DASSAN Press Release 30/4/13 : Children to Move to High Security Darwin Detention Centre
The Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN) has learned that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship have declared parts of the high security Wickham Point Immigration Detention Centre to be an alternative place of detention and will soon move children to the centre.
The move comes following reports that the Department may make a similar declaration in relation to the notorious Curtin Immigration Detention Centre that would lead to children being detained in a detention centre known for its isolation and large numbers of self harm incidents.
DASSAN spokesperson Fernanda Dahlstrom said “children should not be housed in Wickham Point. It is a centre that is built on land deemed unsuitable for a worker’s village and the department should not be dumping kids out there”.
“Children in Darwin have undergone significant trauma at the Darwin Airport Lodge and taking them to a more remote, high security centre will only lead to more to more self harm, more suicide attempts and more trauma”.
The news that children will be moved to Wickham Point follows concerns expressed by people working at the Manus Island Detention Centre about the appropriateness of that centre to house children.
Ms Dahlstrom stated “this government has adopted a deliberate policy to inflict harm on a select number of children to send some sort of message to the parents of other children. Harming children is not working, it is not stopping desperate people coming to Australia seeking safety, it is expensive and these children will never recover from the trauma infliced upon them by this government for political purposes.”
The Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN) has learned that the Department of Immigration and Citizenship have declared parts of the high security Wickham Point Immigration Detention Centre to be an alternative place of detention and will soon move children to the centre.
The move comes following reports that the Department may make a similar declaration in relation to the notorious Curtin Immigration Detention Centre that would lead to children being detained in a detention centre known for its isolation and large numbers of self harm incidents.
DASSAN spokesperson Fernanda Dahlstrom said “children should not be housed in Wickham Point. It is a centre that is built on land deemed unsuitable for a worker’s village and the department should not be dumping kids out there”.
“Children in Darwin have undergone significant trauma at the Darwin Airport Lodge and taking them to a more remote, high security centre will only lead to more to more self harm, more suicide attempts and more trauma”.
The news that children will be moved to Wickham Point follows concerns expressed by people working at the Manus Island Detention Centre about the appropriateness of that centre to house children.
Ms Dahlstrom stated “this government has adopted a deliberate policy to inflict harm on a select number of children to send some sort of message to the parents of other children. Harming children is not working, it is not stopping desperate people coming to Australia seeking safety, it is expensive and these children will never recover from the trauma infliced upon them by this government for political purposes.”
DASSAN Press Release Tuesday 19th February 2013:
FOI Documents Reveal Extent of Self Harm Crisis Documents (attached HERE) obtained by the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN) reveal the appalling extent of child self harm in Darwin detention centres.
The documents detail incidents of child self harm at the Darwin Airport Lodge detention centre in during late 2010 to November 2011. It took over nine months for the documents to be released by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship following an application by DASSAN.
The incidents of self harm involve children as young as nine and ten to older teenagers.
DASSAN spokesperson, Fernanda Dahlstrom, said “these documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time. Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children.”
“Despite all the evidence of the harm that is done to children as a result of immigration detention, the Minister, the legal guardian of all children in detention, continues to detain children and as long as he does children will tragically continue to self harm”
“The Minister should be removed as the guardian of children – he cannot both jail the children and clam to be acting in their best interests as guardian by detaining them in detention.”
The release of the documents follows concerns raised in relation to children deported to Manus Island where they live in demountable buildings, have no access to lawyers or advocates and have already witnessed numerous suicide attempts and self harm incidents.
Ms Dalstrom added “months after the announcement that children will be sent offshore, they have still have not been told how long they will have to endure offshore detention. In the months and years to come an epidemic of child self harm is likely to occur on Manus Island. If it does, the Government cannot say they did not see it coming. They know significant trauma is caused to children by detaining them and it is appalling they will keep sending children to Manus Island.”
For comment - Fernanda Dahlstrom, DASSAN: 0477 426 904
http://dassan.weebly.com/
FOI Documents Reveal Extent of Self Harm Crisis Documents (attached HERE) obtained by the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN) reveal the appalling extent of child self harm in Darwin detention centres.
The documents detail incidents of child self harm at the Darwin Airport Lodge detention centre in during late 2010 to November 2011. It took over nine months for the documents to be released by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship following an application by DASSAN.
The incidents of self harm involve children as young as nine and ten to older teenagers.
DASSAN spokesperson, Fernanda Dahlstrom, said “these documents concern one detention centre over a relatively short period of time. Children detained in other detention centres are likely to have gone through the same trauma as these children.”
“Despite all the evidence of the harm that is done to children as a result of immigration detention, the Minister, the legal guardian of all children in detention, continues to detain children and as long as he does children will tragically continue to self harm”
“The Minister should be removed as the guardian of children – he cannot both jail the children and clam to be acting in their best interests as guardian by detaining them in detention.”
The release of the documents follows concerns raised in relation to children deported to Manus Island where they live in demountable buildings, have no access to lawyers or advocates and have already witnessed numerous suicide attempts and self harm incidents.
Ms Dalstrom added “months after the announcement that children will be sent offshore, they have still have not been told how long they will have to endure offshore detention. In the months and years to come an epidemic of child self harm is likely to occur on Manus Island. If it does, the Government cannot say they did not see it coming. They know significant trauma is caused to children by detaining them and it is appalling they will keep sending children to Manus Island.”
For comment - Fernanda Dahlstrom, DASSAN: 0477 426 904
http://dassan.weebly.com/
10/12/12 Asylum seeker advocates call for an end to detention and offshore processing this Human Rights Week
29/9/11 Cruel Policies behind detention centre Chaos
Press Release 3 / 8/ 11 - More Children Locked Up in Darwin Detention Centres
Press Release 3 / 8/ 11 - More Children Locked Up in Darwin Detention Centres
