Christmas Island clash

The West AustralianMarch

NICK BUTTERLY and ANDREW TILLETT, 14, 2011,

Police were forced to use teargas to break up a riot in Christmas Island’s high security detention camp overnight, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has revealed this afternoon.

One detainee suffered a broken leg and was taken to hospital but was not injured as a direct result of the use of teargas.

The riot involved about 300 detainees, with rooms, doorlocks and fences damaged. It began about 3am and Federal Police decided at 3.37am to use teargas to restore order.

It capped off a weekend that saw Immigration officials lose control of the $400m detention centre, with hundreds of asylum seekers involved in mass escapes on Friday and Saturday.

Locals say the asylum seekers have been able to come and go from the camps as they please, and a large group marched the 15km from North West Point into the main Christmas Island settlement to demand their claims for refugee visas be expedited.

During their time on the loose, some went swimming at the beach. Others protested at the airport. Read more…

Government reveals rioting, mass breakouts of detainees

The Australian

Joe Kelly and James Massola

March 14, 2011 3:3PM

TEAR gas was used to subdue angry asylum seekers at Christmas Island amid rioting and mass breakouts of immigration detainees.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen revealed the dramatic tactic had been used as tensions boiled over at the island’s detention centre early this morning.

« Damage was done to facilities including fencing, some accommodation and door locks, » Mr Bowen said.

« At 3.37am this morning the Australian Federal Police determined that it was necessary to use tear gas to quell this protest. »

One detainee suffered a broken leg in chaos, he said.

He said there would be an inquiry into riot and breakouts from the facility on Friday and Saturday in which at least 150 asylum seekers escaped.

All escapees are now believed to have returned to the centre, with many returning voluntarily.

« I’m advised that one detainee has been taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg, » Mr Bowen added.

He said there would be an inquiry into the protest, including a review of the federal police’s use of tear gas. Read More …

Informations

The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, 360 km (220 mi) south of theIndonesian capital, Jakarta, and 975 km (606 mi) ENE of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It has a population of 1,403 residents who live in a number of « settlement areas » on the northern tip of the island: Flying Fish Cove (also known as Kampong), Silver City, Poon Saan, and Drumsite.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 14 mars 2011.

Publié dans émeutes, riots