SRI LANKAN MEN AND BOYS - INCOMMUNICADO ONCE AGAIN : Melbourne Indymedia

SRI LANKAN MEN AND BOYS - INCOMMUNICADO ONCE AGAIN
March 22, 2007 on 10:51 am | In David Hicks | No Comments

It is now 5 days since the Tamil boys and young men were flown with 68 Guards, Australian Federal police and Immigration personnel in a plane chartered from the Nauru Government thousands of miles across the ocean to Nauru.

It is now 5 days without contact. The communications on Nauru are difficult because the TELSTRA network has been down for months so an on/ off service is provided by RONTEL. This is Nauru operated.

* I was told by IOM (International Organisation of Migration) staff in Canberra that today 31 people will be given $50 credit with Rontel. They can only give 31 in a day as it takes time to process.
* There are two phones in the camp.
* No incoming calls only outgoing.
* People can fax their phone numbers and a message to a name and it
will be passed on
* The detainee can then ring the faxed phone number
* So far no permission from Nauruan authorities for people to leave the camp to visit internet cafe
* IOM are working on this
* Nauru will want to address health concerns- I pointed out that according to DIAC, all detainees had health checks on Christmas island.Initially members of the Tamil community will establish communication and trust. They will ask the young men and boys if they want letters etc.

The Ministers Office has been informed that so far no phone, fax or email access has been facilitated, contrary to announcements from his office.

Community support in the form of letters and emails will be needed when communication links are established for both the Burmese and Tamil people.