Timorese to hunger strike against early deportation
By Kerrith Cabot
Hundreds of East Timorese refugees in the Leeuwin "safe haven" in Perth told relief workers and human rights lawyers on November 5 that they intend to go on a hunger strike to resist the Australian government's efforts to send them back to East Timor immediately.
Green Left Weekly has been told by sources close to the refugees that even children will be involved in the hunger strike because the East Timorese are desperate to be allowed to stay for at least the three months promised by the Australian government.
According to these sources, the refugees are "very worried" about being forcibly repatriated because:
- There are 56 infants under two years old in the group who require baby formula, which cannot be obtained in East Timor at present.
- Many people in the group need continuing medical care.
- They will be returning in the wet season to no or inadequate housing and infrastructure.
- They continue to fear reprisals from militias based in West Timor.
The refugees have told government representatives that they consider the moves to deport them to be a breach of the promise they received of "safe haven" for at least three months. They have also stated that they believe there is an element of racism involved because they have been less favourably treated than the Kosovars who were granted "safe haven".
A charity worker who attended an operations group meeting at Leeuwin on November 4 reported that the explanation given by government representatives to workers at the meeting was that the East Timorese refugees must be returned for "economic" reasons.
The group was also informed that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has announced that East Timor is ready to receive returning refugees and that the Australian government has decided to "encourage" them to go home.
Green Left Weekly has been told that the refugees have not been given access to independent legal advice which could assist them to understand their rights under immigration law and the legal implications of the letters they have been given by the government.