Topic > Nauru and Manus Island: Crimes Against Humanity in Refugee Detention

For those who have crossed the seas we have boundless plains to share; Courageously let us all unite for Advance Australia Fair. These words familiar to us all are part of our national anthem, but is our government really trying to respect them? As of April this year there are 1,369 asylum seekers in offshore detention centers waiting to be processed for refuge in Australia. These men, women and children spend approximately 826 days in these offshore processing centers. Doesn't this completely contradict Australia's promise to share our endless plains with those from across the sea? Now believe me, I understand that offshore detention centers are vital to the protection of Australia's borders, but it is what is happening on these islands that is appalling. A Sydney paediatrician, Dr David Isaacs, faces jail after speaking out about the conditions imposed on asylum seekers during his stay on Nauru. He reported: “There is no privacy from the neighbors and even less from the guards, who can enter the tents without warning at any time.” “It's always hot, dusty and the washing facilities are terrible.” "They limit the time allowed in the shower to two or three minutes because of the water shortage, and then there's this distance between the showers and the curtains. I was shocked at how terrible it was."Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayPersonally the most shocking fact is that women like you and me are restricted on sanitary items as they are considered a "fire hazard". Isaacs also suggested that staff members be sent home after short periods of time to rest because they "get tired and develop mental health problems." seekers under these conditions developed. The government says these people are being prosecuted to keep Australia safe, but isn't it more dangerous for them to develop mental conditions from abuse that could pose a danger to society? Personally I couldn't imagine living in these conditions, but hundreds of kids our age do it and it's inhumane. The monstrous treatment of asylum seekers is unjust and immoral and must be stopped. The Nauru files contained over 2,000 incident reports leaked from detention camps totaling over 8,000 pages. These incidents included reports of assault, sexual abuse, self-harm, child abuse and terrible living conditions endured by asylum seekers. Of all reports, 51.3% involved children. Children who suffer sexual, physical and mental abuse. Children younger than you and me suffer every day at the hands of our government. And that's the worst part, the government is aware of this child abuse by other inmates and staff members and has ignored the problem and let it continue. These incidents are horrific and include reports of guards slapping young children and giving them an extra minute to shower as long as they watched. The files included 59 reports of assault on children and 30 reports of self-harm involving children, with one girl even cutting her wrists with a pencil in class after constant abuse by a guard. Because detention on Nauru is mandatory, detained children were found to be subjected to extreme levels of physical, emotional and psychological torment. Furthermore, offshore processing is undoubtedly expensive. An asylum seeker at the Nauru immigration detention center costs the government $1,927 a day. To put into perspective, it only costs $394.