Nauru detainees 'sew lips together'

20 Feb 2013, 3:41 pm   -   Source: Rhiannon Elston, SBS
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Four detainees at Nauru%u2019s regional processing centre have sewn their lips together in a protest over their conditions, refugee advocates claim. (AAP)

Four detainees at Nauru%u2019s regional processing centre have sewn their lips together in a protest over their conditions, refugee advocates claim. (AAP)

Four detainees at Nauru’s regional processing centre have sewn their lips together in a protest over their conditions, refugee advocates claim.

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Four detainees at Nauru’s regional processing centre have sewn their lips together in a protest over their conditions, refugee advocates claim.

Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition says 15 men are believed to be on a hunger strike, and four Iranian men have sewn their lips together.

“They’re desperate to try to do something,” he says, adding that turmoil within the Nauruan government has caused further concern among detainees at the facility.

“They’re now thinking -- will they ever be processed?”

Three senior government ministers have stepped down or been relived from their posts in the past few weeks, with one opposition government spokesman claiming conflict over the Australian-run detention centre is to blame, according to earlier reports.

A department of Immigration spokesman confirmed there was some “protest activity” at the centre yesterday afternoon.

“The centre is now calm,” the spokesman said. “There were four transferees who did engage in acts of self-harm however it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on the nature of that self-harm.”

Nauru Detention Centre

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Your Comments

These are desperate, vulnerable people resorting to desperate, horrific things.

Hayley B - from Sydney, 3 months ago

Their arrival into this country to seek asylum, is not illegal- our government's response is. As signatories of the 1951 Refugee Convention, WE accepted the call to fulfil our humanitarian obligations to provide refuge & safety to our fellow human beings. We are instead violating that agreement & breaking international humanitarian law in the process. As for the 'superficial stitches' comment- nothing could be further from the truth- only a person who had lost all other hope could endure such.

Protest activity facilitation by far-left extremist advocates

Jason - from Australian Capital Territory, 3 months ago

These hunger strikes are often called by many asylum claimants. However, the amount of claimants that actually follow through with these hunger strikes in detention centres is low. The protests are usually facilitated by far-left extremist refugee advocates as publicity stunts with the goal of closing off-shore detention facilities, as it's easier to facilitate legal loopholes for illegal immigration on-shore. These illegal immigration policies inadvertently & naively risk social cohesion.

refugees

oncewas - from bribie island, 3 months ago

if these people think that sewing their lips together will result in some action, who the hell is advising them? why did they not do this back in iran to get some attention. let the RAC in to share with the refugees what the facts are and to explain that self-harm will get them nothing but more pain.

Superficial stitches?

Bob - from Vic, 3 months ago

Typical! Nothing new in this kind of pressure tactic use to force the weak immigration and government into a decision, which is, to gain protection visas, community detention, or in this case to come to Australia. Iranians are the most violent and demand group after the Tamils deemed security risk. They cause major havoc in mainland detention centres. Perhaps Salvation Army should follow Serco and employ ex-detainees to manage the Iranians. Serious conflict of interest? You decide!

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