Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
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Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) is an Australian immigration detention facility located in the suburb of Villawood in Sydney, Australia. The purpose of the facility, according to The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, is to "mainly accommodate over-stayers, people in breach of their visa conditions, or people refused entry at Australia's international airports". It has been the focus of much controversy, with accusations of human rights abuses.
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[edit] History
Villawood Immigration Detention Centre was opened in 1976.
In 2001 it was the subject of controversy when 40 asylum seekers escaped. A month later, a Four Corners documentary, "The Inside Story", revealed the plight of six-year-old Iranian refugee Shayan Bedraie, who had been refusing to speak or eat. Shayan and his family had been detained at Woomera IRPC for 11 months and Villawood IDC for at least 6 months, and had witnessed a number of riots and self-harm incidents. He was periodically taken to hospital to be drip-fed and rehydrated, and then returned to detention.
As at 20 October 2004, the centre accommodated 551 people. This number comprised 405 adult men, 105 adult women and 41 children.
In January 2008, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) said the high-security section of Villawood Detention Centre was the "most prison like" of all Australia's immigration detention centres, and demanded it be closed immediately. The HREOC described the infrastructure as dilapidated, and conditions inside the detention centre as "harsh and inhospitable". [1]
[edit] Location
The centre is located at 15 Birmingham Avenue, Villawood NSW 2163.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ "Villawood targeted as worst in country". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-01-10. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/villawood-targeted-as-worst-in-country/2008/01/09/1199554742688.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Contact Details for the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre". Department of Immigration and Citizenship. http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/facilities/locations/villawood/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
[edit] See also
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Wikinews has related news: Asylum seeker hunger strike enters seventh week |
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Wikinews has related news: Child released after spending entire life in Australian detention centre |
- List of Australian immigration detention facilities
- ChilOut
- We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year
[edit] External links
- Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs – Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
- Four Corners – The Inside Story
- Villawood Immigration Detention Centre is at coordinates 33°52′28″S 150°59′22″E / 33.874424°S 150.989571°ECoordinates: 33°52′28″S 150°59′22″E / 33.874424°S 150.989571°E
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