Hunger Strike Refugee Supporters To Picket DIAC

Villawood Hunger Strike - 35 Days

Hunger Strike Refugee Supporters To Picket DIAC Offices

The Refugee Action Coalition will hold a picket has called a picket of DIAC’s Sydney offices, 26 Lee Street (near Railway Square) on Monday, 30 April, 12.30-1.30pm to mark the 35th day of the Villawood hunger strike by Chinese asylum seekers.

Four people, three women and one man, have been on hunger strike since 28 March when a Falun Gong practioner was dragged from her bed at 4.00am and forcibly deported. Six others ended their hunger strike on Monday 23 April. Another Chinese hunger striker was transported from Baxter to Villawood on Friday night to make a total of five on hunger strike in the detention centre.

Ms Yuan, one of those on hunger strike since 28 March was taken to hospital for perhaps the sixth time on Saturday 28 April.

The deportations have continued. Mr An and Mr Liu who had been held in the management units since 28 March were deported on 18 April and another two Chinese asylum seekers were deported two days later, on 20 April.

On Friday, 27 April, another four people were given letters warning them of their possible deportation, by notifying them that they would “not be deported in the next 48 hours.” The failure to give notice of deportation has caused a lot of concern and was one of the things that triggered the hunger strike on 28 March.

Yet, despite assurances from GSL management that there would be no repeats of the early morning raids, one of the men deported a week ago was dragged from his bed at 5.00am.

“Grave concerns are held for the hunger strikers. They are beyond the point where they may suffer permanent damage. The Minister has behaved recklessly with their lives by continuing to deport people from Villawood,” said Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Coalition.

“The Minister must urgently reconsider deportations to China. At least two of the people seem to have had trouble with Chinese authorities since being deported. One has been too afraid to return home because of police surveillance of their home. Another “disappeared” for almost two weeks. We are anxiously waiting for information on the others who have been deported.”

ENDS

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