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| Australia migrants: 'Disturbance' at Christmas Island detention centre | Australia migrants: 'Disturbance' at Christmas Island detention centre |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Inmates have lit fires at Australia's Christmas Island detention centre in a "major disturbance", say government officials. | Inmates have lit fires at Australia's Christmas Island detention centre in a "major disturbance", say government officials. |
| The unrest was sparked by the death of a detainee who had escaped the camp. | The unrest was sparked by the death of a detainee who had escaped the camp. |
| The situation was "tense" for a while, the department said, but was now calm. | The situation was "tense" for a while, the department said, but was now calm. |
| Negotiations were continuing with those detainees protesting to resolve the situation "peacefully and as soon as possible", the department said in a statement. | Negotiations were continuing with those detainees protesting to resolve the situation "peacefully and as soon as possible", the department said in a statement. |
| The perimeter remains secure and patrols are continuing, it said. | The perimeter remains secure and patrols are continuing, it said. |
| Christmas Island is a remote outpost located 2,650km (1,650 miles) north-west of Perth and 380km south of Java in Indonesia. | Christmas Island is a remote outpost located 2,650km (1,650 miles) north-west of Perth and 380km south of Java in Indonesia. |
| It is part of Australia's network of offshore processing centres for irregular migrants who arrive by boat, and also houses New Zealanders facing deportation from Australia. | It is part of Australia's network of offshore processing centres for irregular migrants who arrive by boat, and also houses New Zealanders facing deportation from Australia. |
| Australia asylum: Why is it controversial? | |
| Inmate's death 'sparked riot' | Inmate's death 'sparked riot' |
| The Department of Immigration said the unrest started when a group of Iranian inmates staged a protest about the death of an Iranian Kurd, Fazel Chegeni. | The Department of Immigration said the unrest started when a group of Iranian inmates staged a protest about the death of an Iranian Kurd, Fazel Chegeni. |
| Mr Chegeni had escaped from the facility on Saturday. His body was found at the bottom of a cliff on Sunday. | Mr Chegeni had escaped from the facility on Saturday. His body was found at the bottom of a cliff on Sunday. |
| In an earlier statement, it said small fires had been lit within the complex and that some detainees "continue to agitate and cause damage to the facility". | In an earlier statement, it said small fires had been lit within the complex and that some detainees "continue to agitate and cause damage to the facility". |
| Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said officers from private contractor Serco, which operates the detention centre, would be "dealing with those people who have caused disturbances". | Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said officers from private contractor Serco, which operates the detention centre, would be "dealing with those people who have caused disturbances". |
| "If people have caused damage to Commonwealth property, then they will be investigated and prosecuted," Mr Dutton said. | "If people have caused damage to Commonwealth property, then they will be investigated and prosecuted," Mr Dutton said. |
| In Parliament, he said he had been advised there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Chegeni. | In Parliament, he said he had been advised there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Chegeni. |
| He also told Australian television that the government will not be "cowered" into making changes to its controversial deportation policy. | He also told Australian television that the government will not be "cowered" into making changes to its controversial deportation policy. |
| 'Setting fires' | 'Setting fires' |
| Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition group, said that Mr Chegeni was "suffering the effects of long-term arbitrary detention". | Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition group, said that Mr Chegeni was "suffering the effects of long-term arbitrary detention". |
| "He had told other detainees that he could no longer stand being in detention," Mr Rintoul said in a statement. | "He had told other detainees that he could no longer stand being in detention," Mr Rintoul said in a statement. |
| A detainee at the immigration centre told the BBC inmates were "angry" because they were not getting answers about Mr Chegeni's death. | A detainee at the immigration centre told the BBC inmates were "angry" because they were not getting answers about Mr Chegeni's death. |
| "Matt" said guards had left their posts and that detainees from a compound housing detainees with criminal records were trying to get into his compound, where asylum seekers and those with expired visas stay. | "Matt" said guards had left their posts and that detainees from a compound housing detainees with criminal records were trying to get into his compound, where asylum seekers and those with expired visas stay. |
| "They started setting up the fires which basically set off the fire alarms which opened the door to the entire complex," he said. | "They started setting up the fires which basically set off the fire alarms which opened the door to the entire complex," he said. |
| "We barricaded ourselves, but we don't know how long we will last. We have no water supplies, no food supplies, no medication, no nothing." | "We barricaded ourselves, but we don't know how long we will last. We have no water supplies, no food supplies, no medication, no nothing." |
| It is difficult to verify information about what happens on Christmas Island as the media are generally barred from reporting there. | It is difficult to verify information about what happens on Christmas Island as the media are generally barred from reporting there. |
| The Christmas Island centre | The Christmas Island centre |
| Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young described the centre as being in "meltdown". | Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young described the centre as being in "meltdown". |
| "I have spoken with people who are locked up in the centre and they say that there is widespread unrest and fires across the facility," Ms Hanson-Young said in a statement. | "I have spoken with people who are locked up in the centre and they say that there is widespread unrest and fires across the facility," Ms Hanson-Young said in a statement. |
| Ms Hanson-Young said she was concerned that asylum seekers had been locked up with other detainees, putting them "at risk". | Ms Hanson-Young said she was concerned that asylum seekers had been locked up with other detainees, putting them "at risk". |
| "The government was warned repeatedly about the increasingly toxic situation on Christmas Island but, regrettably, those warnings were ignored," she said. | "The government was warned repeatedly about the increasingly toxic situation on Christmas Island but, regrettably, those warnings were ignored," she said. |
| Controversial policy | Controversial policy |
| Australia sends intercepted asylum seekers to Christmas Island, Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and Nauru in the South Pacific. | Australia sends intercepted asylum seekers to Christmas Island, Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and Nauru in the South Pacific. |
| The government says the journey the asylum seekers make by sea to reach Australia is dangerous and controlled by criminal gangs and they have a duty to stop it. Critics say opposition to asylum is often racially motivated and is damaging Australia's reputation. | The government says the journey the asylum seekers make by sea to reach Australia is dangerous and controlled by criminal gangs and they have a duty to stop it. Critics say opposition to asylum is often racially motivated and is damaging Australia's reputation. |
| The policy was branded a "disaster" by Human Rights Watch's Australia director in July. The group also raised concern over conditions at the Manus camp. | The policy was branded a "disaster" by Human Rights Watch's Australia director in July. The group also raised concern over conditions at the Manus camp. |
| Last February, an Iranian man was killed during a riot at the camp on Manus. The trial of a Salvation Army worker and a camp guard accused over his murder restarts later this month. | Last February, an Iranian man was killed during a riot at the camp on Manus. The trial of a Salvation Army worker and a camp guard accused over his murder restarts later this month. |
| Are you at the detention centre? Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Are you at the detention centre? Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |