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PNG security guards clash with detainees on Manus Island, two injured: asylum seeker
ABC Radio Australia - January 17, 2015
Photographs obtained by the ABC appear to show at least two men with minor injuries to their heads and blood on their shirts, though the images cannot be independently verified.
An asylum seeker from the detention centre told the ABC that "local guards" and "Wilson guards" threw stones at the men in Delta compound, referring to contractor Wilson security. "They start (sic) throwing the stone from outside the compound," he said.
"Maybe many people will die more, other than Reza Barati and Hamid Kehazaei, our brothers."
Barati, a 23-year-old Iranian, died in a riot at the detention centre in February last year. Kehazaei died in a Brisbane hospital in September after being transferred from Manus Island with septicaemia.
Others photos also obtained by the ABC show the security contractor's Incident Response Team in riot gear and other security staff outside the fence at Delta compound. Another photo shows security staff carrying a man on a stretcher away from the area, but it is not clear if he is an asylum seeker.
Immigration sources have told the ABC that some non-essential staff at the Australian-run centre had been evacuated over concerns of possible violence.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has been approached for comment. Earlier today Mr Dutton said he was worried about the "volatile" situation at the centre, where asylum seekers have reportedly swallowed washing powder and razors as part of the ongoing protests.
He said people outside the centre had been encouraging the behaviour by telling asylum seekers it could help them get to Australia.
"I'm very concerned that somehow people are conveying a message that through non-compliant behaviour, by refusing to take food or water that somehow that behaviour will change the outcome for those individual cases in terms of their desire to be settled in Australia," he said. "If people are acting on that advice they should dismiss that advice."
He said the protests would not change the Government's resolve on border security and detainees on Manus Island would never be resettled in Australia.
"My message today is very clear to the transferees on Manus and in other facilities: whilst there has been a change of minister the absolute resolve of me as the new minister and of the Government is to make sure that for those transferees they will never arrive in Australia," Mr Dutton said.
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