Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Nauru hunger strikes continue, more asylum seekers given medical aid - advocate

Posted at 21:59 on 06 December, 2012 UTC

A refugees’ advocate in Australia says more than 30 people remain on hunger strike on Nauru.

This comes after a Kurdish Iranian asylum seeker, Omid Sorouseh, was airlifted to Brisbane last Friday after more than seven weeks of refusing food.

The hunger strikers want Canberra to close the Nauru camp and to begin processing their claims for refugee status.

The Australian Refugee Coalition’s Ian Rintoul says the heat and conditions are also having an impact on the nearly 400 asylum seekers on the island.

He says 13 people collapsed on Thursday needing medical help and there have been more self harming incidents.

Mr Rintoul also says Australian authorities should let people how Mr Sorouseh is coping.

He says there has been no information on his condition since he was rushed to Brisbane.