This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/may/03/peter-dutton-accuses-refugee-advocates-of-encouraging-suicide-on-nauru
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Peter Dutton accuses refugee advocates of encouraging suicide on Nauru | Peter Dutton accuses refugee advocates of encouraging suicide on Nauru |
| (2 days later) | |
| The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has blamed refugee advocates for the suicide attempts on Nauru and Manus, alleging they are encouraging detainees to self-harm in the hope of getting to Australia. | The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has blamed refugee advocates for the suicide attempts on Nauru and Manus, alleging they are encouraging detainees to self-harm in the hope of getting to Australia. |
| A second refugee, Hodan Yasin, self-immolated on Nauru overnight and is in a Brisbane hospital in a critical condition. | |
| Pressed on his allegation, Dutton offered no examples of refugee supporters advocating acts of self-harm, but said his office received “advice” and “intelligence” that it was occurring. | Pressed on his allegation, Dutton offered no examples of refugee supporters advocating acts of self-harm, but said his office received “advice” and “intelligence” that it was occurring. |
| “There is a lot of publicly available information in relation to some of the social media messaging as well,” he said. | “There is a lot of publicly available information in relation to some of the social media messaging as well,” he said. |
| Related: Somali refugee in critical condition after setting herself alight on Nauru | Related: Somali refugee in critical condition after setting herself alight on Nauru |
| “I have previously expressed my frustration and anger at advocates and others who are in contact with those in regional processing centres and who are encouraging some of these people to behave in a certain way, believing that that pressure exerted on the Australian government will see a change in our policy in relation to our border protection measures,” Dutton said. | “I have previously expressed my frustration and anger at advocates and others who are in contact with those in regional processing centres and who are encouraging some of these people to behave in a certain way, believing that that pressure exerted on the Australian government will see a change in our policy in relation to our border protection measures,” Dutton said. |
| The government would not be swayed by public pressure, protests, or acts of self-harm. | The government would not be swayed by public pressure, protests, or acts of self-harm. |
| “We are not going to change those policies, and the advocates, by providing false hope to these people, really [are] to be condemned,” he said. “They can provide offers of support, that is reasonable. But to provide advice otherwise is very dangerous.” | “We are not going to change those policies, and the advocates, by providing false hope to these people, really [are] to be condemned,” he said. “They can provide offers of support, that is reasonable. But to provide advice otherwise is very dangerous.” |
| Ian Rintoul, a long-time refugee advocate and spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, said he had “never seen any evidence, not a single example” of advocates encouraging self-harm. | Ian Rintoul, a long-time refugee advocate and spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, said he had “never seen any evidence, not a single example” of advocates encouraging self-harm. |
| “The opposite is true,” he said. “It’s the advocates who are always urging people, people who are desperate, not to harm themselves.” | “The opposite is true,” he said. “It’s the advocates who are always urging people, people who are desperate, not to harm themselves.” |
| Rintoul said Dutton’s comments were “offensive and demeaning”, and that they were without foundation. | Rintoul said Dutton’s comments were “offensive and demeaning”, and that they were without foundation. |
| “It’s clear Dutton does not have a shred of evidence for what he’s saying. He offered no evidence at all. | “It’s clear Dutton does not have a shred of evidence for what he’s saying. He offered no evidence at all. |
| “This is a desperate act by the government trying to deflect blame for situation they have created.” | “This is a desperate act by the government trying to deflect blame for situation they have created.” |
| And he said the government’s hardline stance on offshore processing would only contribute to the helplessness felt by those in detention. | And he said the government’s hardline stance on offshore processing would only contribute to the helplessness felt by those in detention. |
| “I think Dutton’s dismissive attitude to these people’s despair, is more likely to create the kinds of situations he says he is trying to avoid.” | “I think Dutton’s dismissive attitude to these people’s despair, is more likely to create the kinds of situations he says he is trying to avoid.” |
| An asylum seeker advocate, Natasha Blucher, described Dutton’s statement as “despicable”. | An asylum seeker advocate, Natasha Blucher, described Dutton’s statement as “despicable”. |
