Breakout foiled, fifth refugee centre burns: [3 All-round Metro Edition]
Kathryn Shine, Andrew McGarry, Sophie Morris, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 01 Jan 2003: 1.
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Abstract
The Villawood and Christmas Island arsons were the latest in a sequence that started on Saturday night when detainees set fire to the Baxter facility, at Port Augusta in South Australia. Blazes followed at Woomera and Port Hedland in Western Australia.
The Woomera disturbances — in which detainees reportedly pelted guards with stones and threatened them with metal bars — came after a security upgrade at centres around Australia. Damage at Baxter and Port Hedland is estimated at $5million. The Villawood and Christmas Island damage has not yet been quantified.
Mr [Daryl Williams] said South Australian police were yesterday called in to patrol the perimeters at the Baxter and Woomera centres. “The detainees at Baxter have been screened and their belongings screened and there has been a review of the policy in relation to cigarette lighters and matches.”
Full Text
SIX buildings were burning at Sydney’s Villawood detention centre last night after police foiled a major breakout attempt and inmates reportedly attacked guards and lit a number of fires.
Villawood became the fifth detention facility to be set ablaze by asylum-seekers within four days — and the third yesterday — as the total damages bill climbed well beyond $8 million.
NSW police said 20 inmates attempted to escape about 10.30pm by ramming Villawood’s front gate with a commandeered vehicle.
A police vehicle was parked across the gateway to thwart the escape bid.
In another maximum-security area of the Villawood centre, guards were attacked with iron bars and at least three buildings were set ablaze. Police said 60 to 80 inmates had rioted.
By midnight, eight ambulances were standing outside waiting for the centre to be secured. A number of guards and inmates were believed to have been injured.
Earlier yesterday evening rejected asylum-seekers on Christmas Island set their quarters alight, and another fire was started at South Australia’s Woomera detention centre.
The Villawood and Christmas Island arsons were the latest in a sequence that started on Saturday night when detainees set fire to the Baxter facility, at Port Augusta in South Australia. Blazes followed at Woomera and Port Hedland in Western Australia.
Last night a fresh fire was reported at Woomera. Smoke was rising from the centre and water cannons were deployed as guards conducted perimeter patrols, but the blaze was quickly brought under control.
The Christmas Island fire started late yesterday afternoon. Detainees, reportedly armed with poles and sticks, ended a stand- off with guards after fire gutted the dining hall of the processing centre.
The island detainees had been accommodated in the dining hall since deliberate fires destroyed their sleeping quarters in November.
Forty-six people are held at the island processing centre. All have had their visa applications rejected.
The new fires yesterday came less than 12 hours after firefighters at Woomera contained blazes that damaged or destroyed 33 accommodation units, eight shower blocks and two mess halls, causing an estimated $2.5 million damage.
A Department of Immigration spokeswoman said heightened security at Woomera — which yesterday included security officers in riot gear in one compound — had not stopped what appeared to be co- ordinated protest action.
“The additional measures were not enough to counteract the carefully orchestrated plan by people to sabotage the facility,” she said.
About 20 male detainees tried to stop firefighters from putting out the Woomera blaze, and attacked guards who were trying to help.
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“As fires were being put out, others were being lit,” said Country Fire Services commander Kevin May.
The Woomera disturbances — in which detainees reportedly pelted guards with stones and threatened them with metal bars — came after a security upgrade at centres around Australia. Damage at Baxter and Port Hedland is estimated at $5million. The Villawood and Christmas Island damage has not yet been quantified.
Australian Federal Police are investigating the arson at Woomera, Baxter and Port Hedland. Any detainees convicted over the offences will be jailed before being deported.
Attorney-General and Acting Immigration Minister Daryl Williams said the Woomera detainees’ actions in hindering firefighters were unacceptable.
“There were reviews of security at detention centres where there hadn’t been fires but this still occurred,” he said.
“There is a range of measures that can be taken, but you cannot supervise every individual in a detention centre on a 24-hour, seven- day-a-week basis.”
Mr Williams said South Australian police were yesterday called in to patrol the perimeters at the Baxter and Woomera centres. “The detainees at Baxter have been screened and their belongings screened and there has been a review of the policy in relation to cigarette lighters and matches.”
Refugee advocates yesterday denied the burnings were an orchestrated campaign by the asylum-seekers.
Australian Greens member Pamela Curr claimed detention centre management had not acted diligently in extinguishing the fires.
“There’s no doubt that these fires have not been diligently extinguished by the guards,” she said.
Ms Curr said she heard reports the Port Hedland fire started in a building detainees did not have access to and guards had “sat on their hands and watched them burn”.
“I’m alleging there are questions about who started it (the fire).”