Conditions in Detention

Eye witness Accounts and detainee affadavits describing conditions in immigration detention centers in Australia. Taken from an article by Julian Burnside QC "Refugees: The Tampa Case". View the full article: MS Word or PDF format.

Eye-witness account of Woomera By an Adelaide solicitor

`` two working toilets for 700 people, both leaking, sand on the floor to "mop up" the leaking effluent four working showers, for 700 people, hot water only available after midnight, not allowed to take food from dining room for children or sick adults, no coffee/tea/food between meals, only water, no air conditioning, fly screens, or heating. Temperatures during the day reach 45 degrees, at night it falls below freezing; there are millions of flies, inmates have to queue for meals, medical attention, phones (two for 1300 people) for up to two hours. Persons seeking medical attention (including painkillers for broken leg, raging fever, tonsillitis, etc) each have to queue in the open for up to 1 1/2 hours to obtain their medication in front of the nurse. Nails may only be cut by the nurse, who will do ONE person per day, women must queue each day for their ration of tampons/disposable nappies, there is no baby food or formula, one woman with a six month old baby who was struggling to maintain breast feeding was advised to feed the baby powdered chicken stock mixed with water (no sterile equipement of course), food is beyond description; many will not eat it...''

Portion of an affidavit of an Iraqi woman (Robins Mother) in detention.

(Names have been anglicised to protect the family)

1. The adults were handcuffed. I asked to have my handcuffs removed so I could hold Robin, my 2-year old son. The guard did so but two other officers came up. One of he officers dragged me by my hair and pushed me against the wall. They searched my body in a humiliating way after pushing Robin into the corner. He continuously screamed and cried. The guard handcuffed me again and tried to legcuff my child. Two other officers prevented him from legcuffing my son.

2. We arrived in Port Hedland late in the afternoon but were given nothing to eat or drink until the following morning at 8.00am. For around 32 hours the children had no food. We were held in a small room with no toilet or water facilities whatsoever. I repeatedly asked to take my child to the toilet but often had to wait for up to an hour before being escorted to the toilet. A child of two cannot wait and I had to allow my son to relieve himself on to a bundle of clothes in the corner of the room. Later I washed these clothes out when I was taken to the toilet on one of the twice daily toilet breaks.

Portion of an affidavit sworn by an Iraqi woman (Billys Mother).

(Names have been anglicised to protect the family)

1. On a day in August 2000, on or round 5:00 am about 20-25 Centre Emergency Response Team (CERT) staff broke into our rooms and handcuffed me, my son Andrew and my husband James. They dragged Elizabeth off her bed by her shirt, and together with Alice we were driven to Juliet compound. I observed an officer filming us with a video camera. The Jackson family was taken with us and I observed each member of that family was put in a separate cell.

2. I was put in a cell with Elizabeth and Alice. Later, when we were released after 15 days in Juliet Compound, my husband told me that James had been put in a cell with him, but that later he had been in a solitary confinement cell. Billy, our 5 year old son was also put in a solitary confinement cell.

3. During that 15 days in Juliet Compound I begged the guards to open the door so the children could use the toilet which was located outside the cell. For the first two days this request was refused/ignored. The children had to use a plastic bag which I found in the cell as a toilet. I starved myself for two days as a protest before the guards would allow the children to use the toilet.

4. My son, Andrew, later described to me his experience in detention. He said words to the effect of: "I needed to go to the toilet and called the guards. After a few minutes four guards came rushing down the corridor. They broke into my cell wearing CERT gear and armed with blocking cushions. They pushed me back and held me against the wall. One guard held my legs, the other held my hands behind my back. A third guard used his arm to encircle my neck and hold me tightly. I thought I would choke. The fourth guard swore at me. When I answered back, the officer punched me in the face.

5. In November 2000, our family lodged a complaint against the ACM to the Federal Police. The incident was registered but to date there has been no response conveyed to us. Andrew later tried to hang himself.

Portion of an affidavit of an Iranian man:

(Names have been anglicised to protect the family)

1. I was detained with my sister and her family in Port Hedland Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) for 17 months.

2. In April 2001, I was granted a Temporary Protection Visa and released into the community. Perth, where I now live is two and a half hours flight from Derby in Western Australia, which is the nearest town to Port Hedland IDC.

3. I am unable to visit my family in detention as only legal representatives of detainees are allowed into Port Hedland.

4. I made an application to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs requesting permission to visit my family. A spokesperson told me words to the effect of: "The department can arrange for you and your family to meet outside Port Hedland. This meeting will be at your expense."

5. As I am unable to afford to pay the transport costs for myself and my sister's family to attend this meeting, I have not seen my family since my release from Port Hedland.

6. I have spoken on the phone to my sister or other members of her family almost every night since I was released. We are a very close family. In Iran we lived very near to each other and spent a considerable amount of time together. I saw my sister and her family almost every day. I clearly remember how energetic and happy Jessie and Charlotte were in Iran.

7. Since being in detention Charlotte, now 16-years-old, and Jessie, now 12, have changed completely. While I was in Port Hedland with them they became more and more anxious and distressed. They began to lose interest in eating food and had difficulty sleeping. The whole family is living in a room which is 2.8 by 2.5 metres.

8. I have begun to recover from my experience in detention but am very distressed about the situation of my family. I am sorry we ever came to this country to seek protection. We would not have come if we had known we would be treated like this. We would have tried to go to another country which accepts refugees. I thought Australia was a free country. I thought we would be given protection from the persecution we left behind. Now I think it is no better here than where we came from.