| “Here we have a young 21-year-old girl who was so desperate the only option she felt she had was to burn herself alive, and all Dutton wants to do is play the blame game instead of working to make sure this never happens again,” she told Guardian Australia. | “Here we have a young 21-year-old girl who was so desperate the only option she felt she had was to burn herself alive, and all Dutton wants to do is play the blame game instead of working to make sure this never happens again,” she told Guardian Australia. |
| Blucher is a former Save the Children worker who was among a group sacked in 2014 after being accused of encouraging self-harm. The group was later vindicated when it was revealed the accusation was untrue and they had been fired for political reasons. | Blucher is a former Save the Children worker who was among a group sacked in 2014 after being accused of encouraging self-harm. The group was later vindicated when it was revealed the accusation was untrue and they had been fired for political reasons. |
| She said it was concerning to see Dutton had resorted to the same tactics in “attempting to blame advocates for the failings of his policy settings”. | She said it was concerning to see Dutton had resorted to the same tactics in “attempting to blame advocates for the failings of his policy settings”. |
| “I would challenge Dutton to put forward any evidence he has of any advocates encouraging people to self-harm,” Blucher said. | “I would challenge Dutton to put forward any evidence he has of any advocates encouraging people to self-harm,” Blucher said. |
| Dutton had displayed “an absolute misunderstanding of mental health”. | Dutton had displayed “an absolute misunderstanding of mental health”. |
| “It’s almost as though the department and the minister don’t acknowledge that mental illness is a severe problem,” she said. “They seem to denote any act of self-harm or suicidal ideation or suicide attempt as the result of some sort of political ideology or political strategy.” | “It’s almost as though the department and the minister don’t acknowledge that mental illness is a severe problem,” she said. “They seem to denote any act of self-harm or suicidal ideation or suicide attempt as the result of some sort of political ideology or political strategy.” |
| Dutton had told media there were mental health professionals on the island to provide care, but Blucher said the mental illness among detainees was “situational”. | Dutton had told media there were mental health professionals on the island to provide care, but Blucher said the mental illness among detainees was “situational”. |
| “It does not help to provide mental health support while retaining the person in the environment that is harming their mental health,” she said. | “It does not help to provide mental health support while retaining the person in the environment that is harming their mental health,” she said. |
| The Australia Director at Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson, said Dutton “shouldn’t point the finger at refugee advocates when it’s Australia’s inhumane policies of offshore detention and deterrence that are driving people to the brink of despair”. | The Australia Director at Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson, said Dutton “shouldn’t point the finger at refugee advocates when it’s Australia’s inhumane policies of offshore detention and deterrence that are driving people to the brink of despair”. |
| “Self-harm on Nauru isn’t new,” she said. “Every week, asylum seekers in detention on Nauru have been self-harming by cutting themselves, swallowing razor blades, poison, or trying to hang themselves with sheets. | “Self-harm on Nauru isn’t new,” she said. “Every week, asylum seekers in detention on Nauru have been self-harming by cutting themselves, swallowing razor blades, poison, or trying to hang themselves with sheets. |
| “This is an escalation of those actions because people have lost all hope.” | “This is an escalation of those actions because people have lost all hope.” |
| Yasin is the second refugee on Nauru to self-immolate in the past week. Reports from Nauru suggest she has severe burns to 70% of her body, with her upper body and face most badly affected. | |
| Australia’s immigration department says Yasin is 21 years old. However, sources on Nauru say she is only 19, having been sent to Nauru as a 16-year-old child three years ago. Department files also misspell her name as Hadon. | |
| She set herself alight in protest late on Monday afternoon in the OPC1 compound of the Nauru detention centre. | She set herself alight in protest late on Monday afternoon in the OPC1 compound of the Nauru detention centre. |
| Yasin was returned to Nauru less than a week ago, having been brought to Australia last November after being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. | |
| Early last Wednesday morning, she was forcibly dragged out of the Brisbane immigration transit accommodation by guards. Fellow detainees say she screamed as she was carried away. | Early last Wednesday morning, she was forcibly dragged out of the Brisbane immigration transit accommodation by guards. Fellow detainees say she screamed as she was carried away. |
| Last Wednesday, a 23-year-old Iranian refugee, Omid Masoumali, died two days after setting himself alight at Nibok refugee settlement on Nauru, in the presence of representatives from the United Nations. | Last Wednesday, a 23-year-old Iranian refugee, Omid Masoumali, died two days after setting himself alight at Nibok refugee settlement on Nauru, in the presence of representatives from the United Nations. |
