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Refugee Update
Aug. 18th, 2014 05:46 pmSign the J'Accuse open letter to the government.
Life intervened once again to delay this update. I'll try to keep it as concise as possible.
As of 21 July no suspects in the killing of Reza Barati had been interviewed by Papua New Guinean police, although witnesses are not allowed to voluntarily return to the countries they have fled (unless they withdraw their statements, apparently). No-one has been sent to Manus since the killing, and there is speculation the centre will be closed.
The 157 Tamil asylum seekers held at sea for a month are now on Nauru. During their captivity they were taught to operate orange lifeboats, as the Australian govenment hoped to return them directly to India. The group's lawyers continue to push for the legality of their detention at sea to be tested in the High Court.
The group includes 50 children, who face a two-month wait to see counsellors. Humanitarian workers on Nauru have described the savage conditions which children and families face in the camp: shit, sickness, and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. (A sixteen year old boy told he would be returned to Nauru slashed his arms.)
Parents of six year old girl suffering apparent PTSD from her detention on Christmas Island are suing the Australian government. An asylum seeker detained on Manus Island attempted suicide. On Christmas Island sick asylum seekers are being treated via video conference in lieu of doctors' examinations. On Christmas Island, adults' and children's glasses, hearing aids, and medications are removed on arrival, with the obvious consequences for (for example) an epileptic three year old. Permission was withdrawn for a paediatric specialist to examine detained babies after her arrival on Christmas Island.
The psychiatrist formerly in charge of mental health in immigration detention has compared the treatment of asylum seekers to torture. He also stated that the Immigration Department attempted to cover up evidence of extensive psychological damage done to child detainees. He reported that as of July there had been 123 incidents of children self-harming over 15 months, not including Nauru. 659 children are currently in detention. Church leaders have described their treatment as "state-sponsored child abuse" and have called for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to no longer be the child detainees' legal guardian.
Australia will reserve 4,400 places in offshore refugee intake for Iraqis and Syrians endangered by Islamic State (aka ISIS). Last year our total intake was reduced from 20,000 to 13,750. Asylum seekers who reach Australia by themselves are counted against that quota, reducing it further.
Life intervened once again to delay this update. I'll try to keep it as concise as possible.
As of 21 July no suspects in the killing of Reza Barati had been interviewed by Papua New Guinean police, although witnesses are not allowed to voluntarily return to the countries they have fled (unless they withdraw their statements, apparently). No-one has been sent to Manus since the killing, and there is speculation the centre will be closed.
The 157 Tamil asylum seekers held at sea for a month are now on Nauru. During their captivity they were taught to operate orange lifeboats, as the Australian govenment hoped to return them directly to India. The group's lawyers continue to push for the legality of their detention at sea to be tested in the High Court.
The group includes 50 children, who face a two-month wait to see counsellors. Humanitarian workers on Nauru have described the savage conditions which children and families face in the camp: shit, sickness, and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. (A sixteen year old boy told he would be returned to Nauru slashed his arms.)
Parents of six year old girl suffering apparent PTSD from her detention on Christmas Island are suing the Australian government. An asylum seeker detained on Manus Island attempted suicide. On Christmas Island sick asylum seekers are being treated via video conference in lieu of doctors' examinations. On Christmas Island, adults' and children's glasses, hearing aids, and medications are removed on arrival, with the obvious consequences for (for example) an epileptic three year old. Permission was withdrawn for a paediatric specialist to examine detained babies after her arrival on Christmas Island.
The psychiatrist formerly in charge of mental health in immigration detention has compared the treatment of asylum seekers to torture. He also stated that the Immigration Department attempted to cover up evidence of extensive psychological damage done to child detainees. He reported that as of July there had been 123 incidents of children self-harming over 15 months, not including Nauru. 659 children are currently in detention. Church leaders have described their treatment as "state-sponsored child abuse" and have called for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to no longer be the child detainees' legal guardian.
Australia will reserve 4,400 places in offshore refugee intake for Iraqis and Syrians endangered by Islamic State (aka ISIS). Last year our total intake was reduced from 20,000 to 13,750. Asylum seekers who reach Australia by themselves are counted against that quota, reducing it further.
