Refugee Update
150 Riot Police storm Villawood Refugee Detention centre.
Villawood Refugees yesterday embarked on a hunger strike to free themselves
and all refugees coming to Australia from inhumane conditions and mandatory
detention.
Aproximately 60 refugees have commited to not eating "until they die" in a
desperate attempt to get the Australian government to stop breaching our
international human rights obligations to asylum seekers.
Just before 9:30 this morning, in response to the hunger strike, riot
police were sent into the Villawood detention centre. Verbal threats were
issued to the detainees that force would be used to break up the hunger strike.
The refugees convened a meeting to discuss their response and were
surrounded by walls of riot police. There are also riot police circling all
sides of the detention center.
"This gross act of intimidation will not be tolerated." said Natasha Verco
of the Refugee Action Collective.
The refugees in Villawood have signaled their determination to continue
with their protest. And the Refugee Action Collective re- affirms our
support of their action. The refugee community is convening emergency
meetings to discuss their response.
For more information call Sultan (inside the detention center) on 96443411,
or Cyrus on 0413 486 231 or Natasha Verco at Sydney Uni SRC 96605222 or
0407668016.
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