asylum seeker protest

A group of refugee protesters shut down the Melbourne immigration office today, in protest against deporting asylum seekers to Malaysia. The 40 refugee supporters loudly chanted “Refugees are welcome here” and “Not Malaysia, Not Nauru, Gillard we’re talking to you”. Four demonstrators staged a protest inside the immigration department where they gave speeches for 20 minutes before being escorted out of the building.

On the afternoon of Sunday 24th of July, The Refugee Action Collective received distressing images and news of 3 boys sewing their lips together at the Broadmeadows Detention Centre. When trying to visit these boys Serco officers would not comment on whether the boys had received medical help. All three boys are unaccompanied minors from Kuwait, Iran and Iraq. They have been unlawfully detained for up to 11 months. They are desperate and need immediate medical care and support. We demand Serco to release information on the condition of the boys immediately.

The following message was forwarded via email by the Refugee Action Collective of Victoria announcing they had heard direct from Darwin Detention Centre of the forcible ending of the rooftop protest by asylum seekers. The email from the Detention Centre is included below:

Refugee Action Coalition Statement July 20th 2011 After seven days, the roof top protest by five asylum seekers at Darwin detention centre ended this morning (Wednesday 20 July), after Immigration officials spoke again to the protesters.

Three of the protesters left the roof last night but the remaining two only came down around midday Darwin time. All the detainees, two Iraqis and three Ahwazi Arabs, have been waiting months for answers to their appeals.