DASSAN UPDATE 27 April 2012
Dear friends
Thank you to those who came to a small but strong show of support and
welcome to asylum seekers on Thursday night at the DAL. We shared songs,
stories and flowers through the fence. Special thanks to June Mills and Dave ,
and Duc behind the fences, for wonderful entertainment, and Jacinta for
organising. Stay tuned for the next event!
In todays update
•
•
•
•
•
•
◦
◦
•
•
•
Next DASSAN meeting
Sending messages of support
Latest detention statistics
Children in detention
Visitor Information
Events coming up
Basewatch public meeting
World Refugee Day
support for people on bridging visas
Can you help? taking action - What can I do
News update
Next DASSAN meeting
DASSAN meetings are a chance to meet other people in the network, and to
share ideas and information. DASSAN meets fortnightly on Monday nights - our
next meeting is this coming MONDAY 30th April from 530 to 7 pm, at
Melaleuca Refugee Centre ( in Rapid Creek Business Village).
All welcome - for more information contact dassan2011@gmail.com
Sending messages of support
Send a message of support and hope to our friends in detention. It means a
great deal to people to know that their story is being heard and that people in the
Australian community care about them. You can send your message
to dassan2011@gmail.com and we will pass it on. See an excerpt from an
example letter below:
Dear Friends in Darwin Detention Centers and Asylum Seekers throughout Australia
I want you to know that there are people all across this Land who admired your courage in trying
to find a safe place,
by coming to Australia. We are honored by the fact that you chose to come to our land......
We pray that you will not lose heart while you wait;
that you will do everything you can to continue to grow into wonderful young person you are
meant to be;
that you will still keep the courage you had when you made your long voyage to our Land;
that you will keep that hopeful spirit alive in you family and amongst your friends as you wait in
Detention;
that you hold on to the believe that you will one day soon join us and our families,
and live with us as Australian citizens in this land of ours.
that you will not forget that there are many people who love you and welcome you to our country,
where one day you will welcome others who come seeking safety.
May the Good Lord Bless you and keep you safe and well.
Your friend,
( full letter here)
No Children in detention
Interested in joining the no children in detention working group? This is a
group of individuals and organisations with a particular interest in supporting and
advocating for children in detention. We meet regularly, link with groups
interstate, and work on these issues. For more info contact No Children in
detention
Visitor information
NEW!! DASSAN Visitor Facebook page!!! For visitors to share information and
ideas - go here to join.
DASSAN runs regular training sessions for new visitors and we always have
names of many people in detention who would like a visitor from the community.
If you are interested in joining our next training session please contact
the DASSAN visitor coordinator.
St Vincent de Paul also coordinates a visitor and support program to groups of
people in the Detention Centres, as well as an excursion program.
Contact volunteer.nt@svdpnt.org.au
Group visits to Wickham Point Immigration Detention Centre
There are now nearly 800 people at WPIDC and we have requests for personal
visits from many people. We will also be continuing to go on group visits
( transport provided) For more information please contact Al
at dassanvisits@gmail.com.
Events Coming up
Basewatch Public Meeting
to share information and work towards developing community criteria for the
increasing american military presence in the Top End.
This Saturday 3:30pm - 28th April at Mal Nairn Auditorium, CDU ( flyer
attached)
World Refugee Day
June 16th - the theme this year is ' Restoring Hope'. Interested in organising or
helping with an interactive DASSAN stall? contact dassan2011@gmail.com
Know or heard about something in detention
others should be aware of?
DASSAN has played a key role in ensuring the Australian public is aware of what
occurs inside detention centres :http://dassan.weebly.com/dassan-in-thenews.html
Media reports in relation to the effects of detention on asylum seekers ensure
that pressure is maintained on the Government to move away from its cruel
policy of mandatory detention of asylum seekers who arrive by boat.
If you work in a detention centre or have heard about something occurring inside
detention that the media may be interested in please contact
DASSAN. DASSAN has experience working with a number of people who work
inside, visit or are detained inside detention centres and your correspondence
with DASSAN will remain confidential. DASSAN does not release the names of
asylum seekers or its sources to the media and has good contacts with
sympathetic journalists where a matter is particularly sensitive.
