating tension and confrontation," he said in a statement, claiming a "strong version of tear gas" had been used.

Mr Rintoul said he had spoken to some detainees involved in the protest who had been badly affected by the gas.

He said the men told him the gas had been stronger than that used during a confrontation with police last weekend and had made them feel nauseous.

Mr Rintoul said the men had little time to communicate and language difficulties meant he could not determine the reason for the protest.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd says violent protests are "completely unacceptable".

"How can you expect our officials to process applications for asylum when that sort of thing is happening," he told the Seven Network, referring to the reported fires at the Christmas Island detention centre.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old Afghan man has been found dead at the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre in far north Queensland. Queensland Police are investigating the death.

Police were also called to the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation centre in Broadmeadows this morning due to concerns about the safety of a detainee.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said a youth had climbed a tree, and threatened to jump.

Paramedics were also on stand-by at the centre, which houses unaccompanied minors.

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butcher · Mar 19, 2011

Another Night of "SHOCK and AWE" on Christmas Island

Nobody ↑ :

"When the AFP and TRG boarded the plane for Christmas Island at 4pm last Friday, the Christmas island protest had just begun. It was a totally peaceful action with groups of men walking the 15 kilometres through the jungle to the inhabited parts of the island." writes Pamela Curr, Co-ordinator of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne.

Over the next two days some went to the Mosque, some to the Construction Camp to visit family, some went swimming and some went to the airport to sit. No crime, no theft, absolutely peaceful.

On Sunday night most of the men returned to the camp pretty happy with their weekends work. Cheers went up and were heard on phone lines as the TV news filmed their banners calling for freedom.

A few hours later this changed completely. All Serco staff were called to the centre to provide a show of force, even the cooks and office staff. DIAC staff decided to enact a "snatch and grab' to take those thought to be leaders off to RED ONE isolation cells. After this everything changed.

The AFP and TRG then unleashed their secret weapons- bean bag rounds and tear gas, their use unheard of in this country against unarmed civilians. More was to come. Flash bangs and pyrotechnic and stronger tear gas were introduced on another night. By now the camp is on high alert and handed over to the AFP and TRG. As we enter another night, we wonder what weapons will be introduced tonight.

Of deeper concern is why all these weapons were brought on board on that Friday night when there was only a peaceful protest underway. Why did the police pack such an arsenal of weapons ?

What plan was underway that they thought that they could use these weapons ?

Beanbag rounds, flash bangs, pyrotechnics, rifles and machine guns capable of firing this stuff.- who had even heard of these much less know that our police had them stored away for a rainy day.

There are questions to be asked about the this use of violence which turned a peaceful protest into a running battle. When will it stop and will detainee deaths result from this brutal game?

NO ONE CAN BE PROUD OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

--
Pamela Curr
Campaign Coordinator
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

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MORE TEAR GAS AND FIRES ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND

Nobody ↑ :

Media Release 18 March, 2011

Police have used a stronger version of tear gas that has badly affected protesters inside the Christmas Island detention centre tonight (Thursday night), around 10.00pm Christmas Island time.

Over 250 asylum seekers were involved in the protest. The protests started in response to a letter asylum seekers received from Canberra Thursday afternoon. While the whole content of the letter is not known, the letter says in part that security checks for those waiting would be completed by the end of April.

But some other aspect of the letter has angered the detainees.

Since the use of the tear gas, Lilac and Aqua compounds are burning. Workers in the detention centre have been withdrawn.

“We are again calling for the Immigration Department and the police to act with restraint on Christmas Island. It is obvious that the use of force by the police is leading to escalating tension and confrontation. Independent human rights observers are clearly needed to ensure that peaceful protests are not being suppressed by heavy handed use of tear gas and bean bag rounds,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“The guarantee to finalise outstanding security clearances by the end of April could be a good start if the government is now willing to set a definite time limit to finalise all security clearances.”

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

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REFUGEE ADVOCATES URGE RESTRAINT AS TEAR GAS USED ON PEACEFUL PROTEST

Nobody ↑ :

Media Release 17 March 2011

Following the use of tear gas and a bean bag round to break an asylum seeker’s leg on Sunday night, more evidence of heavy-handed policing on Christmas Island has emerged.

Asylum seekers on Christmas Island have told the refugee Action Coalition that tear gas was used on a peaceful protest on Christmas Island last night (ie Wednesday night).

