Protest in solidarity with Maribyrnong hunger striker

The Refugee Action Collective (Vic) has organised a lively protest in solidarity with Tamil refugee Leela Krishna outside Maribyrnong Detention Centre on Sunday October 3rd. Leela Krishnan, has been locked in detention for 12 months, began a hunger strike on October 1st to demand his immediate release. Leela’s application for refugee status has been approved based on the discrimination and violence he experienced in Sri Lanka because of his sexuality – he is gay. But he remains in detention because ASIO has not completed its security check. Despite repeated attempts to get information from the Immigration Department about the status of these checks, he has not been able to find out why he has not been released. After spending almost a year at Christmas Island and Villawood detention centres, Leela was moved to Maribyrnong in the last 2 weeks.

Leela's supporters are also calling on people to immediately write to Chris Bowen the Immigration Minister regarding his case and an online petition has been created.

Below are the details of Leela's case and how you can support demands for his release

Leela Krishna, a 21 year old gay man, was recognised as a refugee by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in April this year. He fled Sri Lanka because he is gay. He had been often detained, stripped and beaten by police. The Sri Lankan penal code outlaws homosexuality, and the traditional response to homosexuality by some religious groups there is death.

With the outbreak of war and subsequent massacre of Tamil people, the oppression Leela suffered was compounded. He fled on September 11 2009 by boat to Australia.
Naval border security intercepted the boat on October 2. He told authorities at Christmas Island about his sexual orientation, the shame he felt, and that he was suicidal.

In detention he has been sexually harassed, bullied and beaten in detention, and has attempted suicide several of times. Despite being recognised as a refugee in April this year, he is still awaiting security clearance from ASIO, before being released.

After a suicide attempt in ‘Stage 3’ of Villawood Detention Centre, he was placed in the maximum security 'Stage 1' section of Villawood Immigration Detention, in an isolation unit. There on August 3rd he was allegedly assaulted by a former professional kick boxer.

On the same day, his lawyer told him he would be released into the community if housing was found. However an immigration department official told him he would be moved to Melbourne’s Maribynong Detention Centre. He told the department he did not want to move.

SERCO, the private contractors who manage the centre, then placed him in the “housing” component of Villawood. The Department of Immigration then forcibly removed him from Villawood Detention Centre, to Melbourne’s Maribynong Detention Centre – away from his organisations and supporters that had been campaigning for his release.

Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) opposed his removal. They had several housing options available for him. Spokesperson Ben Cooper said: “We can’t visit Leela in Melbourne - all his support networks are in Sydney. Instead of moving him and adding to Leela’s trauma, the department should release him.”

Now in Maribynong Detention Centre, he has been on a hunger strike since Friday 1st October. His forcible removal to Maryibynong was another act of cruelty. There is no good reason for it. He presents no risk whatsoever to society, and should be released immediately from detention. A Sydney based queer community leader will sponser and house Leela, and has written to Leela’s Case Manager regarding this offer. His hunger strike means your support is urgent.

Please, write, call or fax Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and Leela’s Case Manager Druggal Preedy and petition for his immediate release.

Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Parliament House M1/45 Canberra ACT 2600

Telephone: 02 6277 7860
Fax: 02 6273 4144 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              02 6273 4144      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              02 6273 4144      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Email: minister@immi.gov.au

Druggal Preddy, Case Manager for Leela Krishna
Phone 02) 9078 3015 Fax 02) 9078 3046