Detainees at a refugee camp on Manus Island are blaming the Australian government for the death of a 27-year-old Sudanese refugee on Christmas Eve.
Faysal Ishak Ahmed died in Brisbane, Queensland, on December 24 after being airlifted from Australia’s detention center in Papua New Guina, authorities said in a statement.
During a memorial service for Ahmed, held on Manus Island on Christmas Day, refugees at the camp hung up a banner saying his death was “predictable” and that he had been “murdered.”
“(Ahmed) every day day went to medical and they gave him pain killers. He became unconscious a day before they officially announced he died,” Iranian journalist Behrouz Boochani told CNN from inside the Manus center.
“He was so sick and had heart pain and headache for more than six months. All of the people in this prison knew that he was sick and several times got unconscious and collapsed.”
In an official complaint seen by CNN, written in stilted English two weeks before his death, Faysal Ishak Ahmed asked to know what was wrong with him.
“Are you guys able to treat me or no … I have chest, heart, high pressure and also nose block … don’t wait treating me,” Ahmed wrote. Refugee advocates said the official document was given to them by Manus Island detainees.
In a statement, an Australian Immigration and Border Protection spokesman said he was airlifted to Brisbane, Queensland, but died in hospital.
“The Department is not aware of any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and expresses its sympathies to his family and friends,” he said.
The spokesman said they had been in touch with his family and would not be making any further comment until the coroner provided a report.
Sudanese community asked for help
Health services on Australia’s detention centers on Manus Island and the small island nation of Nauru are run by International Health & Medical Services (IHMS).
On a medical request form, filled in on 21 December and signed by the “Sudanese community” on Manus Island, IHMS is emphatically asked to look into Faysal’s case again.
“His condition is getting worse and worse day by day. He saw a GP today and he was told that there was nothing wrong with him,” the form said.
“We have got nothing in our power to help him but we are kindly and humbly giving you this piece of advice … we want you to find out what is wrong with him and (help him).”
The form was forwarded to CNN by Australian refugee advocates, who said they got it from Manus Island detainees.
‘Australia’s brutal detention regime’
As of October, 872 men were still being held in the Australian government’s detention center on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. This includes people found to be genuine refugees.
It is part of Australia’s controversial border security regime, which has been regularly criticized by aid agencies for human rights abuses, including against children.
In August, Australia said it was going to close their Manus Island camp, although the refugees on the islands will still not be allowed to come to mainland.
Hundreds of refugees currently detained on Manus Island may also soon head to the United States under a one-off agreement with Australia.
In a statement, Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said there were still questions to be answered around Ahmed’s death.
“What we do know is that he should not have been in detention, should not have been on Manus Island and was denied the medical attention he need,” he said.
“Faysal is another fatal victim of Australia’s brutal detention regime.”