Activists delay transfer of refugee family

In the early hours of Tuesday 16 June, refugee activists held a snap protest at the Broadmeadows detention centre (Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation) to stop the forced transfer of a mother and daughter to Darwin. It was feared that the transfer would be the first step in deporting the pair back to the concentration camp on Nauru.

The pair had been brought to Melbourne from Nauru in order to treat the daughter’s mental health issues. They were terrified at the prospect of being returned. One of the Nauru guards allegedly had tried to rape the 16-year-old.

The Immigration Department claimed it was moving the family to Darwin because the daughter’s mental health had been treated. However, she had self-harmed in the past month. Her mother’s mental health is also poor. She had taken an overdose of pills last week after learning that she and her daughter would be taken back to Nauru, along with around 20 other people.

We knew that the department would try to get the pair on a direct flight to Darwin at 8am, so we gathered outside the detention centre at 6am. Some activists had arrived much earlier. We linked arms outside the gates and vetted each vehicle that approached in order to make sure they weren’t carrying the pair. When the car carrying the refugees arrived, we stood firm and were able to turn it around. We forced them to miss the 8am flight.

The protest ended shortly after, partly due to concerns that the pair would be shackled if the disruption continued. Unfortunately, they were taken to the airport three hours after the protest ended, and they are now in Darwin.

However, the act of solidarity was felt inside the detention centre. The mother sent the following text: “I thank everyone who were protesting yesterday for us especially Mr Arad and Mr Reza”.centre. The mother sent the following text: “I thank everyone who were protesting yesterday for us especially Mr Arad and Mr Reza”.

And another contact inside the centre sent the following: “Thank you soooo much everybody … we’re glad to have friends like you guys who cares about us”.

Activists remain in contact with the mother and her daughter. It appears unlikely that they will immediately be sent to Nauru.