E-MAIL THIS LINK
To: 

Lips sewn in refugee hunger strike
THREE Iranian men have sewn their lips together and a further 13 started a hunger strike in the latest protest by detainees aimed at forcing a review of their asylum claims.
Anyone else want some of this chicken?
Refugee advocates today warned that the men, held at the Baxter detention centre in South Australia, were prepared to die as a result of their protest, with the hunger strikers declaring they had few options left. "Many others will join the strike in coming days and we will continue until our situation is resolved," the detainees said in a statement issued by refugee advocates.
"Many of us have been here (in detention) for four or five years and we are tired, frustrated and extremely depressed. "We are peaceful people and will harm nobody but ourselves in our quest for freedom. "We simply ask to be recognised as genuine refugees and to be granted protection so that we can get on with our lives."
Refugee advocate Jack Smit said three of the hunger strikers had climbed on a roof at the detention centre and were vowing to stay there indefinitely. He said many hunger strikers had sent their "last will and testaments" to friends in the belief they would die. "They will definitely hunger-strike until they die - they have nothing to lose," Mr Smit said.
Yummm, cold-slaw!
The latest protest follows a decision by 11 Sri Lankan detainees on Friday to end their 10-day hunger strike, after refugee groups claimed their cases would be reviewed.
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has denied the reviews were linked to the hunger strike. The Australian Democrats today blamed the Government's mandatory detention system for forcing asylum seekers to take such extreme protest measures. "When you put people in a situation where they have no hope, when the live in fear over months and months and months, it is inevitable that you will get not only severe psychological damage but it's inevitable you will get these acts of desperation like hunger strikes," Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett told parliament.
Gee, sounds like one of our Democrats.
An immigration department spokesman blamed misinformation spread by refugee advocates in relation to the Sri Lankans' hunger strike for the latest, similar action. "The misinformation is encouraging harmful behaviour among some detainees," he said. "Several detainees have placed two stitches in their lips and detention facility staff are closely monitoring the detainees."
"How's he doing, George?" "Don't know, I can't understand a word he's saying."
Detainees on the centre roof were "being handled carefully by centre staff", the spokesman said
."A fiver sez he lands face down!"

He refused to elaborate on what actions had been taken.
last time they climbed up high they jumped head first into the ground and bounced like a tennis ball on concrete. [fingers crossed]
Posted by: God Save The World 2004-12-08
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=50714