<nettime> Children Placed in Punishment Compound

[Dave/Ross <ross777au@bigpond.com>]

Children Placed in Punishment Compound

The much vaunted program to put refugee women and children into 
community housing in the township of Woomera is suffering from a 
philosophy of punitive action byACM staff, according to a report from 
the Refugee Embassy at Woomera.

Women and children who misbehave while living in the township are not 
only being returned to imprisonment behind razor wire, but in some 
cases, they are even being placed in the dreaded Oscar Compound, 
which is used as a punishment area for the most troublesome 
prisoners.

A member of the public secured a visit with a mother and two children 
this week, and was told that the family, which had earlier been 
released into community housing, had been returned to the detention 
camp, and locked in Oscar compound.  This action followed an argument 
between the mother and an ACM guard assigned to her care.

Amongst other deprivations, prisoners in Oscar compound are not 
allowed to watch television, they have no refrigerator or telephone, 
and the children are not allowed to have any toys.

Another mother and her son were returned to the detention centre when 
they both attempted self-harm while living in the township.

"Such people do not need more punishment," said a spokesperson for 
the Refugee Embassy, which is based in Pimba, seven kilometres from 
Woomera.  "In most cases, their mistreatment at the hands of a 
repressive regime is what caused the problems in the first place.  It 
seems that the only way ACM knows how to deal with emotional problems 
is by inflicting even more pain.  Australians should not allow this 
to continue."

The Embassy, run by Ross Parry and Dave McKay, is pushing for action 
from politicians, the media, and the general public to have people 
suffering from emotional stress given proper psychiatric treatment 
and care rather than reverting to the warden/prisoner mentality when 
there is a disagreement.

Guards from the detention camp have been seen in the town 
reprimanding children as though they were their own, even while in 
the presence of the children's mother.  "The role of the parents is 
being replaced by one of threats and bullying from their captors," 
the Embassy spokesperson stated.  "Properly trained social workers 
are needed to look after these people."

Dave McKay and Ross Parry,  Refugee Embassy,  Woomera 5720
Phone: 0407-238805
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