Dismantling the Cages - The Burning of Woomera

Angela Mitropoulos

On the eve of the Sydney Olympics and the World Economic Forum's Asia-Pacific Session in Melbourne, as the Federal Parliament debated a bill that will give the army shoot to kill powers against dissent, it has become clear that the only movement that is not subject to repression is that of money -- tourism, trade and meetings of corporate executives. Water-cannons, tear gas and pepper spray have been used against people in the refugee internment camp at Woomera in South Australia in an attempt to put down protests that began a week ago. An ABC presenter concluded Monday morning's report with the comment: "There you have it. Confirmation. Mobile water cannon being used for the first time on Australian soil against people. Ironically, this comes on the same day as debate is occuring in Parliament over a new bill to use the military in civilian conflicts."

What happened?

Over the weekend, there were protests inside all the refugee internment centres across Australia, with the possible exception of Curtin. The most determined protests occurred in the Woomera internment camp as those behind the wire began dismantling first the razor wire perimeter fence and, as the response of police and guards became more severe, the buildings themselves. On Saturday, thousands held protest actions outside the Maribyrnong (Melbourne), Perth and Villawood (Sydney) internment centres calling for the internment of asylum seekers to end and for those inside to be released. A number of churches had also held prayer meetings for refugees across Australia on Sunday.

After the mass escapes from three remote internment camps in mid-June this year, including Woomera, around 200 APS replete with riot gear and an undisclosed number of the STAR Force personnel (a tactical squad) had been brought in to supplement the 250 private guards from Australian Correctionals Management (Wackenhut).

24 hour surveillance was stepped up and a new razor wire perimeter fence was being erected. In addition, a mobile water cannon had been brought in ready for use, as well as a cache of tear gas, pepper spray, long batons.

According to locals, these recent protests have been brewing for some time. For almost a week, buidling workers complained to the local petrol station owner that as they were erecting the new perimeter fence, internees would dismantle it in the night.

On Saturday evening, tear gas was used against internees as they repeatedly attempted to get to and through the razor wire fence. The mobile water cannon was brought in that, according to one eyewitness, "washed the protesters away like rag dolls" every time they made an attempt to reach the fenceline. In the dawn hours of Monday, four buildings in the internment camp were set alight and trashed. The water cannon was used repeatedly as internees made more attempts to reach the fence. By Monday, police had set up a roadblock that kept journalists and media away from the camp. The footage that was shot from a distance however clearly made out riot police beating internees back from the fence, and the use of the water cannon. Protesters held banners scrawled with 'SOS', defended themselves against riot police with fence posts, and a number of children can be made out throwing sand and stones.

A small group of people from Keepers of Lake Eyre travelled through Woomera on Monday, reporting that children who are internees were being tear-gassed as they ran toward the fence. A guard, sent to casualty for "facial abrasions and bruised wrist", described those who repeatedly tried to break out of the Woomera refugee internment camp over the last few days as "acting like a pack of wild animals." "They were screaming and came rushing at us, it was pretty scary. Lucky we had the numbers."

The 'numbers', and indeed the machinery mustered to put down the protesters, was certainly against the internees.

Arrests

By Tuesday, 25 of the internees were arrested and sent to the Adelaide Remand Centre on charges that could see them facing additional lenghty prison terms. Previously, a Department spokesperson had complained that those engaged in the protests were wearing towels around their faces, he claimed, so that they would not be identified. It is not clear to us whether this was a result of fear of reprisals or as a result of tear gas being used against the protesters. What is clear, is that charges have been brought against those whom the Minister believes are responsible because they have been refused the chance to make applications for asylum ("screened out") and that it is doubtful whether there is evidence that would link these 25 with the actions they have been charged with. Nevertheless, most media have already found the 25 guilty, and it is doubtful whether they will receive anything like a fair trial.

"Illegals"

The Minister of Immigration, Philip Ruddock, has claimed that those protesting have been found to be "illegal immigrants".

But, according to a Department of Immigration spokesperson, "most of the people involved in this situation are people who have been screened out of the refugee process and our immigration laws state that these people be detained and removed from the country as early as practicable."

Under recent legislation, to be "screened out" means that one is not even allowed to make an application for asylum.

The Minister, however, simultaneously contradicted his claim that those who were protesting were facing deportation when he went on to say that "No amount of unrest, no amount of civil disobedience will lead to the release of people from security facilities until such time as all of the issues relating to character have been properly and fully handled and addressed."

"Issues relating to character" refers to the provisions under recent border legislation that visas will not be granted to anyone who is found to have been charged with offenses elsewhere or regarded as likely to create 'trouble' in Australia.

It is, nonetheless, probable that the Minister was attempting to quell protesters with the implicit threat unless the protests were called off, then they would lose the chance to apply for asylum -- an empty promise given the 'screening' process he and the Department spokesperson had already referred to.

Moreover, the provisions relating to "character" are subject to the arbitrary whim of the Minister, who has the final call on whether or not to refuse visas to anyone on the basis of those provisions.

September, 2000