Nauru-bound asylum seekers skip meals in protest

25 Aug 2012, 6:12 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Nauru. (AAP)

Nauru. (AAP)

Asylum seekers at Christmas Island's detention centre are refusing food in protest at plans to transfer them outside Australian territory for their claims to be processed.

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Asylum seekers at Christmas Island's detention centre are refusing food in protest at plans to transfer them outside Australian territory for their claims to be processed.

A Department of Immigration spokesman told AAP some detainees had skipped meals but he was unable to confirm media reports of a large-scale hunger strike.

"There are people who have missed meals," the spokesman said on Saturday.

He stressed any hunger strike action would not influence offshore processing plans.

"Anything these people can do will not change government policy," he said.

"We continue to work with them and advise them on the situation, but this (the plan for transfers) is happening."

Fairfax Media reports that 238 people from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Sri Lanka, including 40 women and children, had been informed on Friday that they would be sent to Nauru for processing and deported to their home countries if they did not cooperate.

One Afghan asylum seeker told Fairfax he had begun refusing food on August 16, after arriving by sea from Indonesia two days earlier.

Federal parliament recently passed legislation to allow offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrive by boat.

An independent panel recommended the government urgently restart offshore processing on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.



 

Asylum-seekers , Nauru Detention Centre

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Bring on The Next Election so the Labor Party Can be Scrapped Forever

Vic - from Rockhampton, 9 months ago

These people want to come to Australia because after shopping around, Australia has the better unemployment benefits. Many are reportedly on DISABILITY PENSIONS and have never worked a day in Australia. They get free Centrelink payments, free medical, free housing and if not happy with that, can sue the Aussie Taxpayer for mistreatment while in detention for a lump sum payment. Once in the "lucky country" they can send Aussie Taxpayer Money back to bring more boats. BRING ON THE ELECTION

In regards to other comments listed...

Andrew - from hervey bay, 9 months ago

I hope all of you who dislike them protesting being transfered out of Australia, realise that once out they no longer have any rights under Australian law. That for me would be the primary reason i would protest under the same circumstances. if you agree or not the fact remains that our government should be responsible for the people IN ITS CARE. Its JUST WRONG! if they are within our boarders we have to bite the bullet and deal with them under our law.Not pushing them out of site out of mind!

Blackmail by illigals

Bob - from Maroochydore, 9 months ago

I believe that we should put last on the list for resettlement of any refugee who uses any form of hunger strikes etc. Are these the type of people we need here. We need people who will conform too and become law abiding citizens of Australia

sick of these illegal parasites

ernie - from Geelong, 9 months ago

Says it all, just ship them back and hold a referendum to stop this labor?greens lunacy

kind

mark - from moonta, 9 months ago

What a kind and caring country we have become.I hope naura is a complete failure and i hope we get a few more thousand arrive next month.Looks like the racist rednecks are winning.Well done australia.

Newcomers Don't Like Nauru

Betty MacDunn - from Albury, 9 months ago

How much longer is Australia going to be held to ransom by these illegal (they have  no papers and have entered Australia illegally) boat people, who are now threatening hunger strikes because they don't like Nauru? They are arrogant and demanding and we don't need people like that in Australia.They are not needy, they have money, and now they want a cushy life in Oz. In two years time, after milking our welfare system, they will go home for a holiday. Bring back temporary visas. What fools we are.

Emotional Blackmail

Di - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

These people should be charged with child neglect any Australian who coerced their children not to eat would be charged..It's emotional blackmail ,send them back and see how they fair in another detention centre across the world,they are ungrateful and now are demanding. Aussies will be pushed out of public housing into sardine cans to accomadate the 20,000 influx. 7 year waiting list in Victoria for public housing if your Australian,boat people will be housed immediately.

budvv

Marty - from perth, 9 months ago

How dare these A@#$5holes try to blackmail the Australian people!!! I'm so incenced with their actions that I suggest they be sent to Antarctica and await their fate there. I do not want any of them here in Australia, ever. If they can't behave before they get here, what are they going to be like if we let them loose in our society. You can imagine the trouble they will cause when they don't get their own way at centrelink.

asylum seekers

oncewas - from bribie island, 9 months ago

Oh well, a saving on catering costs if managed properly. Perhaps they should bring their own supplies if they don't want what is provided. An early sign that they do not want to conform with Australian laws?

food for thought

matt - from sydney, 9 months ago

fine, let them starve, send the food to Africa

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