A photograph taken by Abdul Aziz Muhamat, a refugee from Sudan, of a refugee transit centre on Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, last year. Photo / AP
The New York Times worked with human rights groups and asylum seekers on Manus Island to examine a rash of suicide attempts and acts of self-harm since Australia's May 18 election.
Warning: This article contains information about self-harm which may upset some readers.
Human rights groups call them a violation of international law. The Australian government says they are crucial to regulating the flow of immigration.
But one thing is indisputable about Australia's offshore detention centres on the islands of Manus and Nauru: Despair is soaring among asylum-seekers being held there.
Since Australia's national election May 18, which returned to power a conservative government that has maintained hard-line policies intended to deter asylum-seekers, there have been dozens of suicide attempts and acts of self-harm at the refugee centres.
"It's hard to know how many cases are serious cases of people trying to end their lives or a cry for help, but in any case, it's a big escalation," said Elaine Pearson, Australia director for Human Rights Watch, who has made several visits to Manus. "People are very worried they are going to be completely forgotten about."
The Australian government argues that its strict border protection policy, which bars settlement for migrants who try to reach the country by sea, has worked: Fewer boats with asylum-seekers on board are trying to reach Australia compared to a decade ago.
But many of the detainees on Manus and Nauru, cognisant of polls that showed the opposition Labor Party leading before the May election, had hoped a change in immigration policy was on the horizon. When Labor lost, desperation intensified.
Adding to the despair, the United States has rejected resettlement applications for roughly 300 refugees on the two islands, despite a deal reached by the Obama administration to take in more than 1,000 of them.
The situation has grown especially dark on Manus, a remote island in Papua New Guinea where several hundred men from Afghanistan, Iran and other countries are being held.
It was grim when I visited nearly two years ago to write about the situation. Now, it's worse. Every few days, it seems, a new instance emerges of people cutting themselves, setting themselves on fire or trying to harm themselves in some other way.
To better understand the problem, The New York Times worked with human rights groups and asylum-seekers on Manus to compile a rough timeline of events since the May 18 election.
This is not a comprehensive list but rather a selection of significant moments — including official responses from Papua New Guinea and Australia — that are adding pressure to an already intense debate.
May 20
Within 48 hours of the election that returned Prime Minister Scott Morrison to power, the details of six suicide attempts start to emerge.
Four of the men, including a Sudanese man who left a suicide note, ended up in the hospital. The two others were held by police after they tried to set fire to themselves in their rooms.
"We are really devastated with the election results," Shamindan Kanapathi, 28, a Sri Lankan refugee on Manus, wrote in a text message to refugee advocates at the time. "We are really disappointed."
May 29
The main hospital on Manus, an under-equipped one-story clinic, begins to turn away those arriving with injuries from self-harm.
Suicide attempts also start to emerge in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, where some asylum-seekers have been moved.
The Refugee Action Coalition, an advocacy group, reports that one Iraqi asylum-seeker tried to take his own life and was saved by a guard.
In several other cases, the coalition said, refugees swallowed razor blades and needles.
Since morning three people harmed themselves in Hillside camp of Manus and been transferred to local hospital. Since yesterday six people and since the election 26 people attempted suicide or self harmed. It is scary time in Manus.#auspol
— Behrouz Boochani (@BehrouzBoochani) May 29, 2019
There are 490 asylum-seekers in Papua New Guinea. To try to keep them safe, police step up patrols near their housing.
June 3
Kanapathi, whose resettlement application was rejected by the United States last year, sends a series of text messages just before midnight:
"Just short while ago an Iranian cut his hand bit deeper and lost too much blood." "Also one Sudanese man harmed himself tonight."
June 8
Abdul Aziz Muhamat, 25, a refugee from Sudan who has spent six years on Manus, announces on Twitter that Switzerland has granted him asylum.
Today am so grateful to say the Swiss have granted me asylum in their beautiful country. For the first time in 6 years am free, but I won’t be truly free in my heart till everyone of my brother and sisters on Manus / Nauru are free and well in safe country. pic.twitter.com/TSK1qLNmEK
— Abdul Aziz Adam (@Abdulaziz_Ada) June 7, 2019
June 10
Another text from Kanapathi: "Bloody hell just few minutes ago a highly depressed man set himself in fire. I think it's very serious situation."
June 13
As the suicide attempts continue, the governor of Manus province, Charlie Benjamin, calls for Australia to finally accept the men they have sent to Manus.
"They don't want to be here, and Australia, you have to take responsibility," he says. "You have to move them."
June 16
Peter Dutton, Australia's home affairs minister, who oversees border protection and detention, says the government is looking at repealing the so-called Medevac law, passed this year, which makes it easier for refugees and asylum-seekers on Manus and Nauru to seek medical treatment in Australia.
He says the law could allow criminals to reach Australia. He adds that 531 people from Manus and Nauru have already been settled in the United States and that a few hundred more are "still in the pipeline."
"I want to reduce the number down to zero on both islands," he says. "But I don't want to bring people here who pose a risk."
June 20
Dutton warns that a court decision upholding the Medevac law could lead to a surge of boat arrivals. He pledges to keep pushing for repeal.
Later that afternoon, a man near the main transit centre in Manus climbs to the top of an internet tower and threatens to jump. A few hours later, he climbs back down.
June 21
A 31-year-old asylum-seeker from India lights himself and his room on fire. Refugees on Manus report that he had sought care at a hospital but did not receive it, leading him to harm himself.
"While the home affairs minister spends his time arguing to repeal the Medevac bill, the situation on Manus spins out of control," says Ian Rintoul, spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition.
June 24
An asylum-seeker on Manus posts images of an X-ray showing a man who swallowed a nail clipper.
A highly depressed another man swallowed nail cutter this morning ppl are very tried for the last 6 year we being punished without no crime. Men are lost their hope and no longer want to sustaine their lives.#auspol pic.twitter.com/KNgK26Yi0D
— Thanush (@Thanus79084726) June 24, 2019
June 25
Papua New Guinea's new prime minister, James Marape, demands local control of the lucrative contract to run the refugee centres on Manus.
The Australian Financial Review, a business newspaper, had revealed that a little-known security firm, Paladin, was given a contract worth $AU20.9 million a month without a competitive tender. In January, one of the firm's local directors was arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering.
June 26
The governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea agree to extend the Paladin contract.
When a handful of the asylum-seekers on Manus count up all the incidents of self-harm and attempted suicide since the election, they tell me the figure approaches 100 — with many examples kept hidden because people don't want to shame their families.
"No matter what company takes the contract — a local company or foreign company — our situation is the same," Kanapathi said. "Both the Australian and PNG governments are playing with our lives. To them, we are nothing other than commodities that are used to benefit their political careers whilst we are on the ground fighting for our lives."
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:
• 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14.
• Other international suicide help lines can be found at befrienders.org
Written by: Damien Cave
© 2019 THE NEW YORK TIMES
Driver arrested as regional authorities treat incident as a suspected terror attack.