(See also below, media release 17 October)
A 45-year-old detainee was beaten at Maribyrnong Detention Centre last night by Australasian Correctional Management guards.
Rachel Judd, a close friend of the detainee spoke to him this morning.
“He told me that he had been taken into isolation and then beaten by ACM guards. They stripped him, and threw him onto the bed a number of times. He said he felt as if his arm and wrist had been broken. He's already vulnerable because he has a back injury and relies on crutches to walk.”Refugee advocates say that after he was taken into isolation he was denied any telephone contact with his lawyers. This is in spite of repeated attempts to contact him.
“I was continually reassured by ACM management that he was all right, and it was only this morning that I found out what had happened”, said Miss Judd.
“This man has a history of being targeted by ACM and DIMIA and these tactics are an attempt to intimidate him and his supporters,” said Fleur Taylor, from the Refugee Action Collective.
To protest against the ongoing physical abuse, humiliation and isolation of detainees we seek your support and solidarity. An urgent action is being called tomorrow.
There will be media opportunities.
Action:2:00pm Sunday October 12th.
Maribyrnong Detention Centre
53 Hampstead Road Maidstone
Melways Ref p27 H10FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kris Osborne: 0413 115 109
Fleur Taylor: 0418 9917 03RAC
Australia Asia Worker Links
The Greens
No-one Is Illegal
Melbourne Anti Deportation Group
About 80 people had made it to the centre by 3pm - others were still arriving then,while some had left, and a more powerful sound system was being set up to replace the portable PA used at the outset. At 1.45 the outside gate was still open and unguarded, but once a sizeable crowd had gathered ACM guards and police made an attempt to close it to prevent protesters advancing to the main fortress. There was a little pushing and shoving, but the uniforms were heavily outnumbered and soon gave up. As usual there was the spiteful response of banning all access to detainees while protesters were present - as one speaker pointed out, this is merely a tactic to divide opposition by turning one group against another - and indeed, one woman who had come to visit her husband and had been turned back was unable to see where the true blame lay, and became quite abusive towards the protesters.
Having made it to the main entrance protesters were of course stopped by the fortifications, but thanks to the portable PA were able to broadcast a loud message of support to inmates, while speakers explained the situation and background, including the name of the ACM employee most directly implicated in the matter. There was a call for people to write to Group 4, which is about to take over the contract to run this and other centres, demanding the removal of this individual, who is well known to visitors at the centre for arbitrary and vindictive behaviour. The protest then retraced its steps and worked round to the back of the centre, at first unattended by police...
| At about 2pm: | A bit of pushing and shoving: |
|---|---|
|
|
Having made it to the main entrance protesters were of course stopped by the fortifications, but thanks to the portable PA were able to broadcast a loud message of support to inmates, while speakers explained the situation and background, including the name of the ACM employee most directly implicated in the matter. There was a call for people to write to Group 4, which is about to take over the contract to run this and other centres, demanding the removal of this individual, who is well known to visitors at the centre for arbitrary and vindictive behaviour. The protest then retraced its steps and worked round to the back of the centre, stopping on the way to spraypaint a banner and call through the fence:
| At the main gate: | ACM has blood on its hands |
|---|---|
 |
 |
Arriving at the back of the centre, by this time pretty much unattended by police, there was some discussion of the for and against of taking advantage of a gap that had appeared in the outer wire fence. In the event about half the group or more decided to take the opportunity offered, and were rewarded not only by shouts of acknowledgment from inside the locked-down compound, but also by a glimpse of the detainee himself in his isolation cell. Police reinforcements arrived about this time, but ignored the protesters, making their way instead directly into the centre, from where a good deal of shouting could be heard. By this time the main group had made its way back to where the banner had been raised, and were preparing for a long stay.
More later...
From the mdc-watch newsletter (http://www.topica.com/lists/mdc-watch):
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2003 2:33 PM
Subject: Helen MUST GO Campaign
Dear Friends of Maribyrnong Detainees,
In light of recent events, the time has come the walrus said.......
If you have been involved or witnessed an incident involving ACM Guard
Helen, (for obvious reasons I have not put her surname here but Helen Guard
in Charge of Visits should be clear enough) it is recommended that you write
a short, polite letter to inform Group 4 of the incident and perhaps if you
feel so inclined, a recommendation that her employment needs consideration
in view of her divisive, rude, discriminatory, inefficient or any other
adjectives you can apply to her behaviour.
Apparently letters confirming re-employment were sent out on the 6th October - but never too late.
Below please find postal and email addresses. Lets blitz 'em with a HELEN MUST GO CAMPAIGN.
We may not YET be able to change the system but we can get rid of this cruel woman who makes detainees' lives a misery.
Also strongly recommend a visit to Group 4 website to preview the future.
Group 4 Correction Services Pty Ltd
499 St Kilda Rd Melbourne
TEL (03) 9864 4044
[email protected].
http://www.g4f.com.au/
A man who was assaulted by Australasian Correctional Management guards last week at the Maribrynong Immigration Detention Centre, remains held in isolation at the order of the Department of Immigration.
He has been held in isolation now for seven days. The Department of Immigration has refused to disclose when or if the man will be released from isolation.
"He has been the victim of a completely unwarranted assault. He has been falsely imprisoned in an isolation cell," said Julian Burnside QC, the man's legal representative.
"We believe that the Department of Immigration is trying to avoid public scrutiny over the incident by continuing to hold the man in isolation, preventing visiting and phone access to his friends and supporters.
Isolation is routinely used in immigration detention as a form of punishment, in violation of international codes governing prison practices," said a close friend of the man, Ellen Roberts.
Supporters of the detained man say they will maintain pressure until the man is released from isolation and are calling for a full investigation into the use of isolation facilities in all Australian Detention Centres.
Refugee supporters will hold a protest at the Maribyrnong Detention Centre this Sunday the 19th at 6pm.
For media comment please contact:
No-one is Illegal : John Cleary : 93872002
Melbourne Anti Deportation Network: Ellen Roberts:
0408583694
Refugee Action Collective [Vic] Fleur: 0418991703
The Greens [Vic]: Pamela Curr : 0417517075
