Mental Health Service Provider MSF Ordered Off Nauru
Medecins Sans Frontieres had been providing mental health services to around 850 refugees on the island.
This message was sent to refugees.
Dear MSF client,
We regret to inform you that the Minister Of Health has notified us that MSF services are no longer required on the island and therefore all of our mental health activities in Nauru must stop, effective today, Saturday, 6th of October.
As a consequence, we are suspending our activities as we gather more information from the Ministry of Health on the rationale for this decision and more clarity on the alternative plans of mental health provisions on the island.
We know this sudden news may be very difficult to hear and we deeply regret any challenges that this presents to you, all of our patients, and to the community. Please refer to this phone number and email should you need further information:
Sincerely, MSF Nauru Project
Fariborz Karami’s body was laid to rest this week in Brisbane. After five years held on Nauru by the Australian government he took his own life. This is a letter his mother sent to the Australian government after Fariborz death.
“Hello my oppressors and heartless prison officers … Do you know me? I am the same suffering and miserable mother who repeatedly begged you to help … My 26-year-old son had his last breaths in your mouldy tents and closed his beautiful eyes to your abomination, injustice, and disgusting policies. You even hesitate to provide him a bottle of cold water
Again I made a complaint to you and I wrote that after five years facing torture, I am not able to go back to my country. I asked you to please upgrade our tent as it might change my kids’ mood. Again you ignored me.
For five years you incarcerated me and my innocent children in Nauru and ignored us. I know that your violence and cruelty is deeply rooted and against that I am a powerless woman. You even deprived me from having a mobile phone, lest I speak up? But I always told you if any harm befell my children, I wouldn’t remain silent.
Since Friday, you have kept my son’s corpse in IHMS’s fridge, to look for his murderer? Since then, have you not smelled your own hands? My 26-year-old son had his last breaths in your mouldy tents and closed his beautiful eyes to your abomination, injustice and disgusting policies. You even hesitate to provide him a bottle of cold water.
For five years, you tortured his athletic body under deadly heat. Now, you confiscated his dead body and keep him in a cold place. You don’t allow me to bury him and entrust him to eternal peace with his beautiful face and body.
I doubt if you are human! Where in the world would they keep a young corpse in the fridge for long time, inside a connex [container] near a place his mother is living? Are you even scared of our dead bodies? Do you hate us that much that you are afraid of us alive or dead? You still disrespect us.
I prop myself up until I bury my son’s body with respect otherwise all the world is meaningless for me and not worthy even to breathe. If you don’t want to have another corpse, lying next to my son, as soon as possible give me written permission to bury him anywhere except Nauru and Iran.
Fariborz’s mournful mother,
Fazileh Mansour Beigi
Slaughterhouse and torture house of Nauru
24/6/2018
[Letter translated by The Guardian]
If you or someone you know needs help,
please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.