Post by wheelspinner on Jun 9, 2011 21:31:18 GMT -5
This is why our treatment of asylum seekers is so scandalous.
Mental health professionals here, including a former Australian of hte Year, are quite clear about the debilitating effect of locking people - including children - up indefinitely in the middle of nowhere merely for seeking asylum, which they are legally entitled to do.
Meanwhile the conservaitve pooh-bahs here fulminate about border protection, queue jumpers and boat people while blithely ignoring the fact that the vast majority of illegal immigrants in Australia arrive by plane and overstay their visa. The number of people who arrive by boat - while highly visible - is small, and the number of those who are not genuine refugees is vanishingly tiny. This is simply not a problem Australia should be fretting about, and it is only the racist dog-whistlers that insist on whipping it up.
Of course these very same people are all for our continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has contributed in a major way to the very conditions these people are fleeing. It is not safe there even for our soldiers, but we criticise civilians for wanting to leave, and claim that they have no grounds for claiming asylum from us.
Disgusting.
Up to 100 detainees riot on Christmas Island
Lucy Rickard
June 10, 2011 - 12:15PM
Australian Federal Police officers were reportedly forced to use tear gas to quell another disturbance at the detention facility on Christmas Island overnight.
A spokeswoman from the Department of Immigration said the disturbance involved two compounds at North West Point of the facility, and did not involve all detainees at the centre.
The AFP was called in to restore order at the facility after a group of between 80 and 100 detainees armed themselves with weapons and makeshift tools fashioned from sporting equipment and concrete.
Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson said he was generally aware of an incident at the centre, but had not been briefed on it.
"No one has told me what has happened, but I understand police were called in," Mr Thomson said.
He said a community liaison officer would be given a briefing by the Immigration Department. But he said the information flow had not been good in recent times.
"There isn't a protocol. The practice has been they would let us know what is going on, but that hasn't been maintained," he said.
"If tear gas was used I'm sure through the course of the day the workers [at the centre] will tell us."
A spokesman for the detention centre managers Serco declined to comment, referring all queries to the Immigration Department.
One Serco employee sustained minor injuries during the stoush, and has since been treated. The department spokeswoman said none of the detainees escaped the facility.
Control was handed back to Serco about 5.30am, and the centre is now calm according to the department.
The incident is now being investigated by the department and the AFP.
- with AAP
Read more: www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/up-to-100-detainees-riot-on-christmas-island-20110610-1fvxh.html#ixzz1Opt7rl2z
Mental health professionals here, including a former Australian of hte Year, are quite clear about the debilitating effect of locking people - including children - up indefinitely in the middle of nowhere merely for seeking asylum, which they are legally entitled to do.
Meanwhile the conservaitve pooh-bahs here fulminate about border protection, queue jumpers and boat people while blithely ignoring the fact that the vast majority of illegal immigrants in Australia arrive by plane and overstay their visa. The number of people who arrive by boat - while highly visible - is small, and the number of those who are not genuine refugees is vanishingly tiny. This is simply not a problem Australia should be fretting about, and it is only the racist dog-whistlers that insist on whipping it up.
Of course these very same people are all for our continued presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has contributed in a major way to the very conditions these people are fleeing. It is not safe there even for our soldiers, but we criticise civilians for wanting to leave, and claim that they have no grounds for claiming asylum from us.
Disgusting.
Up to 100 detainees riot on Christmas Island
Lucy Rickard
June 10, 2011 - 12:15PM
Australian Federal Police officers were reportedly forced to use tear gas to quell another disturbance at the detention facility on Christmas Island overnight.
A spokeswoman from the Department of Immigration said the disturbance involved two compounds at North West Point of the facility, and did not involve all detainees at the centre.
The AFP was called in to restore order at the facility after a group of between 80 and 100 detainees armed themselves with weapons and makeshift tools fashioned from sporting equipment and concrete.
Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson said he was generally aware of an incident at the centre, but had not been briefed on it.
"No one has told me what has happened, but I understand police were called in," Mr Thomson said.
He said a community liaison officer would be given a briefing by the Immigration Department. But he said the information flow had not been good in recent times.
"There isn't a protocol. The practice has been they would let us know what is going on, but that hasn't been maintained," he said.
"If tear gas was used I'm sure through the course of the day the workers [at the centre] will tell us."
A spokesman for the detention centre managers Serco declined to comment, referring all queries to the Immigration Department.
One Serco employee sustained minor injuries during the stoush, and has since been treated. The department spokeswoman said none of the detainees escaped the facility.
Control was handed back to Serco about 5.30am, and the centre is now calm according to the department.
The incident is now being investigated by the department and the AFP.
- with AAP
Read more: www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/up-to-100-detainees-riot-on-christmas-island-20110610-1fvxh.html#ixzz1Opt7rl2z
