Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
Encyclopedia
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.
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 Iran
ian 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 of 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".
The centre has come under fire from media after a spate of suicides in late 2010, including a 29 year old British man.
Early in the morning of Thursday 21st April 2011, the centre was set alight by detainees.
Villawood, New South Wales
Villawood, a suburb of local government areas City of Bankstown and City of Fairfield, is located 25 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The purpose of the facility, according to The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (Australia)
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is an Australian Government department. It is responsible for immigration arrangements, border control, citizenship, ethnic affairs, multicultural affairs. For the 2008-09 financial year, DIAC had an annual operating budget of A$1.7...
, is to "mainly accommodate over-stayers, people in breach of their visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
conditions, or people refused entry at Australia's international airports". It has been the focus of much controversy, with accusations of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
abuses.
History
An earlier incarnation of today's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, the Villawood Migrant Hostel, was opened in 1976. Its main functions at the time were to assist in the transition of, and provide temporary housing to, migrants whose application for immigration to Australia was approved.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 Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
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 of 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
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution, a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
(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".
The centre has come under fire from media after a spate of suicides in late 2010, including a 29 year old British man.
Early in the morning of Thursday 21st April 2011, the centre was set alight by detainees.
See also
- List of Australian immigration detention facilities
- ChilOutChilOutChilOut is a group opposed to the mandatory imprisonment of children under 18 in immigration detention centres in Australia...
- We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the YearWe Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the YearWe Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year is an Australian mockumentary TV series created, written and starring Chris Lilley and directed by Matthew Saville.It follows the story of five unique Australians, who have each made a large achievement...