Iranian Refugee Attempts Self-Immolation in Nauru

An Iranian refugee held at a migrant camp in Nauru set himself on fire in a protest action.

The Iranian refugee, identified as Omid, 23 years old and married, carried out the self-immolation coinciding with a visit by a delegation from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A video of Omid was released showing him screaming and complaining about the uncertainty and problems he has faced over the past three years.

At the end of the video, refugees present attempt to extinguish the fire to help Omid, and media reports indicate that he survived and has been admitted to hospital.

Nauru is a small island located near Australia, which has been designated by the Australian government as a holding facility for some of those seeking to migrate to Australia.

According to The Guardian, Peter Dutton, Australia’s immigration minister, expressed regret over the situation while emphasizing that Omid will not be transferred to Australia after recovery and will be sent back to Nauru. Mr. Dutton said: “If they think that by harming themselves and their families they will come to Australia and settle here, I must emphasize that will not happen.”

Australia is one of the popular migration destinations, but the Australian government’s opposition to granting residence to individuals who unlawfully travel to the country’s borders has left around 9,000 migrants in limbo, with a significant portion being Iranians.

The Australian government has been criticized multiple times for inadequate conditions in holding refugees, but Australian officials have explicitly stated there is no future for those who come to Australia by sea and unlawfully.

This situation has led to several suicide attempts among refugees, including Sam Nemati, an Iranian refugee who attempted suicide in April of this year and was sentenced in court to pay a fine of 200 dollars and 12 months of community service.

Nauru authorities hope that through these verdicts they can prevent a recurrence of suicide cases among refugees.

Source: Voice of America