If you are aware of any matter in which the Australian public should also be
aware of in relation to a Darwin detention centre please send an email
to dassan2011@gmail.com
Support for asylum seekers on bridging visas
There are a growing number of people living in Darwin ion bridging vias while
they wait or their claims to be processed. We welcome the move from detention
into the community .
There is very minimal support for people on these visas - if you are interested in
supporting people, providing company, assisting with practical needs ( op
shopping, finding work, learning about how to get around Darwin etc etc) or
would like to know more please contact Red Cross . -Sarah Kavanagh on 8924
3989 skavanagh@redcross.org.au
If you are interested in coming to a meeting with agencies and individuals to work
out how we can work as a community to support people on bridging visas please
contact dassan2011@gmail.com
Taking Action - what can I do?
- community visitors are needed for people in detention at the DAL, the NIDC
and Wickham Point (contact dassanvisits@gmail.com)
- We need help in using social media - do you have skills in this area?
contact dassan2011@gmail.com
- Can you offer support, company, or practical assistance to people living in
Darwin on Bridging visas? Contact Sarah Kavanagh on 8924
3989 skavanagh@redcross.org.au
Visiting people in detention
Writing letters to people in detention
Writing to politicians
GIfts for people in detention - contact Fernanda at dassan2011@gmail.com
contribute to our website - contact David at dassan2011@gmail.com
Get involved with DASSAN - all people who support asylum seekers are
welcome to join us
News and Updates
People smuggler hysteria is really about attacking refugees
One asylum seeker onboard told the Refugee Action Coalition: “We cannot go back to Afghanistan, we cannot survive
Darwin detainee tries to take own life
An asylum seeker in a Darwin detention centre has tried to take his own life, a refugee group
claims. The man, apparently from Iran, apparently took the action around 10.30pm (ACST) on
Friday at the Northern Immigration Detention Centre
India's tragic Rohingyas
But over the past two weeks, a growing number of Burmese Muslim asylum seekers, known as
Rohingyas, have also moved in.
Handling of detention centre rioters sparks immigration review
AN investigation into the transfer of rioting asylum-seekers to a Sydney jail has found big gaps in
official records of the incident.
Villawood detainees left in prison for six days
An inquiry has found that asylum seekers who were taken to a Sydney prison after riots at the
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, were not told why until nearly a week after their transfer
Safety upgrade after asylum boat tragedy
Asylum seekers cling to the remains of the boat that was smashed in rough seas on rocks at
Christmas Island. (file) The Federal Government has agreed to act on most of the
recommendations of a coronial inquest into the Christmas Island boat disaster
Letter from a refugee: 'In here, our lives are very sad'
A 10-year-old year old Vietnamese asylum seeker has provided a community visitor from the
Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (DASSAN) with a letter pleading for help
'Our lives are very sad': a girl, 10, in detention makes her plea
It currently houses 339 asylum seekers. The Darwin Airport Lodge is her third place of detention,
after first being moved to a detention centre in Western Australia, then to Port Augusta detention
centre in South Australia and finally to Darwin
Asylum seekers strain Darwin paramedics
The Wickham Point facility, 35 kilometres from the city, opened in January and houses almost
800 asylum seekers. The federal and Northern Territory governments are negotiating more
ambulance services, due to the rapid increase of asylum seeker numbers
Arrival of first Vietnamese asylum seekers to be marked
The first
Vietnamese asylum seekers arrived in Darwin on April 26, 1976. [NAA] Refugee advocates in
the northern Australian city of Darwin will hold a commemoration of the arrival of the first
Vietnamese asylum seekers by boat 36 years ago
Picnic celebrates first asylum boat landing
A PICNIC will be held tonight to mark 36 years since the landing of the first asylum seekers to
Australia. The picnic will be held by the Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network,
to mark the occasion five Vietnamese men arrived in Darwin
cheers
Justine
dassan.org
follow us on twitter @dassan12
Dassdigest is mailed out ( more or less) weekly. If you would like more regular
updates of events as they are happening, you can join our dassalert list email dassan2011@gmail.com with ' join dassalert' in the subject line
If you would like information about visiting email dassanvisits@gmail.com