AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-1999
SA: More than 300 illegal immigrants at Woomera
The population of Australia's newest detention facility for illegal immigrants has swelled
to more than 300 with the overnight arrival of more people at Woomera.
An Immigration Department spokeswoman says 180 boat people, from the middle east and
intercepted at the weekend, were last night flown to the Woomera detention centre, 500km
north of Adelaide.
The group join 178 illegal immigrants, also from the middle east, who were flown to
the centre yesterday morning, taking the total number of detainees to 358, including 33
children.
A medical centre is up and running on the site and is expected to be fully operational
by midday tomorrow.
A teacher is also on site.
Community leaders this week expressed concerns over conditions at the centre.
They were particularly concerned about a lack of air-conditioning in the sleeping quarters
in a town where temperatures can soar above 40 degrees for days on end.
Today's temperature reached 36 degrees at Woomera.
Amnesty International media officer DAMIEN SPRY says his organisation is monitoring
the situation at the centre.
AAP RTV vm/rat/jn
KEYWORD: BOAT WOOMERA
1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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