Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside the Broadmeadows detention centre on Wednesday over the return of three families to Christmas Island.
The Refugee Action Collective told Star Weekly a family of Tamils and another from Burma had been returned to Christmas Island after spending months at the centre receiving medical attention.
An Iraqi mother and her daughter were also on the list to be returned but were not in the vans that ran the gauntlet of protestors.
“It seems quite cruel,” Refugee Action Group spokesman Chris Breen said.
“We don’t know why they’re doing this. They could just release these people into the community until their claims are processed.”
He said young refugees were not going to school, depression was widespread among the asylum seekers, and people were “shattered and crying”. “Future generations will look back on this as one of the great crimes against humanity,” Mr Breen said. “Processing [of claims] has all but frozen and there are no processes for those living in the community.”
Meanwhile, Australasia’s largest specialist medical college, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), has called on the federal government to release every child from Australian immigration detention centres.
New RACP president Professor Nicholas Talley said the group was concerned at Australia’s policy of mandatory detention.
“It’s unacceptable that we are locking up more than 1000 children, including unaccompanied minors, for up to nine months,” he said.
“Children in detention are exposed to violence, self-harm, distressed parents and adults with significant mental health problems, which increases their risk of psychological harm and developmental regression.”
RACP paediatrician Dr Karen Zwi, who recently visited Christmas Island, said she was concerned by the lack of care for children with special needs and pregnant women.
“Medical services are not adequately screening children for infectious disease, developmental delay and common problems, such as anaemia,” she said. “These conditions can be easily treated if detected early but can cause long-term complications if neglected.”
■ As part of Refugee Week, stories on the contributions and achievements of refugees to Melbourne’s north can be heard at Broadmeadows Global Learning Centre from 1-3pm on Friday. RSVP: Sevean Kakoz on 9351 1278 or sevean@mrcnorthwest.org.au