A group of around 400 asylum seekers were walking in the open area of the detention centre in an attempt to speak to media representatives on the island.

The asylum seekers were carrying white sheets and strips of toilet paper to show that they were peaceful. “We asked, ‘Please don’t shoot.’ ” They even had flowers to give to the police within the centre.

The police said, “We cannot let you speak to the media. You must go back to your compounds.”

After telling the protesters that police could help, when representatives of the asylum seekers met with the police, they were told again that they would not be allowed to speak with the media.

The police ordered the asylum seekers to return to their compounds and then used tear gas to disperse the peaceful crowd.

“Twice now the police have launched attacks on peaceful protests inside the Christmas Island detention centre. It is not the asylum seekers who are out of control, it is Serco, the police and the Department of Immigration. The best thing that could be done to lift the tension in the detention centre is to free those being held in Red Compound and to remove the police from the centre. It’s time to take the tear gas and the shot guns off the police,” said Ian Rintoul.

“We are still waiting for the Minister to announce the terms of the inquiry into the use of tear gas and bean bag rounds, and to announce who is going to front that inquiry. Now there is another disgraceful incident to be investigated.”

“But without action to end the delays on processing visas, the protests will continue – in Christmas Island, Darwin, and other detention centres. We enthusiastically join the call from the Uniting Church to close Christmas Island,” said Rintoul.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

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butcher · Mar 19, 2011

Some context:

CRACK DOWN BEGINS ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND – REFUGEE SUPPORTERS SAY “OPEN THE GATES”

Nobody ↑ :

Media release March 14, 2011

There are disturbing reports from Christmas Island asylum seekers that a number, perhaps 20, of the people who escaped from the detention centre on Friday night have been handcuffed and taken to the high security management unit, Red Compound, last night (ie Sunday night).

Some reports indicate that up to 20 people may have been taken to the Red Compound. At least two Afghans, one a teacher, inside the detention centre, were handcuffed and taken away last night.

While it still seems that up to 50 asylum seekers are still outside the compound, after heavy rain last night many returned to the detention centre to spend the night.

One of those involved in the original break out on Friday said, “The rain was very heavy and we had nowhere for shelter. We thought maybe we have achieved all we could. We didn’t want a confrontation with the police.”

He also reports that two Iranians who had been outside “are missing”. It is unclear whether they are still on the outside or among those now imprisoned in Red Compound.

“We are extremely concerned to hear that the government is using the Red Compound to ‘restore order.’ The government had promised that it would not use force against the protesters. But it seems promises to asylum seekers are worth nothing.

“Their only crime was to hold a peaceful protest at the appalling conditions on Christmas Island. More repression mistreatment of asylum seekers at the detention centre will only increase the high level of tension inside the detention centre,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“As a first step, the government should release those in Red Compound and open the gates of Christmas Island. It is clear that their high security ‘factory for mental illness serves no good purpose and is not needed on the island.

“We are calling on Serco, the police and the government to exercise restraint. There is a good case for human rights observers to be flown to the island to ensure there are no more incidents of force against protesters.

“The ball is in the government’s court. There needs to be urgent action to end the terrible delays in processing refugee claims and to close Christmas Island.”

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Detention uprising

Nobody ↑ :

Ramesh Fernandez a former immigration detainee gives his view of the Detention Centre protests via the R.I.S.E. website
On Thursday 11 March, after waiting many months for a decision regarding their visas, several asylum seekers received rejection letters from DIAC. In the early hours of the next day, between 50 and 150 asylum seekers broke through iron gates and escaped the Christmas Island detention centre. Though the SERCO guards immediately tried to catch the escaped detainees, they were largely unsuccessful.

I learnt of the escape at 1am on Friday morning. Initially I was very worried and terrified because, having been a detainee at Christmas Island myself, I knew there was no place to hide on the Island, nor any ways to escape the Island, since it is in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Christmas Island, north of mainland Australia, is surrounded by deep water. I also became very wary of how Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott will portray the escape. I was angry at the idea of them giving media interviews in which they politicise, for their own benefit, a topic which should only be dealt with humanely. I was dismayed by the reluctance of the Australian media to cover our police using force, rubber bullets, and bean bags on asylum seekers.

