Woomera detainees rushed to hospital
From AAP
23jan02
SEVEN detainees at the Woomera detention centre have been rushed to hospital after swallowing a toxic substance.
An Immigration Department spokeswoman said 21 detainees were involved in a self-harm attempt, with seven of them requiring hospitalisation.
"Twenty-one detainees were involved in a self-harm attempt ... they ingested substances," she said.
She could not confirm reports the detainees had swallowed shampoo or that some of them were unconscious.
Those taken to the Woomera Community Hospital were all adult men.
It was not known if any children were involved in tonight's incident, the spokeswoman said.
A spokeswoman for the hospital said six adult males would be treated overnight though it was too early to say when they may be released back to the centre.
She said all were in a stable condition.
Tonight's incident is the latest in a string of protests by detainees at the centre.
It comes as 17 asylum seekers walked free from the centre after being granted temporary visas, nearly a week after many embarked on a hunger strike.
Eighteen detainees have collapsed as a result of the hunger strike protesting against delays in processing visa applications.
A department spokesman earlier today said 202 detainees, including 14 women and 36 children, were continuing the protest action which started last Wednesday.
Of those, 64 detainees - 61 men, two women and one child - had sewn their lips together with a single stitch.
The spokesman said 18 asylum seekers had been treated for dehydration at the centre but only one had agreed to voluntary rehydration.
Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has ruled out visiting the centre and said the protest action would have no impact on visa applications.
One of the detainees at Woomera who contacted ABC Radio said those involved had swallowed shampoo or detergent after finding out their visa applications had been rejected.
"Today in our compound in Woomera, more than 45 persons drink shampoo or detergent, (because) the immigration policy, the Immigration Minister say they are rejected by visa application," the detainee said in broken English.