Fed: Refugee advocate urges media to visit Nauru detainees

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2003
Fed: Refugee advocate urges media to visit Nauru detainees

A refugee advocate has called for the Australian media to visit a detention centre
on Nauru where two hunger strikers are said be in hospital.

Refugee advocates said last night the two had been taken to hospital on the tiny island
nation as other detainees refusing food and water lapsed in and out of consciousness.

HOWARD GLENN, the head of A Just Australia -- an umbrella group of refugee support
groups -- called on news editors across Australia to lobby the government for access to
the detention centre in Nauru.

More than 280 asylum seekers, including 93 children, are being processed on Nauru as
part of the federal government's Pacific Solution.

Mr GLENN says the suppression order and the prohibition of media travelling to Nauru
do not appear to have been fought by any of the Australian media.

ELAINE SMITH, of Rural Australians for Refugees, says Pakistani father of three RAJA
TARIQ and Afghani JARNIL KHAN HASHIMI are both in hospital.

Immigration Department has confirmed 19 asylum seekers being processed in Nauru are
on a hunger strike to protest against their detention.

At least three asylum seekers in the isolation centre at the Port Hedland detention
centre in northern Western Australia are also still refusing to eat.

AAP RTV rmg/psm/
s

KEYWORD: DETENTION (CANBERRA)

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