The Malaysian Solution – refugees caged and caned in world of pain
By Gemma Jones, The Daily Telegraph
ASYLUM seekers shipped overseas under the proposed “Malaysian Solution” face the prospect of caning if they step out of line in detention.
Living conditions at refugee camps in Malaysia have also been condemned as crowded and unhygienic, with some inmates reported to have died from disease spread by rats.
According to Amnesty International, Malaysia flogs up to 6000 detainees a year, using a rattan cane that causes visible injuries and scarring.
The law allows guards to punish children.
“Across Malaysia, government officials regularly tear into the flesh of prisoners with rattan canes travelling up to 160km/h. The cane shreds the victim’s naked skin, turns the fatty tissue into pulp and leaves permanent scars that extend all the way to muscle fibres,” an Amnesty report into caning says.
Graphic video of caning in Malaysia – warning, some readers may find this disturbing
UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay, who is visiting Australia, claimed yesterday the Gillard government risked breaching international laws with the proposed swap of 800 boat arrivals for 4000 refugees from Malaysia.
While Immigration Minister Chris Bowen insists the deal complies with the UN Refugee Convention, that document does not cover torture, cruel punishment or conditions in detention centres that are dealt with under other international covenants and UN guidelines.
