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17.12.18

Letter to Coffs Coast Advocate - No Merry Christmas on Nauru and Manus Island


No Merry Christmas on Nauru or Manus Island
Spare a thought this Christmas for the more than 1200 people who are about to spend their 6th Christmas detained indefinitely on Nauru or Manus Island. Some have been separated from their families living in Australia all this time.
These people have committed no offence. They have simply exercised their legal right to seek asylum in Australia in order to escape war, persecution or torture in their home countries.
Surely we can stop pretending to use these detainees as pawns to supposedly deter people smugglers. Both the Government and Opposition have authorised the Australian Navy to turn back any boats that attempt to bring asylum seekers to Australia.
After more than 5 years incarcerated in cruel and inhumane conditions in these detention centres these people are bereft of hope.
There have now been 7 deaths on Manus and 5 on Nauru. Many more have tried to kill themselves. In recent months on Manus one man tried to hang himself, another tried to set himself on fire, and a third swallowed razor blades and nail clippers. Yet the Australian Government has cut mental health support in half and ended torture and trauma counselling.
It is clear that the situation is at crisis point. This cruelty must stop.
We must demand that the Government end offshore detention immediately and bring these long-suffering people to Australia or another safe third country.

Paul Bartholomew
Boambee East

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