Deportation, suicide threat at Villawood

On August 15 at 9.30pm, Wang, a Chinese man in the maximum security building at the Villawood immigration detention centre, climbed onto the roof and threatened to kill himself. Wang, normally a happy man in a terrible environment, was driven to take this action after the immigration department refused to let him visit his wife in hospital where she had gone after an accident.

Wang and his wife met in detention. She was released but Wang remained in detention. She visited every day, bringing Chinese food for Wang and his friends.

Wang remained on the roof of Villawood for almost 48 hours and was joined by two other detainees. On the night of August 17 the immigration department gave in and agreed to let him to visit his wife in hospital.

On August 16, the department deported a gay Bangla man. The man has an Australian lover who is fighting for his partner's return. The Bangla man "owes" over $100,000 in detention costs — a massive deterrent to returning to Australia. Three deportations also took place from the Baxter detention centre, which the federal government has announced will be closed, within the space of a fortnight.

From GLW issue 721