<nettime> Woomera Immigration Detention Centre Report of visit by HREOC

[ben moretti <bmoretti@chariot.net.au>]

[HREOC is the Australian Human Rights and Equal opportunities Commission.
See http://www.hreoc.gov.au/ for more details. Ben]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Serafina <serafina@internode.on.net>(by way of Teri Hoskin)
> Date: Fri Feb 08, 2002  02:01:55  AM Australia/South
> To: "v-i-s-a-s" <ensemble-talk@lists.va.com.au>
> Subject: [ensemble-talk] Woomera Immigration Detention Centre Report of 
> visit by HREOC
> Reply-To: "v-i-s-a-s" <ensemble-talk@lists.va.com.au>
>
>
> HREOC ELECTRONIC MAILING LIST SERVICE
>
> for your information
> serafina
>
> **************************************************
> HREOC LISTS - HUMAN RIGHTS:
> **************************************************
> Media Statement by President Professor Alice Tay AM and Dr Sev Ozdowski,
>
> Human  Rights Commissioner OAM
>
> Woomera Immigration Detention Centre
> Report of visit by HREOC officers
> **************************************************
>
> HREOC officers recently completed a fact finding mission to Woomera
> IRPC,
> as part of  the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
> currently being undertaken by the Commission.
>
> The five day assessment  was extremely thorough and included  interviews
>
> with children, children with their family, parents, single men and
> women;
> in all, eleven families were interviewed and approximately twenty
> children.
>
> The officers also spoke with the DIMIA Business Manager, the ACM Centre
> Manager, as well as the following ACM staff:  Director of Programs,
> Medical Services Co-ordinator, Medical Officer, ACM officers (including
> an
> ACM officer responsible for unaccompanied minors) Activities Officer and
>
> Psychologist
>
> All members of  the Commission met on Friday 1 February to consider the
> report of the visit. Based on the evidence provided to it, the
> Commission
> concluded that there are clear breaches of the Convention on the Rights
> of
> the Child, to which Australia is a signatory.
>
> **************************************************
> Summary of Officers' Observations
> **************************************************
>
> Self-harming behaviour
> *****
>
> The official statistics provided to HREOC officers by ACM indicated the
> following incidents of self-harm occurred over a two week period:
>
> * Lip sewing: 5 children (one 14 year old sewed his lips twice)
> * Slashing: 3 children (the above child also slashed "freedom" into his
> forearm)
> * Ingestion of shampoo: 2 children
> * Attempted hanging: 1 child
> * Threats of self hurt: 13 children
>
> This is a significant proportion of the total child population of 236 at
>
> the Centre. It would indicate that, not unsurprisingly, children are
> responding to the atmosphere of despair in which they live.  It is
> self-evident that manifestations such as these are likely to permanently
>
> mark the psychological outlook of these children.  HREOC officers in
> discussion with ACM found no evidence of parents encouraging children to
>
> engage in acts of self harm.
>
> Interviews by HREOC officers with children produced many responses that
> indicated a propensity for self harm and suicidal thoughts.
>
> Examples from three interviews:
> *****
>
> * Interview 1 (12 year old girl)
> "I am getting crazy, I cut my hand.  I can't talk to my mother.  I can't
>
> talk to anyone and I am very tired.  There is no solution for me - I
> just
> have to commit suicide - there is no choice."
>
> * Interview 2 (16 year old boy)
> "Some of us, we not have anyone in here.  What can we do except kill
> ourselves?  If no-one help us, I kill myself.  If I kill myself, at
> least
> I do something for the people."
>
> * Interview 3 (13 year old boy - quote from family member)
> "We notice that while he sleeps he talks and screams: "fire, fire,
> fire",
> and jumps up from sleep in nightmares...  We ask him to go and bring a
> book and he forgets about that and when he is walking he walks
> disordered
> and is not concentrating."
>
> That children are suffering psychological trauma from these experiences
> would seem beyond doubt.
>
> Schooling
> *****
>
> HREOC officers also observed that despite ACM's efforts to provide
> schooling opportunities for the children, this is confined to those aged
>
> twelve and under, and is not comparable in any way to the education
> received by Australian twelve year olds.  There are a number of children
>
> over 12 years of age who virtually receive no schooling at all.  All
> children are taught in the one classroom.  Education is provided for a
> total of only two hours a day, four days a week.
>
> This is contrary to Australia's obligations under Article 28 of the
> Convention on the Rights of the Child to provide educational
> opportunities
> to all children within its jurisdiction
>
> **************************************************
> Conclusion
> **************************************************
>
> Breaches of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
> *****
>
> Based on evidence such as that referred to above, the Commission is of
> the
> view that Woomera IRPC places the Commonwealth in breach of its
> obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
> particularly
> (but not restricted to) Article 19(1) "State parties shall take all
> appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures
>
> to protect the children from all forms of physical or mental violence,
> injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or
> exploitation, whilst in the care of legal guardian(s) or any other
> person
> who has the care of the child."
>
> The Government also needs to reassess its position concerning Articles
> 6(2) (child's right to survival and development);  22(1) (ensure the
> protection of rights of child refugees or asylum seekers);  24 (child's
> right to highest attainable standard of health);  27 (child's right to
> adequate standard of living);  31 (child's right to play and
> recreational
> activities);  37(c) (the right of the child deprived of liberty to be
> treated with humanity and respect);  39 (promotion of physical and
> psychological recovery of child victim of neglect, abuse etc) and most
> particularly 37(b) of the Convention which states:  "......  Detention
> shall
> be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest
> appropriate
> period of time." with particular emphasis to Woomera.
>
> HREOC officers reported that Woomera IRPC is now enveloped in a self-
> reinforcing miasma of despair and desperation, and there was a wide
> spread
> sense of despair due to the length of time in detention and the
> concomitant uncertainty over status.  It is this uncertainty that asylum
>
> seekers have indicated is at the root cause of fire and property
> destruction in November and hunger strikes and incidents of self-harm in
>
> late January. This is not an appropriate environment for children.
>
> The Commission has written to Immigration Minister Mr Philip Ruddock
> bringing these breaches to his attention. The Commission now awaits the
> Minister's response as to how these breaches will be immediately
> rectified.
>
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