A government dinner for Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, hosted by the President of Nauru, was disrupted after refugees discovered Dutton at the restaurant adjacent to one of the refugee camps. (See photos).
Alerted to Dutton’s presence, refugees began a spontaneous demonstration, chanting, “Freedom,” Justice,” “shut down offshore.”
As the word spread more refugees came from other camps including the more remote Fly camp for single male refugees.
The protest lasted from around 8pm to 10pm.
“None of them enjoyed their dinner,” one of the refugees told the Refugee Action Coalition.
Dutton had earlier arrived on a private jet.
Last Wednesday night, a eight months pregnant Somali refugee attempted suicide by drowning. Her requests to be taken to Australia to have the baby had been turned down.
There were no indication that Peter Dutton was scheduled to meet any of the refugees or asylum seekers that Australia has transported to Nauru.
The Human Rights Commission report, The Forgotten Children, has damned the conditions in which children and their families are held in detention on Nauru.
The plight of refugees on Nauru also grows more desperate day by day. Nauru will not allow resettlement of refugees, so there are hundreds of refugees now living temporarily outside the detention camp.
Remember Reza Barati: end offshore processing
A protest vigil to mark one year since Reza Barati’s death and to call for an end to offshore processing will be held on Friday, 20 February, 5.30pm at Sydney Town Hall. Speakers will include a relative of Reza’s family, other Iranian refugees, The Greens and the Refugee Action Coalition.
For more information, contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713