Refugees 'so exhausted'

This email was received by a refugee supporter who corresponds with an asylum seeker imprisoned on Nauru. It is a horrific example of the daily humiliation and mental torture the remaining 79 asylum seekers are subjected to.

On September 28th morning I came to internet room to get your messages. I was just working for 20 minutes when suddenly the Nauruan security guards threatening me to call the APS [Australian Protective Services] if I did not go to the camp. I request them to let me for five minutes to take some of my friends messages but they did not agree with me and subsequently sent me to prison.

I was held in solitary confinement for 24 hours, the location of the jail was very disgusted and too dirty with different insects attacked me which is incredibly effect on my brain and intensified the pain on my body, because of doing nothing. It is my situation and my life which makes us so tired and absolutely exhausted we have to request for everything but our polite request responded with different punishment and restriction our activities like going for internet or telecommunication with some friends outside. So that is why I could not respond to yours.

From Green Left Weekly, October 13, 2004.

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From GLW issue 602