5 Mar 2014

Document shows Nauru camp was beset by problems from outset

11:26 pm on 5 March 2014

Documents show Australia's asylum seeker detention centre on Nauru was beset with serious problems from its opening in 2012, despite denials from Nauru officials and Australia's immigration department.

The Transfield Weekly Trend Report, obtained by the Australian broadcaster SBS, contains a timeline of events, risk profiles and incidents by nationality.

Jamie Tahana has been reading the report.

"Transfield holds the contract for security and welfare at the camp. The report says between January and October 2013, there were 99 medical incidents involving self-harm, 227 cases of aggressive behaviour and 248 cases of bullying and harassment, which matches claims made by the Refugee Action Coalition. A timeline of significant events shows there was a riot involving 14 asylum seekers in September 2012 - just after the camp was re-opened - as well as mass hunger strikes and suicide attempts in the following months. In some cases hunger strikers needed medical treatment in Australia. The report says the situation calmed once asylum seekers were moved out of tents and into permanent accomodation in April 2013, but this was wrecked in riots that destroyed much of the camp three months later."