Kicking Little Children Around

Friday, March 03, 2006
Lawyers for Shayan Badraie (the 11-year-old Iranian boy who won $400,000 in compensation from the government) say the win could open the way for future pay-outs to other immigration detainees. "The problems that Shayan experienced were systemic problems rather than ones that were just specific to him, although the particular treatment that he received was disgraceful," lawyer Rebecca Gilsenan told the ABC. "So it's quite possible that there are other children or even adults out there who lived in a similar environment during that time in immigration detention and possibly have similar problems.
"The boy witnessed several traumatic events during this time, including suicide attempts and violence, and was hospitalised on numerous occasions when he refused to eat, drink or talk. "

Systemic problems - ain't it the truth. Anyone who visited a detention centre and saw the flat eyes of the children and the helplessness of their parents can testify to the soul-destroying, health-destroying, humanity-destroying conditions. Many of the guards were good people who did what they could to help the detainees. Many were thugs, tickled pink to be given such power over other human beings. Watch for the TV program 'One Day (A Life)' to see what has been done to these children.

(all right - it's just a proposal to SBS at the moment - why don't you email them and tell them to pick it up?)