Fights amongst asylum seekers in Darwin have
highlighted tensions in detention centres around Australia as more and more
asylum seekers try to get into Australia by boat.
Several asylum seekers were taken to hospital
after fights broke out on the 31st December at the Darwin Airport Lodge, a
temporary detention centre for families. Approximately 60 asylum seekers were involved. More fights broke out the
following day and another four people were taken to hospital. The Department of
Immigration says all of the asylum seekers have now been returned to the
Detention Centre.
It is not known what the fights were about but
the incident is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police. The
company which runs detention centres in Australia, Serco, will also undertake
their own investigation. The Immigration Department said that those asylum
seekers found to have been involved risked failing their character test and may
not receive refugee visas.
The Refugee Action Coalition says that tensions have been rising in
detention centres because of delays in the bridging visa process. “There have
been all sorts of promises made about people being allowed out on bridging
visas by now but it just hasn't happened.”
After the Australian Government failed to get
support from Parliament for the Malaysia Plan, it said it would introduce bridging visas for asylum seekers who had arrived by boat.
Bridging visas are granted on a case by case basis and priority is given to the
most vulnerable and those who have been in detention for a long time. According
to the Immigration Department, the behaviour of asylum seekers in detention is
also taken into account.
According to some asylum seekers, the policy
of bridging visas gave many detainees hope that they would be allowed to live
in the community while their claims were being assessed. However, since then
only 107 asylum seekers have been let out of detention on bridging visas and
the stress on those left in detention is increasing.
Statistics from the Australian Immigration
Department that were published on November 30 say that over 4,400
asylum-seekers are currently in detention with 1,265 from Iran and 1,205 from
Afghanistan. More than 1,540 people (35%) have been waiting in detention for
more than a year to see whether they can stay in Australia or not.
Tensions are also increasing as more asylum
seekers arrive by boat and are put into detention centres. 1080 asylum seekers
arrived by boat in December. As of last Friday, there were 5819 boatpeople and
crew in the country. There are currently only 1300 asylum seekers living in
community detention.
The Immigration Department and Serco are
trying to manage tensions through the introduction of a system of incentives,
rewards and punishments. For example, asylum seekers deemed low-risk in Curtin Detention Centre in Western
Australia are being moved to a low-security detention centre near Hobart.
Asylum seekers who are “troublesome” are being flown to Christmas Island to be
locked up in isolated cells not being allowed out at all or having any contact
with other asylum-seekers for weeks at a time.
The main detention centre on Christmas Island
is being renovated to increase the number of high-security cells from seven to
over 50. Two accommodation blocks are also being converted into a fully caged
compound for asylum seekers charged with offences or considered violent or
likely to harm themselves.
Serco has also introduced community activities
and volunteer work for asylum seekers that are well-behaved in Curtin. Low-risk
detainees are now regularly taken for activities to the town of Derby, 50km
from the centre. But an asylum seeker in Curtin explained that these trips did
nothing to help him after 11 months in detention. “We are not children in here,
you know someone you just give candy and make us quiet and happy," he
said. “When you are locked up with no answers, your problems do not go away
when you get taken on a bus ride or to the swimming pool.”
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