Mental health scare on Nauru

THERE are concerns for the mental health of asylum seekers detained on Nauru’s processing centre, after three men harmed themselves in the facility in as many days.

An Iranian man attempted self- harm on Thursday, while another two Iranians did the same on Saturday, an Immigration Department spokesman said.

‘‘Medical and mental health support is obviously available to a l l c l i e n t s on t h a t facility,’’ the spokesman said yesterday.

Under the Government’s new offshore processing regime, 254 asylum seekers have been transferred to Nauru, while Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island is expected to start receiving transfers in the coming weeks.

Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said she wasn’t surprised to hear people were committing self-harm on Nauru.

‘‘This is exactly what experts said would happen,’’ she said.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said Nauru’s processing facility lacked adequate resources to deal with mental health problems.

Mr R i n t o u l s a i d numerous detainees held a protest at the Nauru centre yesterday, calling on authorities to immediately process their asylum claims.

Meanwhile, two security guards at Sydney’s Villawood detention centre have stood down as Australian Federal Police investigate an alleged assault on a detainee.

An AFP spokesman said CCTV footage was being reviewed in the investigation into an incident this month.

In other news, two suspected asylum seeker boats with more than 150 people on board were intercepted by Australian authorities on Saturday.

ACV Hervey Bay intercepted a vessel with 49 people northwest of Cocos Islands, while HMAS Bundaberg intercepted another boat with 104 passengers off Christmas Island.

The 153 will be moved to Christmas Island.