About 300 detainees have escaped and 15 guards have been hurt in explosions in a riot at the detention facility in Nauru, just hours after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a plan to thwart people smugglers.
A security guard, who does not want to be named, told the ABC refugees began rioting late Friday afternoon and within two hours had taken over the centre.
He says they gained access to a kitchen and armed themselves with knives and steel bars. Several new buildings were set on fire and the medical centre has been destroyed.
Around 300 of the 500 detainees escaped and guards were worried about a local fuel store on the island which could be a target.
Saturday morning, the ABC was reporting that police and security guards had restored order.
News Ltd reported on Friday night a Nauruan MP took to state television to call for big, strong men to head to the processing camp as Nauruan riot police were overwhelmed by the number of rioting asylum seekers.
About 300 Nauruans responded to their leaders’ call to confront the protesting Iranians.
Three interpreters and three medical staff were held for an hour before being released but it was unclear if they had been injured.
Freelance photographer Clint Deidenang reported chants of “freedom’’ could be heard coming from inside the detention centre from about 6pm.
Mr Deidenang said he heard up to eight explosions before the flood lights outside the detention centre was soon smashed, leaving the area in darkness.
He tweeted: “Massive fire broke out from with the camp. I can see flames and smokes over the tree tops from my position.’’
While News Ltd reported the major disturbance may be in response to Mr Rudd’s PNG announcement today, the ABC reported that the Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul says the protest is over the slow processing of claims and has been in the planning for the past few days.
“The tension has built significantly I don’t think there should be any surprise about this,” Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul said.
“But as I said the recent arrivals, pushed into circumstances where it’s become even more crowded, all the added uncertainty about their delays, every now and then it reaches breaking point.
Earlier, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced asylum seekers who arrive by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as refugees.
Asylum seekers will be sent to Papua New Guinea for assessment, and if they are found to be refugees, they will be resettled there.
PNG’s prime minister Peter O’Neill joined Mr Rudd in formally unveiling the plan in Brisbane Friday afternoon.
Those found not to be refugees will be sent back to their own nations or a third country.
The hard-line plan was condemned by refugee advocates while Opposition leader Tony Abbott welcomed it, but said it would not work under Mr Rudd. – Agencies
