HRA MEDIA RELEASE August 17th 2011 TWO Curtin Detention Centre Hunger Strikers, who have gone hungry since August 5, collapsed today at Curtin Detention Centre. Only a few days ago Hazara Asylum Seekers at Curtin Detention Centre collectively wrote a letter pleading their cases, describing the horrific environment they find themselves in, the maltreatment by various personnel and officials, the over medication they are coalesced into, their trauma, and they described the reality of life at this time in Afghanistan and the matter of fact of the brutality of life and persecution in Afghanistan.
TAMPA Day is approaching, ten years since, and yet lessons remain unlearned. Soon after we will be remembering the SIEV X and lessons remain unlearned.
People have been returned to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka only to have been killed.
The two hunger strikers were driven by Ambulance presumably to Derby Hospital where urgent medical attention can be provided and possibly they may be on their way on to Royal Perth Hospital. They went without food for two weeks. People should not have to cry out like this, they should not have to break down like this in order to be ever so slightly heard.
We warn of more detention centre deaths, more suicide attempts, of rising self harm and we warn of a mass hunger strike and protests in the remote and harsh living Curtin Detention Centre. Tragically we warn of worse maltreatments and harsh behaviours by inadequately trained and unqualified personnel towards our Asylum Seekers as all indications continue to point and describe this outcome and patterns of behaviour.
Gerry Georgatos
Convener, Human Rights Alliance
PhD Law researcher, Australian Deaths in Custody