MEDIA RELEASE
GUARDS WITHDRAWN: PORT HEDLAND DETENTION CENTRE IN UPROAR
Refugee advocates have called on Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone to
take intervene urgently to prevent the situation at Port Hedland from
deteriorating even further.
ACM guards have withdrawn from the compounds at Port Hedland and ACM is
reported to have requested the attendance of Western Australian prison
officers to help deal with the situation.
Port Hedland detention centre has been closed due to the disturbances.
There are reports that rocks and rubbish are being thrown after a
children’s excursion was cancelled today (Sunday).
Tension has been building over the last week.
A 23 year-old Afghan asylum seeker, in detention for three and a half
years is now in Port Hedland hospital. The asylum seeker self-harmed on
Friday after climbing onto the roof of one of the accommodation buildings.
He was on the roof for 26 hours before receiving medical attention.
Another Iranian, Saeed is in Perth detention centre after attempting
suicide a week ago when immigration tried to forcibly deport him.
“The situation in Port Hedland shows once again that the Howard
government’s refugee policy is out of control and based solely on crisis
management and political expediency,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for
the Refugee Action Coalition.
“The government is playing with the lives of asylum seekers and that has
to stop. There are asylum seekers who have been in Port Hedland for more
than six years. While the government made much of the tragedy of the
Bali bombings, it took more than a year for the government to act to
allow an Ibrahim Sammarki’s children to come from Bali to Australia.
“Asylum seekers have waited too long for justice. The situation is at
breaking point,” said Ian Rintoul.
“We look forward to the new Labor leader taking a more vigorous position
to expose the hypocrisy of the federal government refugee policy,” he said.
For more information contact: Refugee Action Coalition, Ian Rintoul 0417
274 713
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