I recall the events of one early morning in 2003, while I was detained at the Baxter Detention Centre. Around 7 am, I was dragged out of my room and handcuffed, and kept outside for several hours. When the guards took me, I was naked, but they didn’t bother to help me, or let me, put my clothes on. The whole event was filmed by GSL guards, even the part of me redressing. There were many occasions where guards used capsicum spray on us and where detainees were denied proper medical care. I remember times we were fed expired food, and sometimes not even given enough water. Because of these experiences I endured in detention, I understand why people would protest or try to escape from those hellholes. This awful treatment meted out to detainees still continues.

The current state of Australia’s detention centres is appalling. They are overcrowded, sanitary conditions are poor, and some SERCO guards are very rough with the detainees. Furthermore, given the long wait that asylum seekers have to wait for their refugee status determinations and security clearances, the detention centre “vibe” is one of great angst, frustration, depression, and fear.

The escape of detainees has to be viewed with consideration of these problems. However, instead of addressing the underlying and important concerns, the Gillard government sends troops to Christmas Island to forcibly put an end to asylum seeker resistance: to stifle protest and return the asylum seekers back to the detention centre from which they escaped. And while Australia’s troops use tear gas and bean bag guns on asylum seekers, the Gillard government continues to ignore the massive human crisis occurring within the detention centres and, in doing so, fails to implement policy that will effectively resolve these issues.

Rather than using coercive power to silence detainee dissent, the Gillard government should address the legitimate concerns raised by detainees during their acts of protest and resistance. For example, one concern that has been raised by detainees multiple times is the amount of time that ASIO takes to determine security assessments and also ASIO’s lack of transparency in making these assessments. After being granted refugee status by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), many refugees have to wait for over a year ASIO to complete their security assessments.

After waiting for many months behind barbed wire, the negative decisions (from DIAC and/or ASIO) are terrible responses for those dying for freedom. Many of these asylum seekers have immediate family members relaying on them to reach a safe environment. And while these family members wait, they are threatened, tortured, kept in refugee camps, sometimes even murdered. While rhetoric about children in detention within Australia is given media attention, the fact that many asylum seekers have young children in other countries waiting for freedom as well is ignored.

Asylum seekers inside Australia’s detention centres are oppressed. The vast majority of those in detention arrived in Australia by boat. People only flee their homes and take the dangerous sea journey to Australia to escape horrific situations. It is a desperate measure caused by desperate situations. For the crime of fleeing persecution, they have to spend years of their lives behind bars and in solitary confinement. The fundamental rights of refugees, defined through the UN Refugee Convention are not respected inside detention centres. In this context, I am not surprised that asylum seekers are trying to escape. It is understandable, given the conditions within detention centres, how long cases take to be decided, and the amount of negative decisions.

Under the United Nations Refugee Convention, to which Australia is a signatory, we have a responsibility towards those who seek protection on our shores, irrespective of how they arrive or what papers they arrive with. And while the Australian government has shirked off the responsibilities of running detention centres onto private companies, they still have the responsibility to ensure that asylum seekers are treated humanely. Detention centres are not humane. They are often squalid and exacerbate mental trauma. Australia also needs to implement a fairer visa processing system—one where people are not kept in limbo for years and one which will not return people to danger.

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Shire president reveals orphan's trauma

Nobody ↑ :

Christmas Island's shire president has joined calls for a nine-year-old Iranian orphan to be allowed to stay on the mainland, saying he is in a "terrible way" as he struggles to come to terms with the deaths of his family in the island's shipwreck.

The boy's mother, father and brother where among up to 50 people who died when the boat they were on broke up on rocks on Christmas Island in December.

The distraught boy attended his father's funeral in Sydney this week, but the bodies of his mother and brother have never been found.

Shire president Gordon Thomson has told the ABC the boy should not be returned to detention on Christmas Island, where the asylum seeker processing centre is near the site of the shipwreck.

"The boy ... in particular, who's been highlighted in media coverage, is in a terrible way," he said.

"I understand he goes to the gate every time a bus bringing a new group of refugees to Christmas Island turns up at the detention centre. He is waiting at the gate looking for his mother and father."

The boy was among 22 of the survivors of the disaster who attended funerals of some of the victims in Sydney this week.

The group will be flown back to Christmas Island this morning amid growing pressure on Immigration Minister Chris Bowen to allow them to stay.

