A meeting between the fifteen Darwin hunger strikers and the Northern Regional Manager, Robin Gray, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon ended in dismay.
A meeting with the regional manager has been one of the demands since the hunger strike began 20 days ago.
But according to reports, Gray dismissed the hunger strikers’ concerns in minutes, refusing to take questions or to have any discussion.
“You asked to meet me. We won’t listen to you while you are protesting. If you have complaints or requests they can be sent to the Ombudsman,” said Gray before leaving.
After Gray left, another manager at the centre told the fifteen hunger strikers, “We won’t do anything for you while you are on hunger strike. We don’t care if you die.”
Asylum seekers at the meeting said they wanted to ask Gray about possible appeals and why some people in the community were able to have their cases reviewed. But, they said. “We got nothing. One minute; no questions.”
One of the asylum seekers remains on 24 hour suicide watch after slashing his wrists two days ago.
“The contemptuous attitude of the Immigration department is making a difficult situation worse,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“Those who have been indefinitely detained are being mistreated in the hope that the Immigration department can force other asylum seekers to voluntarily return. It is a form of torture, that has already put the life of another hunger striker at immediate risk.”
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713
