Hunger strike suspended as medical team heads for Nauru

8 January 2004

A Just Australia welcomes the announcement that the Nauruan hunger strikers will suspend their protest today from 5.00pm (Central Pacific Time) (2.00pm AEST) in response to the invitation to an Australian medical team from the Nauruan Government.

Hassan Ghulam, the Australian-based appointed representative of the hunger strikers, confirmed today that the hunger strikers will suspend their protest for a limited number of weeks, based upon the announcement of the medical team's planned mission as well as a positive response to the proposed review process.

"This is a positive move - we can now have real hopes for a permanent end to the hunger strike," said A Just Australia National Director Howard Glenn.

The Nauruan government announced yesterday their agreement for a medical team to travel to Nauru to make an independent clinical review of all services provided to the hunger strikers, both in Topside detention centre and in the Nauruan hospital.

The medical team is made up of volunteer experts in their fields, including specialist physician Tim Lightfoot and clinical psychiatrist Louise Newman. The mission is being organised with the assistance of the Nauruan Government.

The hunger strikers have also responded positively, but with some reservations, to further information from the Australian Government regarding the process for reviewing their asylum claims. They understand that the Government is willing to review their asylum claims.

They await a commitment from the Australian Government that the review will be thorough, professional and conducted in good faith. This would require a re-interview of asylum seekers using appropriate interpreters, and consideration of the changed circumstances in Afghanistan.

"A Just Australia calls upon the Government to take the opportunity to bring the hunger strike to its final end by agreeing to a fair process to review the status of all those detained on the island.

"This protest could all be behind us in a matter of hours, and the Nauru camps closed within months."

Background: The hunger strike is being conducted at grave risk to those involved. While respecting the right to peaceful protest, A Just Australia regrets the resort to this level of physical cost and has repeatedly called for an end to the protest.

The hunger strike has received worldwide attention and reminded Australians of the ongoing tragedy of indefinite detention of 93 children and 191 adults in a disused phosphate mine on the equatorial Island Nation of Nauru. The first international journalist for 12 months, Kim Ruscoe of the Dominion Post, Wellington, NZ, has travelled to Nauru to confirm the dire situation facing the hunger strikers and the other detainees.

Shortly before Christmas, UNHCR announced that 22 of the detainees on Nauru would be re-assessed in the light of changed circumstances in Nauru. The Australian Government subsequently announced it would similarly review relevant cases.

These interviews must be conducted thoroughly, professionally, in good faith on the basis of fresh interviews conducted by with an appropriate translator and with adequate legal representation.

Throughout the last four weeks, A Just Australia has been active in seeking an acceptable resolution to the hunger strike by ongoing communication with the Nauruan detainees, the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Nauru, the Australian Medical Association, human rights groups, and Australian and international media.

Contact: Howard Glenn 0418 443 398 or Damien Spry 0407 458 507. Hassan Ghulam can be reached on 07 5547 5288
8 January 2004