Mr Bowen says the nine-year-old will be resettled in the community, and he is considering calls for him to be allowed to stay with his cousin in Sydney.

"I do recognise very clearly that he has been through trauma, of course he has [and] that it is better for children to move into the community, that is why I introduced that policy, that is why I'm moving the majority of members of families and children into the community by June," he said.

"You need to establish the appropriate accommodation to look after them and the appropriate psychological care on a case-by-case basis and that applies very much to him."

Mr Bowen says he will apply the new laws allowing children out of detention.

"It will apply to him urgently because he has been through a very traumatic situation," he said.

"He was brought to Sydney for the funeral of his family and quite separate to that, sensitively and appropriately he'll be moved into the community."

Meanwhile, one of the Federal Government's own mental health advisers is urging it to reconsider the decision to send survivors of the Christmas Island boat tragedy back to detention.

Psychiatrist Louise Newman has told AM the decision is bizarre and unacceptable.

"The concerns from a psychiatric perspective would be that this child and other children and the other orphans and children who've been exposed to this are at acute risk of mental disorder," she said.

Ms Newman says Mr Bowen needs to urgently reconsider his decision.

"Take advice from mental health and health professionals in the interests of prevention of mental deterioration and potentially very severe mental health consequences," she said.

Ian Rintoul of the Refugee Action Coalition has also called on Mr Bowen to allow the Christmas Island detainees to stay in Sydney.

"He says he wants children out of detention; he says he wants families out of detention. [Children and families are] a big proportion of the 22 who are in Sydney at the moment, so why not let them stay in Sydney where their loved ones are buried, where their relatives are, where there are communities that can support them," he said.

First posted Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:03am AEDT

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Meanwhile...

SCHERGER DEATH DEMANDS FULL DETENTION INQUIRY; CURTIN PROTEST SPARKED BY SERCO GUARDS’ BRUTALITY

Nobody ↑ :

Media release, 18 March 2011

The sit-down protest by around 100 asylum seekers on Thursday afternoon in the Curtin detention centre was sparked by the brutal restraint and beating of an Afghan asylum seeker by Serco guards.

It is believed that the man was trying to see his case manager when up to six Serco guards seized him and threw him to the ground, brutally restraining him.

The extent of the man’s injuries are not known but the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) has been told he was taken to the medical centre after the incident.

It is believed the Afghan man has been accepted as a refugee, and has been in detention for 10 months, still waiting for security clearance.

RAC was also told that this was not the first instance of rough treatment dished out to asylum seekers by Serco guards. “We want an answer, why are they beating this man?” asked a Curtin asylum seeker speaking by phone from the detention centre.

Although the protest is believed ot have ended on Thursday afternoon, tensions inside the detention centre have been growing over the past weeks because the number of rejections of asylum claims has increased dramatically. It is believed that more than half of the almost 1200 Afghan asylum seekers have now received initial rejections of their asylum claim.

Self-harm incidents inside the detention centre are at epidemic proportions. There is a serious self harm incident almost every day. Some of the injuries have been so serious that asylum seekers have had to be evacuated to Perth.

“On top of the tear gas and bean bag shots, this is yet another instance of heavy handed brutality by Serco. With the announcement of the death of the 20 year old Afghan man at the Scherger detention centre, it is clear that the inquiry into the excessive policing on Christmas Island has to be extended to cover the whole of the government’s detention regime,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“The long delays and the uncertainty have turned detention toxic.”

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punkmar77 · Mar 19, 2011

How dare those brown people try to seek a better life here in White Christian Australia....

butcher · Mar 19, 2011

Interesting tidbit: Serco, the firm who runs all Australia's 'Detention Centres' (and a number of other prisons), also services the Australian, UK & US military, and the nuclear industry.

punkmumma · Mar 21, 2011

Well there is a surprise ... NOT. I was reading in a group that said I have now lost all respect for asylum seekers due to them doing this . I wanted to reach through the computer and slap their faces grrr

butcher · Apr 3, 2011

Protests yesterday at Melbourne's Broadmeadows immigration prison (see here & here)

Some protestors tried to break in, some inmates broke out, lots of trots with red flags, etc.

Anywayz, its been getting a fair bit of coverage down here after the pigs decided to spray capsicum spray in the face of a dude in a wheelchair. They subsequently claimed this was done because they 'were concerned for his safety'.

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