2018
To those who have died needlessly as a result of our inhumane detention regime
Saruuan Aljhelie
22-year-old Iraqi refugee
Died 6 September 2018
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Saruuan died in hospital after attempting to take his own life at the Yongah Hill detention centre in Western Australia. He had been transferred from the Villawood detention centre in Sydney a few weeks before, away from his family including his two young children. He had sought medical help in detention but was turned away.
Anonymous
45-year-old Tamil refugee
Died 26 August 2018
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Was admitted to Logan hospital suffering severe depression ... attempted suicide inside the hospital on 24th August ... subsequently found to be brain-dead and his life support turned off. The man had recently had his protection claim rejected by the Australian government.
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Fariborz Karami
26-year-old Iranian refugee
Died 15 June 2018
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Fariborz died by suicide inside his tent in the RPC3 camp on Nauru on Friday morning. Recently married, he had been held on Nauru, along with his mother and 12-year-old brother, for five years.
Salim Kyawning
52-year-old Rohingyan refugee
Died 22 May 2018
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Died in a motor vehicle incident on Manus Island ... suspected suicide ... leaves behind a wife and three children.
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Letter to Malcolm Turnbull
by Bev Holmes-Brown
From the Safe Asylum
Facebook page
29 April 2016
I have sad not misty eyes Mr Turnbull because Reza was murdered, his family mourn and you let the thugs go free.
Because Fazel's heart was broken beyond repair and sadness overwhelmed him till he could no longer communicate and ended his life.
Because Hamid died from a simple wound because of your regime of neglect.
Because Loghman lost the will to live aged 17 and you jailed him for trying to kill himself.
Because Joseph and others were beaten and dragged to jail where they slept in their own urine for weeks just for being part of a peaceful hungerstrike.
Because Mohammad had a bag put on his head and was punched and kicked by guards and thrown in solitary for getting angry.
Because Reza had his eye gouged out and another still has a bullet in his back.
Mohsen was hit on the head with a rock in Feb 2014 and still suffers pain & dizziness.
Because you feed my friends experimental malaria drugs that mess with their brains. Because you treat the sick in motels and give panadol for broken bones. Because you dumped Vahid in that hell when surgery prevented him from eating proper food. Because young 20 year old Ben just smashed his head into a wall because he is so depressed. Because you let stinking sewage run free for all this time. Because you dish up rotten food, and diarrhoea is a constant condition.
Because my friends who are proven refugees are cut off from their families back home, from medical help and denied the most basic luxuries so you can push them into PNG. Because my friend Mohsen has a deformed shoulder since your guard smashed his shield upon it in the riot. Because my sportsman friend dropped dead while playing soccer –bouts of malaria weakened his body. Because Mehrdad was brutally dragged to solitary for being upset when you took his phone (a lifeline). Because you denied my friends basic medical care, communication with the outside world, visitors, legal help...
You have beaten my friends; you employ racist thugs without hearts; you let your workers rape and abuse without punishment, you let your guards stomp heads without punishment, you employ medical staff who look the other way and ignore the advice of those who care; you legally gag doctors, nurses, teachers, psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and others who call on you to end your cruelty.
You have overridden the will of the PNG people to the extent that many locals hate refugees and want them dead ... and you used our money to fund corruption.
Because prostitution has risen in Manus and families are told by pastors to lock up their daughters. Because you have made the name Manus a swear word and never cared that flooding a tiny community with bored cashed up white people would dramatically impact culture and prices.
I could add to this list all day – it will be a very long time before I and thousands of others stop crying Mr Turnbull – your cruelty has messed up our lives too.
You have already lost our vote but at least you can make yourself human again and begin to make amends for our national shame.
The boats never did stop!
From the Safe Asylum Facebook page
