Another Lankan attempts self-immolation in Melbourne

21 June 2014 05:49 am - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Another Sri Lankan Tamil asylum-seeker has attempted self-immolation in Melbourne as fear of being returned to torture in Sri Lanka grips the Tamil refugee community in Australia.

The man was taken by ambulance to Dandenong Hospital late last night after he splashed petrol on himself and tried to set himself alight at his house in the south-eastern suburb of Noble Park, according to a statement by the Tamil Refugee Council. His house-mates doused the flames quickly, having been alerted to his plan. He suffered minor burns to a leg and was expected to be discharged later today.

This follows two recent separate incidents of self-immolation by Tamil asylum-seekers. Leo Seemanpillai died after setting himself alight in a Geelong Street on May 31, while another man in Sydney survived after receiving burns to 75 per cent of body in April.

The Noble Park man, 40, who is on a bridging visa awaiting assessment of his claim for a protection, came to Australia by boat in 2012, the Tamil Refugee Council said. He had fled Sri Lanka, leaving behind his wife and young daughter, after he was bashed and had his legs broken by security police. He had learned last week that his brother, who had been in jail for four years, has officially “disappeared”.

A Tamil Refugee Council spokesperson, Sri Samy, who works closely with refugees and asylum seekers in the Dandenong area, said on Saturday that she had been fearing the worst after a number of Tamil asylum-seekers told her that they had lost hope that they would be protected from return to Sri Lanka.

“I have had seven young men tell me in the past few weeks that they are thinking of doing this. They are fearful of being sent back to Sri Lanka and say they would prefer to die here than be sent back to torture, which is what the Australian government is doing to many Tamil asylum-seekers.

“We are very lucky on this occasion that the man’s housemates were aware of what he was planning to do. Otherwise we may have had another death on our hands.”
The previous Labor government, and the current Coalition government, has sent back more than 1000 Tamil asylum-seekers under an “enhanced” screening process that does not allow time for proper assessment of asylum claims. The immigration minister, Scott Morrison, has said he wants to see all Sri Lankan asylum-seekers returned.

The Tamil Refugee Council called on Morrison to act now, and abide by his legal requirement to provide protection to genuine refugees, in order to alleviate the fear amongst Tamils and stop further deaths.(The Guardian)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 10

Rosh Saturday, 21 June 2014 11:44 AM

Thats good. The problems for Aussie govt is going down one by one. So as the problem to the whole world.

dalu Saturday, 21 June 2014 06:16 AM

fear of being returned to torture in Sri Lanka? No fear for the worst form of self killing by self-immolation.? He would have been swallowed petrol or Kerosene?

ind Saturday, 21 June 2014 06:27 AM

Definetely he must be an escaped LTTE carder. Otherwise why should he so fear of being deported.

flatwhite Saturday, 21 June 2014 07:04 AM

Australian govt cannot be fooled anymore with all these planned self immolation by the tamil assylum seekers who have come in boats to Australia.All previous australian govt's and people were fooled by these tamils and have been a pain to the australian tax payers.All tamil assylum seekers should be deported back and there is no torture in SL unless they will be jailed if they were ex tamil tigers which is classified as a terror group by USA,AUS,SL,UK so why fear if you have not done wrong

Jason Saturday, 21 June 2014 07:12 AM

IT APPEARS THIS IS THE NEW STRATEGY TO GET PUBLIC SYMPATHY...

IF THEY ARE SO FEARFUL OF RETURNING TO SL, THEN WHY NOT RETURN TO TAMIL NADU. THEIR TRADITIONAL HOMELAND?

freddy Saturday, 21 June 2014 08:27 AM

Karma has come back to get them. Cyanide pills, suicide jacket and self immolation is ltte game. It must have been the fear of what he has done. And that fear has killed him.the bluff game is over. hiding in foreign countries will not help. Pay back time will come.

Gus Saturday, 21 June 2014 07:14 PM

These ppl are doing whatever they can to stay there so they are trying hard to give Australian the impression that Sri Lanka is some place like Sudan where there are slaughtering people left and right. Everybody know thats not true. Well the Australians aint buying it. Freddy you nailed it I couldnt have said it any better. Its Karma.

nathaniel Saturday, 21 June 2014 07:36 PM

All the comments posted are absolute rubbish is this the value we are giving to human life no wonder why we have so much racial tension in the country please first be considerate to the agony ppl go through when they decide to take their own life out pray for them rather than being such inconsiderate beings i dont think even god could save sri lanka with this type ppl

observer Saturday, 21 June 2014 09:54 PM

Come on....just let him do his thing! These people are fooling you!

jay Abeywickrema Sunday, 22 June 2014 02:27 PM

Send them home.they do not worry as lanka is safe for them. via DM Android App

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Another Lankan attempts self-immolation in Melbourne

Comments - 10

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

‘Spike in blast fishing’ poses renewed threats to Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystems

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Most Viewed in News

Two racing drivers arrested over Fox Hill tragedy

Racing event tragedy leaves seven dead including eight-year-old child

Sri Lankan among NASA’s new crew for next simulated Mars journey

Former MP Palitha Thewarapperuma dies from electrocution

Ranil Wickremesinghe caravan moves on despite barking dogs

SL on alert on possible genocide allegations by Canada

MIRROR CRICKET

Is Chamari Athapaththu Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketer ever?

Athapaththu back atop ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

TODAY'S HEADLINES

No footboard riding allowed, no liability for accidents: Railways Department

Six patients claim Rs.600 million from Keheliya and others for permanent loss of sight

SLPP, UNP initiates action for forming broad alliance

Here is the way!

Pakistan lose key players for last two T20Is against New Zealand

Sri Lanka secures third spot in South Asian Kurash Championship 2024

Athapaththu back atop ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings

Army forms committee to probe Diyatalawa Fox Hill Supercross accident