Attempted Suicide at Offshore Australian Refugee Camp
from the Refugee Action Coalition
For the third time in two weeks, there has been an attempted suicide by Manus Island asylum seekers trying to drown themselves.
Today, Tuesday 13 April, a man believed to be an African asylum seeker ran into the sea about 1pm Manus Island time.
He was apparently rescued by Wilson security guards.
Two Lebanese asylum seekers also tried to drown themselves on 28 April.
Meanwhile tensions are again mounting as Transfield continues to try to re-introduce local PNG workers who were involved in the attack that killed Reza Barati and left scores of others seriously injured, back into the detention centre.
Since the attack on 17 February, the local PNG workers have been only been employed outside the compound fences.
Attempts to put them into the compounds have been successfully resisted by the asylum seekers.
However, there are almost daily threats against the asylum seekers as groups of locals gather at the fences to make throat-cutting or shooting gestures towards them.
“They [immigration] are pushing for the guys who attacked us to come back into the compound,” one asylum seeker told the Refugee Action Coalition from Manus Island, “But we are very opposed to this.
“We are very afraid that they will attack us again.”
“Manus Island must be closed,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, “The Minister has admitted that he cannot guarantee the safety of the asylum seekers on Manus Island.
“Those responsible for the killing of Reza Barati are still on the government payroll.
“Every day the asylum seekers are left on Manus Island is one more day asylum seekers are exposed to the possibility of a reprisal attack.
“Ending offshore processing would also add billions to the budget bottom line.”
For more information contact Ian Rintoul mob 0417 275 713