Fatima No 9
Marilyn Shepherd | 23.01.2003 15:37
Title: Fatima No 9
Author: Marilyn Shepherd
Date: 23-01-03
She was young. She was beautiful. She prayed for peace and she dreamt of freedom. And now she is dead. Her name was Fatima and she was the ninth person to die from the cruelty of detention.
Over the past two years nine innocent people have died in the Australian concentration camps run by Wackenhut, the American prison company employed by the Australian government to torture and persecute refugees.
Fatima was no 9 - she spent 16 months in hell on Christmas Island, and island similar to Nauru, made up of bird shit and the occasional palm tree.
She was supposed to die unnoticed - the following series of emails sent and received made sure that would not happen.
Message 1
-----Original Message-----
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 21 January 2003 12:23 AM
To: "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Subject: Death in custody number 9
Dear "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
I have been very reliably informed that a refugee woman was removed from Christmas Island to Perth hospital last week and died of an untreated brain tumour.
There has been nothing in the media about this tragedy, and the woman's husband and children are still imprisoned on the island.
Please find out what happened to this poor lady, she deserves a word or two, or at the very least an acknowledgment that she existed.
Also what about the husband or children, they are Iraqi I think.
Two men sent home from our concentration camps to Afghanistan have been confirmed dead, they suffocated trying to escape the living hell for the last time. Somewhere near the border with Iran they were found dead in the back of a truck.
Also it seems that "Undisclosed Person", is a very unhappy "person" after being forced to deal with "Undisclosed Agency" and "Undisclosed Agency's" disruption and interdiction practices from the "Undisclosed Office". Could he be the whistleblower for "Undisclosed Federal Minister"?
Please try and find out some of these things "Undisclosed Federal Minister".
My number is "Undisclosed Phone No", I told Macklin and Crean I wanted no more kids in detention by the time I turned 50, times now up and they are still there.
Large detention fires also reported from Nauru from about last Friday, seems they don't like our rented bird-poo islands any more.
Yours sincerely
Marilyn Shepherd
Message 2
From: "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
To: 'Marilyn Shepherd'
Subject: RE: Death in custody number 9
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 14:41:57 +1100
Marilyn,
I've made some inquiries and it appears that the young women concerned died as a result of an aneurism, not a brain tumour. (You'll need to be careful with that information, because the official I spoke to didn't have all the technical details of the condition.) That changes the story somewhat, because such conditions often go undiagnosed.
Nonetheless, "Undisclosed Federal Minister" made a public call for a full and public inquiry (there may be a Coronial Inquiry - it's up to the Coroner) and "Undisclosed Federal Minister" questioned the fact that no public announcement was made of a death in custody. "Undisclosed Federal Minister" also pointed to allegations by nurses and others that ACM is often less than diligent in providing medical care. I'll keep you informed.
"Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Message 3
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 21 January 2003 11:47 AM
To: "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Subject: RE: Death in custody number 9
Brain tumour or aneurysm "Undisclosed Federal Minister" she was offered Panadol and told to drink water. There are never investigations into these deaths, and no matter which way its cut the woman died in custody. Brain tumours, Crohn disease, anything can go unnoticed, but it is usually inquired into. I have dozens of stories of neglect by ACM as regards to medical care but I will pass this on to the people who gave me the information. Do we have a name and what about the husband and kids?
Love Marilyn
Message 4
From: "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Sent: Tuesday, 21 January 2003 11:57 AM
To: 'Marilyn Shepherd'
Subject: RE: Death in custody number 9
Marilyn,
"Undisclosed Federal Minister" thinks an inquiry is vital and will continue to push for one - publicly. I have not been able to ascertain the name of the woman or her family. The husband, poor man, and children came with her to Perth but have, cruelly, been sent back to Christmas Island.
Regards,
"Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Message 5
From: "Undisclosed Federal Minister"
To: 'Marilyn Shepherd'
Subject: FW: Death in custody number 9
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 17:34:24 +1100
Marilyn,
Sorry to bother you again on your birthday, but "Undisclosed Federal Minister" has been contacted by a lawyer who does pro-bono work for refugees and has had some experience with a coronial inquiry here. She is offering to ensure that the family have proper representation in any inquiry. Otherwise, she tells me, the hearings can be very lopsided.
If you are able to get the name and contact for the husband in due course from your informants, we could make sure that he can, if he wishes, instruct a lawyer to ensure that as much information as possible is before the Coroner.
"Undisclosed Federal Minister" will be writing to the Minister today urging him to ensure that such an Inquiry is held and that the events leading to her death are investigated and made public.
Regards,
"Undisclosed Federal Minister"
Message 6
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
To: "Undisclosed Contact"
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 8:50 AM
Subject: Fwd: FW: Death in custody number 9
Dear "Undisclosed Contact",
Got this email from "Undisclosed Contact", hope this series makes sense to you and maybe we can get more information like the welfare of the husband and kids, the names, the ages, how long she had been ill etc.
Thanks if you can help
Marilyn
Message 7
From: "Undisclosed Contact"
To: 'Marilyn Shepherd'
Subject: details
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 07:28:13 +0800
Dear Marilyn
The lady who died in detention was called Fatima Erfani an Afghani. She had been in detention for approx 16 weeks. She had 3 children and was aged approx 28 years old. Her husbands name is Ali Reza Erfani. He speaks excellent English. His whereabouts are unknown, possibly back on Christmas.
Regards
"Undisclosed Contact"
Message 8
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
To: "Undisclosed Contact"
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 7:58 AM
Subject: Re: details
Thanks "Undisclosed Contact", don't you mean detention for 16 months - how could it be 16 weeks?
Just giving "Undisclosed Federal Minister" a name is important to me - I'll send it to "Undisclosed Federal Minister" and "Undisclosed Contact".
Marilyn
Message 9
From: "Undisclosed Contact"
To: 'Marilyn Shepherd'
Subject: Re: details
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 09:31:28 +0800
Yep 16 months. Just a little upset as I "helped" Fatima in the camp
Regards
"Undisclosed Contact"
Message 10
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
To: "Undisclosed Contact"
Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: details
"Undisclosed Contact",
I never met her but when I was told about this on Monday night from someone utterly reliable I couldn't stand that she had no name.
I am deeply involved with and have adopted many Afghan families here in Adelaide - I will send you a copy of the letter I wrote about it to the media and also for your interest how "Undisclosed Federal Minister" and I prevented Ruddock from hiding this disaster.
I don't know if you are aware but I am one of the people working on the sievx.
Marilyn
Message 11
From: "Undisclosed Contact"
From: Marilyn Shepherd [shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com]
Subject: Re: details
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 10:55:30 +0800
Dear Marilyn
Thank you for your action. This is a piece I have written for the Age. I have been in phone contact with the editor "Undisclosed Contact" and he is reviewing it now. Will let you know if they publish.
Regards,
"Undisclosed Contact"
Send this message to Ruddock for a full coroner's inquest, she deserves nothing less, and citizenship for the husband and babies.
Contact Philip Ruddock MP by sending an email or letter to:
Parliament House Contact:
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6277 7860
Fax: (02) 6273 4144
Email: minister@immi.gov.au
Electorate Office Contact
Hornsby Office:
Location:
Level 3, 20 George Street
Hornsby NSW 2077
Postal Address:
PO Box 1866
Hornsby Northgate NSW 1635
Tel: (02) 9482 7111
Fax: (02) 9482 7018
Marilyn Shepherd
e-mail:
shepherdmarilyn@hotmail.com