You can be sure these days to hear news from Australia about illegal immigrants reaching Australian shores and applying for asylum—five boats arrived this week alone! While applications for asylum are processed, the boatmen (it is mostly men) are detained on Christmas Island.
In one more example of how diversity is so beautiful, yesterday, Afghani and Sri Lankan detainees went at each other with whatever weapons they could find. I found it somewhat amusing to read that pool cues served as weapons, which tells me that Australian taxpayers are providing for the men’s entertainment—pool that is, while detainees had other entertainment in mind.
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
THIRTY-SEVEN Afghan and Sri Lankans have been injured in a massed brawl on Christmas Island involving 150 detainees.
Ten of the detainees were taken to the island’s hospital and three of the more seriously hurt – one with a broken leg, one with a broken jaw and one with a broken nose – were flown to Perth for treatment yesterday.
Some guards suffered minor injuries while breaking up the fight, an Immigration Department spokesman said last night.
The spokesman said the department, Sirco – which runs the centre – and Australian Federal Police based on the island were investigating the brawl.
He said it was too soon to say what triggered the violence.
The trouble began about 6.30pm on Saturday. As the confrontation between the Afghans and more recently arrived Sri Lankans developed, those involved wielded pool cues, broom handles and branches.
Detention centre staff moved in quickly to break it up but it took them 30 minutes to get those fighting under control.
“This was a confrontation between a group of detainees, it was not aimed at staff or the centre itself,” the spokesman said.
What do you say all 150 involved in the riot ought to be immediately deported? Heck, more are arriving weekly to take their place.
Forty-four boats carrying 2094 passengers, most of them from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iraq, and 92 crew have arrived in Australian waters so far this year.
The latest was intercepted by the Australian Customs vessel Roebuck Bay south-west of the Ashmore Islands on Friday.
It was carrying 53 passengers and two crew, and they were taken to Christmas Island.
The boat was the fifth to arrive in Australian waters in a week.