Lankan refugee injured in detention centre riot

Investigations are underway into a riot involving more than 100 people at an immigration detention centre in far north of Australia.

The Immigration Department says a guard and two detainees have been treated in hospital after violence broke out Saturday afternoon at the Scherger detention centre.

Ian Rintoul from the Refugee Action Collective says a Tamil detainee from Sri Lanka suffered several broken teeth and a suspected nose fracture after a dispute over internet use.

Mr Rintoul says almost 700 people are crammed into the facility and it’s very tense.

“There is a very high use of medications inside the place because of the long term consequences on the mental health of asylum seekers,” Mr Rintoul said.

“Many of the Tamils have been in there 18 months and some of them over two years in detention waiting for answers. Some of them have been found to be refugees many many months ago and they’re still waiting to get security clearance,” he said. - ABC

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