| Video footage shot on a mobile phone, which Guardian Australia has chosen not to publish, shows him dousing himself in accelerant and shouting: “This is how tired we are; this action will prove how exhausted we are. I cannot take it any more.” | Video footage shot on a mobile phone, which Guardian Australia has chosen not to publish, shows him dousing himself in accelerant and shouting: “This is how tired we are; this action will prove how exhausted we are. I cannot take it any more.” |
| Masoumali’s widow, also a refugee, has criticised the delay in getting him care on Nauru. She says it was hours before he was given painkillers. It was more than 22 hours before he was taken to a Brisbane hospital. | Masoumali’s widow, also a refugee, has criticised the delay in getting him care on Nauru. She says it was hours before he was given painkillers. It was more than 22 hours before he was taken to a Brisbane hospital. |
| Video footage of Masoumali at Nauru hospital shows him clearly conscious as he paces up and down while screaming – with severe burns apparent to his arms, legs, chest and back – while distressed friends plead for him to be given assistance. | Video footage of Masoumali at Nauru hospital shows him clearly conscious as he paces up and down while screaming – with severe burns apparent to his arms, legs, chest and back – while distressed friends plead for him to be given assistance. |
| A second clip shows doctors and nurses struggling to administer painkillers, as Masoumali, still standing, continues to scream. People watching nearby are vomiting. | A second clip shows doctors and nurses struggling to administer painkillers, as Masoumali, still standing, continues to scream. People watching nearby are vomiting. |
| Masoumali’s widow told Guardian Australia her husband was not given a sheet or a place to lie down, and that the hospital “didn’t even have a clean syringe”. | Masoumali’s widow told Guardian Australia her husband was not given a sheet or a place to lie down, and that the hospital “didn’t even have a clean syringe”. |
| “Staff in Nauru hospital couldn’t help Omid in any way because they were unequipped,” she said. “A lack of proper equipment and facilities was the reason that staff couldn’t help and treat Omid in the Nauru hospital.” | “Staff in Nauru hospital couldn’t help Omid in any way because they were unequipped,” she said. “A lack of proper equipment and facilities was the reason that staff couldn’t help and treat Omid in the Nauru hospital.” |
| On Monday she said she was being kept in a Brisbane hotel by immigration authorities, denied access to a lawyer and sedated. | On Monday she said she was being kept in a Brisbane hotel by immigration authorities, denied access to a lawyer and sedated. |
| The Nauru government has said Masoumali received “the highest level of care”. | The Nauru government has said Masoumali received “the highest level of care”. |
| The former prime minister, Tony Abbott, won the 2013 federal election on a primary campaign platform of “stop the boats”. | The former prime minister, Tony Abbott, won the 2013 federal election on a primary campaign platform of “stop the boats”. |
| Related: The order to end Manus detention was predictable. The next step is not | Related: The order to end Manus detention was predictable. The next step is not |
| Since then Labor has been assiduous in appearing in lockstep with the Coalition on asylum seeker policy. However, in recent days at least four Labor members have spoken out against the offshore detention regime. | Since then Labor has been assiduous in appearing in lockstep with the Coalition on asylum seeker policy. However, in recent days at least four Labor members have spoken out against the offshore detention regime. |
| The retiring MP Melissa Parke told a caucus meeting on Tuesday morning “great harm is being done to people on Manus Island and Nauru”. | The retiring MP Melissa Parke told a caucus meeting on Tuesday morning “great harm is being done to people on Manus Island and Nauru”. |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said: “If we get the chance to form government we will make it clear through our actions we don’t support indefinite detention; the people concerned will be resettled in third countries.” | The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said: “If we get the chance to form government we will make it clear through our actions we don’t support indefinite detention; the people concerned will be resettled in third countries.” |
| Another member praised Shorten and opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles’s handling of asylum seekers, saying Labor should “always protect the interests of the most vulnerable”. | Another member praised Shorten and opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles’s handling of asylum seekers, saying Labor should “always protect the interests of the most vulnerable”. |
| Shorten responded Labor had to have policies that avoided drownings at sea and that treated people within our care decently. | Shorten responded Labor had to have policies that avoided drownings at sea and that treated people within our care decently. |