Emeute au centre de rétention des migrants de Darwin – août 2010
Mass breakout from Australia immigration centre
AFP
1 09 2010
SYDNEY — Nearly 100 asylum-seekers broke out of an Australian immigration detention centre on Wednesday after days of riots and staged a protest outside, police said.
Some 92 detainees escaped from the centre in the far northern city of Darwin at about 6:30 am, a spokeswoman told AFP. Media reports said the protesters were Afghans and unfurled a banner saying, « We need protection not detention ».
« At this time they are sitting not far from the fence with their banners as a peaceful protest, » the spokeswoman said. « Police are negotiating with the detainees. »
The mass break-out comes after more than 100 alleged people-smugglers torched mattresses and staged a protest on the roof of the detention centre in two days of disturbances on Sunday and Monday.
The centre for 450 people is housing 151 Indonesians accused of people-smuggling, with the remainder asylum seekers or people who have overstayed visas.
Australia has a policy of mandatory detention for asylum-seekers while their claims are processed, and generally processes the immigrants at remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
But increased numbers of poor immigrants — more than 4,000 this year, mainly poor Asians fleeing conflict and economic hardship — have forced the reopening of isolated centres on the country’s mainland.
Riot goes off at detention centre
ntnews.com.au
August 30th, 2010
A PROTEST at the Darwin Detention Centre yesterday morning turned into a noisy riot, leaving several people injured.
The Department of Immigration confirmed two Indonesian crewmen had climbed a tree at 4am in a protest against their alleged people smuggling cases.
The men where joined by a group of other Indonesians, who gathered papers, rubbish and mattresses and lit a fire at 7:30am in a open yard of the Detention Centre.
The fire enveloped the area around the Centre in a huge cloud of black smoke, before fire fighters extinguished the blaze after 8am.
In the meantime the rampaging men had climbing the roof of one of the buildings, yelling and banging sticks and bars on to the roof.
« Maybe a dozen of them were on the roof, running around, with their heads all hooded up, wrapped in T-shirts, » a witness said.
« They were yelling things, one threw a chair off the roof and they were carrying bars and sticks.
« You could hear them banging the bars against metal, » the source said.
A police officer, who was at the scene, said about 20 men had a « stand-off » on the roof.
Australian Federal Police, Territory Police, NT Fire Services and ambulance officers were at the scene.
« No buildings were damaged in the fire, but several men suffered minor injuries, » a spokesman for the Department of Immigration.
He could not confirm the cause of injuries or extents.
At 11am « control was restored » by police and detention service providers staff.
The riot was in a compound where 97 Indonesian crew members are housed.
There are about 500 people in the Darwin Detention Centre, including 151 Indonesian crewmen.
Earlier this month a man was injured in a dispute over internet and telephone access in the Detention Centre.
Fire, unrest at Australian immigration centre
AFP
29 08 2010
SYDNEY — Masked men, some armed with long poles, are standing on the roof of an Australian immigration centre in which a fire broke out Sunday, reports said.
One section of the Darwin Immigration Detention Centre, which houses up to 500 asylum-seekers, had been on fire but the flames had now been put out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.
The immigration department refused to give details but said they were working with emergency services to deal with the incident.
« There’s an ongoing incident at the centre, » a spokesman told AFP.
Reports said about a dozen men were on top of the building, banging on the roof and making noise, and attempting to stop anyone climbing up to join them.
The men appeared to be wearing masks while some were wearing hoods and others had paint on their faces, the ABC said.
Australia has a policy of mandatory detention for boatpeople and generally processes asylum-seekers at Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean but increased numbers of arrivals has recently forced the reopening of centres on the mainland.
Riot continues at detention centre
AAP
August 30, 2010
Accused Indonesian people smugglers have gone back to protesting on the roof of the Darwin immigration detention centre.
The Department of Immigration said the protesters, who began rioting just after 4am (CST) on Sunday, caused more damage to the centre during the night.
The protesters – Indonesian boat crew who face people-smuggling charges – set mattresses on fire and brandished poles on a roof at the centre on Sunday.
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One hundred and seventeen Indonesian detainees continue to protest, » a spokesman told AAP.
« A number of clients remain on the roof. However, NT Police and Australian Federal Police continue to negotiate with them in attempts to resolve the situation. »
The federal police are yet to say if they will charge the protesters.
The department spokesman said the protest action would not influence the outcome of their men’s cases.
The detention centre at the Coonawarra Naval Base houses 487 detainees, including 151 alleged Indonesian people smugglers.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said vulnerable asylum seekers would be suffering from being kept at the same facility as alleged people smugglers.
« It’s not appropriate for us to be detaining and housing asylum seekers in the same areas as people who are charged for criminal offences, such as people smuggling, » Senator Hanson-Young told AAP.
« While all of this (rioting) is going on, of course it’s having an impact on the rest of the detainees who have fled torture and trauma and persecution. »
Senator Hanson-Young also said she believed the detained crewmen were not really people smugglers but poor fishermen who had been conned into making the journey.
Australie: émeute dans un centre de détention de Darwin–
24hdanslepacifique.com
29 08 2010
La police australienne du Territoire du Nord enquête sur les causes d’une émeute qui a éclaté dimanche à la prison de Darwin.
Selon le Département de l’Immigration, deux hommes sont montés dans un arbre de la cour et ont refusé de redescendre. C’est ainsi que l’émeute a commencé, impliquant une centaine de passeurs indonésiens, détenus en preventive pour trafic humain. Ils ont mis le feu au centre de détention. Une douzaine d’autres détenus est montée sur le toit pour le saccager à coup de bâtons. Un gardien de prison a été légèrement blessé au cours de l’échauffourée. On ne connaît pas la cause exacte de l’émeute. Au début l’administration de la prison a déclaré que ces hommes protestaient contre le retard de leurs procès. Aujourd’hui, l’administration refuse de spéculer avant la fin de l’enquête.
Fire, unrest at Australian immigration centre
AFP
29 08 2010
SYDNEY — Masked men, some armed with long poles, are standing on the roof of an Australian immigration centre in which a fire broke out Sunday, reports said.
One section of the Darwin Immigration Detention Centre, which houses up to 500 asylum-seekers, had been on fire but the flames had now been put out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said.
The immigration department refused to give details but said they were working with emergency services to deal with the incident.
« There’s an ongoing incident at the centre, » a spokesman told AFP.
Reports said about a dozen men were on top of the building, banging on the roof and making noise, and attempting to stop anyone climbing up to join them.
The men appeared to be wearing masks while some were wearing hoods and others had paint on their faces, the ABC said.
Australia has a policy of mandatory detention for boatpeople and generally processes asylum-seekers at Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean but increased numbers of arrivals has recently forced the reopening of centres on the mainland.
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