The notorious 'Red 1' isolation compound in Baxter Detention Centre is being used again, after being closed since February, when mentally ill Australian woman Cornelia Rau was released after being held there for over two months.
An African asylum seeker, who has been held in detention for over two years, was forcibly taken to Red 1 compound last Saturday afternoon (21 May). The asylum seeker has not been able to make any phone calls since being placed in the compound. He has not been provided with crutches or painkillers for a knee injury sustained whilst being forced into a van and taken to Red 1.
On Friday, 20th May, the asylum seeker was told by the acting Deputy Manager of Baxter that he must go by escorted vehicle if he wished to go to areas in the detention centre outside his compound. The next morning, after waiting 40 minutes for a vehicle to transport him to the gym, he tried to walk. He was then taken to Red 1 compound as punishment.
"Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) is extremely disturbed that Red 1 compound is being used again, in such an arbitrary manner" said Mira Wroblewski National RAR spokesperson. "Detainees who are psychologically fragile after years of detention, are again being punished by being placed in isolation units. They are being punished in this way for very trivial things which harm nobody."
RAR is concerned that detainees who are put into Red 1 compound have no right of appeal, and their placement in this compound is under the control of individual employees of GSL, the company contracted by the Australian Government to run detention centres. This morning, detainees in Baxter protested against the treatment of the African man.
"GSL is able to operate with secrecy and its actions lack accountability", said Ms Wroblewski "We are disturbed to hear that the African asylum seeker currently in Red 1 has requested to speak to an independent agency about his treatment, but was told by GSL that they would monitor any such communications."
My take: Following the recent revelations about treatment of detainees at Baxter, including the detention of Cornelia Rau in Red 1, it beggars belief that this appalling practice continues. But every time I hear either Vanstone or Ruddock justify what is being done in our name I realize the only way to stop it is to expose the abusive nature of mandatory detention and bring supporters to their senses. If there is any justice, those with prime responsibility for the abuses (which amount to a form of torture) will have to answer for them down the track.
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