Hunger striker hospitalised, refugees plead for help

November 16, 2012
Issue 
Photo: Clint Deidenang

The Iranian asylum seeker who has maintained a 36-day hunger strike was admitted to hospital last night after he began excreting blood, the Refugee Action Coalition said.

Ian Rintoul from RAC said: “The Minister says he opened Nauru because he was concerned about the loss of life at sea. He literally holds the power of life or death of at least one asylum seeker on Nauru. Is he going to turn a blind eye to one life that he could save?”

The refugees on Nauru released the statement below early today. They describe the conditions of the hunger strikers and say they are “few steps towards their death”.

It is reprinted below verbatim.

***

The Government of Australia, Human Right Commission, Amnesty International and the communities for the oppressed people.

Having respect for the Amnesty International visit, we have ended our peaceful hunger strike of 12 days, but still now some seven asylum seekers are on the hunger strike. Their health is getting worst day by day due to lack of facilities in medical centre inside detention centre. They have referred one of the asylum seekers to Nauru hospital, who has been on hunger strike since 36 days. The medical staffs of detention centre are not satisfied from Nauru hospital.

These all issues cause the sacrificed asylum seekers of Nauru with the broken hearts and sorrowful to stay inside silent in the tents. No changes have been made yet.

For proving a story of an asylum seeker by the name of Omid who has been on hunger strike from last 36 days.

He explains his story, he says at 3am on date 16/11/2012, he suffered from serious stomach-ache. Soon he was transferred to medical centre when he was checked by doctor, so all of them were astonished with his satiation. He was weighted and was given a pain relief tablet. He was taken back to his tent.

After fifteen minutes, he got the same situation again, when he used the toilet he saw that he was bleeding in peas and dysentery. He was told by doctors that you have lost your internal power functions. You need to be admitted in Nauru main hospital, which doesn’t have satisfied facilities, this is all predicated by the medical staff of Nauru detention centre.

They examined his blood and declared that you have ... sugar level 3.7.

The hunger strikes of asylum seekers in Nauru are concern able which includes five asylum seekers are on hunger strike from last 16 days and one of them is from last 6 days.

The conditions of all the asylum seekers are worst due to heart, kidneys, lungs and stomach-ache etc. problem.

They have few steps toward their death.
Who could to be stood responsible?
Is this not far from humanity?
Is this a way to treat asylum seekers?

Asylum seekers in Nauru are waiting for your help. Please help us.

Regard,
Asylum seeker of Australia in Nauru

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