The Canberra Times Jan 18, 2002 Ruddock allows boy to live with family
SYDNEY: An Iranian boy traumatised by months in an Australian detention centre was reunited with his stepmother and sister yesterday under a deal struck by the Immigration Minister and local Muslims. The boy's stepmother and baby sister were freed from the Villawood Detention Centre after Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock agreed to let them live with the local Muslim community until their refugee claims were assessed. The plight of six-year-old Shayan Badraie was revealed last year when he refused to eat or drink and had to be rehydrated in hospital after 15 months in detention. Shayan was diagnosed with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder and was put in foster care outside the centre in August. Shayan's father Mohamed Zahid Badraie was not released as part of the deal and remains in Villawood. "The father will still remain in detention," a spokesman for Mr Ruddock said. "The view was taken that this was a very compassionate arrangement. "The parents involved were both included in discussions, they both signed a document that showed they understood and agreed to the conditions surrounding the release and bridging visas." Mr Ruddock intervened when Shayan's foster family notified the Immigration Department they could no longer care for him. "The minister was of the view that if alternative arrangements could be sought which would see the boy in an environment that was conducive to maintaining his health, that he'd keep an open mind," his spokesman said. Under the deal, the recently formed Supreme Islamic Council agreed to fund accommodation for the Badraie family and provide basic furnishings. Shayan reportedly saw a Villawood inmate slash his wrists and at South Australia's Woomera detention centre, he watched inmates set themselves on fire and guards break up riots with batons. http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=national&category=general%20news&story_id=121619&y=2002&m=1 -- __________________________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/ until 11 March, 2001 and Recoznettwo is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznettwo%40green.net.au/ from that date. This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
