In the aftermath of asylum seekers and refugees being shown a video of Scott Morrison announcing that TPVs would never apply to Nauru, protests, both inside and outside, the detention centre has rocked Nauru.
Protests yesterday afternoon, have been followed by more protests and self-harm incidents today, Friday, 26 September.
Inside the detention centres, there have been self-harm and attempted suicide attempts by at least four adult Iranian asylum seekers (including one woman) and at least six Pakistani and Afghan unaccompanied minors (UAM). A number of the UAM’s have suffered severe cuts and remain in the IHMS medical centre.
Another 14 year-old girl taken to hospital this afternoon after drinking washing liquid. She has been medivacced to Sydney.
This afternoon (Friday) a protest march was been forcibly attacked by Nauruan police as released refugees tried to march out of the family compound – see attached photo.
Police pushed and punched the refugees as they tried to march out of the compound. But groups pof refugees jumped the fence and regrouped outside the compound and again tried to march before being blocked by police cars.
Protest banners and placards were snatched from the protesters. Skirmishes were still happening into the evening as refugees tried to get police to return mobile phones and cameras that had been confiscated from the asylum seekers in an attempt to stop news of the protests getting off the island.
Nauruan police have been stationed inside the family detention camp (OPC 3), since yesterdy afternoon. During Friday, Nauruan police carried out reprisal raids and searches of the camp assaulting a number of asylum seekers in the process.
“Where is the justice,” one refugee asked. “This is not fair. We have lived for more than a year in the heat, in tents, without water, without shower, without electricity. There is no difference between us and the people on Christmas Island, we all came after 19 July.”
For more information contact, Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713 www.refugeeaction.org.au
