Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Australian camp facilities on Nauru labelled inadequate

Posted at 16:46 on 19 October, 2012 UTC

The Refugee Action Coalition says that the health services provided for asylum seekers on Nauru are already proving woefully inadequate.

This comes as Australia’s government has already sent more than 300 asylum seekers to its reopened processing centre on Nauru.

The Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul has received reports from asylum seekers on Nauru that conditions there are unbearable, contagious diseases are kicking in, some are on a hunger strike and that several have attempted suicide.

He says the centre is not able to provide adequate services for the needs of the detainees.

“The city itself, to call it second grade, I think would be an understatement. There’s no proper medical facilities, no mental health facilities, the physical condition of the detention centre is just clearly inadequate: there’s still only tents there in very hot weather with the rainy season about to begin as well.”

Ian Rintoul