Thirty detainees at the Maribyrnong detention centre issued a statement on November 23 drawing attention to their treatment at the hands of security company Australasian Correctional Management and the immigration department, claiming that, in recent months, authorities have stepped up their harassment and intimidation of asylum seekers in the centre:
We, the detainees of Maribyrnong detention centre request to express the following concerns, which are frustrating and humiliating the detainees:
- No proper medication is available to the detainees. Panadols are given for almost any sickness. The nurse is available only few hours a day.
- There was a recent room search being conducted, which lasted for five hours. No reason was given as to why the search was conducted.
- ACM officers search rooms every day, counting detainees by putting torch light into their faces.
- The announcements for detainees are made too loud early in the morning, which often disturbs our sleep.
- Most of the time this place is overcrowded. At times, six people are accommodated in one room wherein they have to sleep on the floor.
- The room search was conducted saying that it was DIMA's [immigration department] orders, whereas DIMA said that they knew nothing about it.
- Detainees' faxes are delayed.
- Often phone calls are not connected, saying that the lines are busy whereas they are not.
- Rations for milk and sugar are not increased even when detainees are increased.
- There are only three public phones available for approximately 100 detainees.
- Handcuffed problems still persist even when detainees need to be taken to the hospitals, [Refugee Review Tribunal], Federal Court, etc.
- Every day rules change along with the ACM manager's mood.
- There is only one safe [sofa] to watch TV without any more chairs. There are not enough chairs or tables to write or read the newspaper.
- Toilets are slushy and stinking.
- Carpets are dirty and smelly.
- The sanitary conditions have become worse in this place.
- The lights in the dormitories are controlled by the control, which is quite disturbing and uncomfortable. Often the air condition[ing] vents do not work.
- The ACM security have no humanity. Their behaviour is quite rude. The manager Mr David Randich is very rude and follows quite inhuman policies.
We request that we may be treated like human beings and not criminals. Thank you.
Yours sincerely, Signed by 30 detainees of Maribyrnong detention centre, 53 Hampstead Rd, Melbourne.
From Green Left Weekly, December 5, 2001.
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