The Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) says it has received a distress call from asylum seekers on Christmas Island saying some of them were going on hunger strike in protest against plans to send them to Malaysia.
The group of 54 mainly Afghan asylum seekers who arrived on Christmas Island on Thursday, are the first boat people to be transferred to Malaysia under the government's recently agreed Malaysia solution. Among them are 18 minors, or people claiming to
be minors, up to 14 of whom are unaccompanied.
RAC spokesman Ian Rintoul said the asylum seekers had called his organisation on Friday.
"The short call said only: 'We are in a bad way; we need help. We are starting a hunger strike'," Mr Rintoul said on Friday, calling on the government to give the group access to lawyers.
"The cry for help is clear enough. If the government has nothing to hide, then it will allow lawyers to contact them," he said.
"The asylum seekers have committed no crime but are effectively being held incommunicado.
"The abuse of their human rights has started even before they have been sent to Malaysia."
Ms Gillard said the hunger strike reports would not change the government's position.
"I have seen reports to that affect. Obviously, our immigration department officials will handle any issues," Ms Gillard told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.
"But, as we have made clear all along, the returns to Malaysia aren't a question of volunteering. This will be done."
