Letter to Senator Keneally re the alleged attempted murder of a refugee on Nauru.

 Dear Senator Keneally,

I was deeply saddened and appalled to read, in recent days, about the attempted murder of a Tamil refugee on Nauru. As you are probably aware, the 36-year-old refugee was knocked off his motorbike by a car driven by a local man on 9^th February 2021. The car then deliberately ran over him, followed by the occupants getting out of the car, assaulting him, and stealing his motorbike. He is now in the intensive care unit at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. It appears that at least some of the occupants of the car are employed by Canstruct, the company we are paying $10,000 a day per refugee to protect them.

I have seen nothing in the Australian media about this incident, which in itself is shocking. It remains unclear whether the assailants have been arrested and charged, of if they are now in custody.

The Australian government, which is ultimately responsible for the fate of the refugees on Nauru, has serious questions to answer about the wellbeing of this refugee.  I would ask you, in your capacity as Shadow Minister, to raise this terrible incident with Minister Dutton. He needs to be asked:

• Is he aware of the incident which took place on 9^th February 2021?
• Have all the occupants of the car which drove over the Tamil refugee been arrested and charged?
• Are all these men now in police custody?
• Will his department press the Nauruan government to ensure that justice is served?
• What action will his Department take against the company which is being paid hundreds of millions of Australian taxpayers’ money to keep refugees safe on Nauru? 
• Will he finally acknowledge that Nauru is not a safe place for refugees?
• Will he now enter into negotiations with the NZ government for the resettlement of 150 refugees per annum?

 

I would be very grateful if you could raise these issues in Parliament at the earliest opportunity.

 

Yours sincerely,

Mike G.

 Valla Beach, NSW 2448

Organiser, Bellingen and Nambucca District RAR

 

A reply from Greens Senator Nick McKim

Hi Mike

Thank you for writing to Senator Nick McKim about this latest assault of a detainee in Nauru. I am responding on Nick’s behalf, as his adviser.

This is indeed a very troubling matter, and one which is sadly far from being an isolated event. Nick will most certainly be raising this matter with the Department directly, at senate estimates in two weeks time.

The broader questions you raise are ones we have put to the Minister and Department repeatedly, and ones we will continue to push.

Thank you again for raising this matter with Senator McKim.

Warm regards

Andrew 

Andrew Perry  |  Policy & Parliamentary Adviser
Office of Nick McKim  |  Australian Greens Senator for Tasmania
149B Macquarie Street, Hobart TAS 7000  |  T: 03 6224 8899
SG-55 Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600  |  T: 02 6277 3601

(he/him/his)
Senator McKim’s Hobart office is on muwinina land that was never ceded

 

________________________________________
From: Michael Griffin 
Sent: 26 February 2021 14:11
To: McKim, Nick (Senator)
Subject: Nauru assault

Dear Senator McKim,
I was deeply saddened and appalled to read, in recent days, about the attempted murder of a Tamil refugee on Nauru. As you are probably aware, the 36-year-old refugee was knocked off his motorbike by a car driven by a local man on 9th February 2021. The car then deliberately ran over him, followed by the occupants getting out of the car, assaulting him, and stealing his motorbike. He is now in the intensive care unit at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
It appears that at least some of the occupants of the car are employed by Canstruct, the company we are paying $10,000 a day per refugee to protect them.
I have seen nothing in the Australian media about this incident, which in itself is shocking. It remains unclear whether the assailants have been arrested and charged, of if they are now in custody.
The Australian government, which is ultimately responsible for the fate of the refugees on Nauru, has serious questions to answer about the wellbeing of this refugee. I would ask you, as the most passionate and effective advocate in Parliament for the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees, to raise this terrible incident with Minister Dutton. He needs to be asked:

Is he aware of the incident which took place on 9th February 2021?
Have all the occupants of the car which drove over the Tamil refugee been arrested and charged?
Are all these men now in police custody?
Will his department press the Nauruan government to ensure that justice is served?
What action will his Department take against the company which is being paid hundreds of millions of Australian taxpayers' money to keep refugees safe on Nauru?
Will he finally acknowledge that Nauru is not a safe place for refugees?
Will he now enter into negotiations with the NZ government for the resettlement of 150 refugees per annum, as you have been advocating for so long?


I would be very grateful if you could raise these issues in Parliament at the earliest opportunity.

Yours sincerely,
Mike G
 Valla Beach, NSW 2448
Organiser, Bellingen and Nambucca District RAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

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