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| Second refugee sets themselves alight on Nauru | Second refugee sets themselves alight on Nauru |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A young refugee woman from Somalia has set herself alight on Nauru, just days after a 23-year-old man, Omid, died of injuries sustained in a similar act. | |
| It comes amid moves by the immigration department to shift detainees out to other mainland facilities, and police efforts to recapture an escapee from a Darwin detention centre. | It comes amid moves by the immigration department to shift detainees out to other mainland facilities, and police efforts to recapture an escapee from a Darwin detention centre. |
| And Omid’s widow on Monday told Guardian Australia that she is being kept in a Brisbane hotel by immigration authorities, denied access to a lawyer and sedated. | And Omid’s widow on Monday told Guardian Australia that she is being kept in a Brisbane hotel by immigration authorities, denied access to a lawyer and sedated. |
| Related: An open letter to the asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru from First Dog on the Moon | Related: An open letter to the asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru from First Dog on the Moon |
| The name of the young woman who self-immolated on Monday is Hadon, sometimes also written as Hodan, and she is 21 years old. Her suicide attempt on Monday afternoon, at OPC1 in the Nauru detention centre, has been confirmed by senior department staff. | |
| According to several sources on the island, she is severely burned, and is currently in the Nauruan hospital. An Australian medical team specialising in trauma treatment is reportedly on the island and treating the woman. | According to several sources on the island, she is severely burned, and is currently in the Nauruan hospital. An Australian medical team specialising in trauma treatment is reportedly on the island and treating the woman. |
| “One of the witness who saw her said the situation is much worse than Omid,” said the source. Other refugees have been stopped from entering the hospital, but expressed concern that she be medically evacuated out soon after accusations of delays in treating Omid. | “One of the witness who saw her said the situation is much worse than Omid,” said the source. Other refugees have been stopped from entering the hospital, but expressed concern that she be medically evacuated out soon after accusations of delays in treating Omid. |
| Hadon is one of three detainees returned to Nauru last week after receiving medical care in Australia for injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident late last year. | Hadon is one of three detainees returned to Nauru last week after receiving medical care in Australia for injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident late last year. |
| Last Tuesday morning she was forcibly removed by Border Force officers from the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation. | Last Tuesday morning she was forcibly removed by Border Force officers from the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation. |
| The government of Nauru said it was “distressed that refugees are attempting such dreadful acts in order to attempt to influence the Australian Government’s immigration policies.” | The government of Nauru said it was “distressed that refugees are attempting such dreadful acts in order to attempt to influence the Australian Government’s immigration policies.” |
| Related: Widow of refugee who set himself alight 'being kept in hotel and denied a lawyer' | Related: Widow of refugee who set himself alight 'being kept in hotel and denied a lawyer' |
| The past week has seen significant changes and events within Australia’s immigration regime. The mood in both offshore processing centres has become increasingly distressed after the announced closure of the Manus Island facility after Papua New Guinea’s supreme court ruled it illegal. | The past week has seen significant changes and events within Australia’s immigration regime. The mood in both offshore processing centres has become increasingly distressed after the announced closure of the Manus Island facility after Papua New Guinea’s supreme court ruled it illegal. |
| On the mainland, Northern Territory police revealed a 27-year-old male had escaped from Darwin’s Wickham Point detention centre. | On the mainland, Northern Territory police revealed a 27-year-old male had escaped from Darwin’s Wickham Point detention centre. |
| Police said the man, Amit Hamal, had absconded from a “scheduled outing”. He was apprehended in Darwin city later on Monday. | Police said the man, Amit Hamal, had absconded from a “scheduled outing”. He was apprehended in Darwin city later on Monday. |
| It comes on the day authorities began a sudden transfer of detainees to other mainland detention centres on Monday. | It comes on the day authorities began a sudden transfer of detainees to other mainland detention centres on Monday. |
| Detainees, believed to be from both the family and single men’s compounds, were told to report to appointments with immigration on Monday morning. There, at least some were told they would be transferred to other mainland detention centres in the next few days. | Detainees, believed to be from both the family and single men’s compounds, were told to report to appointments with immigration on Monday morning. There, at least some were told they would be transferred to other mainland detention centres in the next few days. |
| Detainees were given a luggage limit of one 20kg bag each for their possessions, and were to be transferred by charter flight. As well as housing a number of long-term detainees, Wickham Point is also used as a transfer facility between mainland and offshore centres, and as detention for people brought from offshore facilities to receive Australian medical treatment. | Detainees were given a luggage limit of one 20kg bag each for their possessions, and were to be transferred by charter flight. As well as housing a number of long-term detainees, Wickham Point is also used as a transfer facility between mainland and offshore centres, and as detention for people brought from offshore facilities to receive Australian medical treatment. |
| The department of immigration did not respond to questions on the Wickham Point transfer. | The department of immigration did not respond to questions on the Wickham Point transfer. |
| Catherine Stubberfield, spokesperson for UNHCR’s Regional Representation in Canberra, said there was “no doubt that the current policy of offshore processing and prolonged detention is immensely harmful”. | |
| “There are approximately 2000 very vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. These people have already been through a great deal, many have fled war and persecution, some have already suffered trauma. Despite commendable efforts by the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Nauru, arrangements in both countries have proved completely untenable. | “There are approximately 2000 very vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. These people have already been through a great deal, many have fled war and persecution, some have already suffered trauma. Despite commendable efforts by the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Nauru, arrangements in both countries have proved completely untenable. |
| Stubberfield said the mental health and physical wellbeing of people held in detention had deteriorated over time. | Stubberfield said the mental health and physical wellbeing of people held in detention had deteriorated over time. |
| Related: Wife of man who died after setting fire to himself in Nauru slams delay in care | Related: Wife of man who died after setting fire to himself in Nauru slams delay in care |
| “The consensus among medical experts is that conditions of detention and offshore processing do immense damage to physical and mental health. UNHCR’s principal concern today is that these refugees and asylum-seekers are immediately moved to humane conditions with adequate support and services to prevent further unnecessary suffering.” | “The consensus among medical experts is that conditions of detention and offshore processing do immense damage to physical and mental health. UNHCR’s principal concern today is that these refugees and asylum-seekers are immediately moved to humane conditions with adequate support and services to prevent further unnecessary suffering.” |
| The UNHCR conducts regular monitoring visits to offshore detention sites, including seven visits to Nauru since it was re-opened in 2012. UNHCR staff were present when Omid set himself alight last Wednesday, though he had not been interviewed by the UNHCR or doctors accompanying the mission. | The UNHCR conducts regular monitoring visits to offshore detention sites, including seven visits to Nauru since it was re-opened in 2012. UNHCR staff were present when Omid set himself alight last Wednesday, though he had not been interviewed by the UNHCR or doctors accompanying the mission. |
| Stubberfield said UNHCR staff were deeply saddened by Omid’s death. | Stubberfield said UNHCR staff were deeply saddened by Omid’s death. |