Monday 10 December 2012

Suicide attempt, 9yr old, immigration detention

I'm continually amazed at the inhumanity that Australia is unleashing on those poor people seeking asylum here. Already traumatised by past experiences, they find themselves locked in an immigration detention centre/jail while their claims are processed. This can take years.

Now I see that children locked up (yes children) in these centres are attempting suicide. At the detention centre in the Northern Territory there has been a very distressing case of a 9 year old boy trying to kill himself.
One account of a nine-year-old boy who attempted suicide was brought to the committee's attention, described as shocking event that caused great distress. 

Spokesperson for the NT branch of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Peter Morris, told 105.7 Breakfast there was no doubt that being held in detention contributed to young child's suicide attempt. 

"I'd be surprised if it was an isolated event," he said, adding that the detention of children in Darwin was tantamount to child abuse. 

"We think anyone that chooses to take a course of action that either harms them or places them on a course of risk is committing child abuse. 

"We are the only developed country that has mandatory detention - people are seeking asylum so that means they have been in very difficult circumstances and they already have very high levels of post traumatic stress disorder." 

He has reinforced calls for all families and children to be removed from detention immediately, saying "if countries like Sweden can do it we think Australia can do it". more
How the fuck can these politicians sleep at night? How much longer are both major parties going to placate Australian racists by doing this? How much longer are people who can't fight back going to be used for political gain?

I've seen the email jokes, the bullshit lies being spread around about these people. I've heard the rhetoric in conversations (one person said to me once that them coming here to seek asylum was "an invasion"). I dunno WTF is wrong with people in this country sometimes. They seem very bitter. Hard. Uncaring. In one of the richest countries in the world, they don't want to help people who really need it. 


No comments:

Post a Comment