lang: en
Summary
In 2003-2004, Hazara asylum seekers detained by Australia on Nauru conducted a hunger strike to protest their indefinite detention. The strike grew to over 40 participants, with some sewing their mouths shut, and gained international attention. The protest was suspended after the Australian Medical Association agreed to send doctors, but the Australian government prevented the visit. The Nauru detention camp was closed in 2008, but refugees continued to struggle for entry to Australia.
Background
Australia’s strict immigration policy prevented asylum seekers from residing on the mainland. From 2001 to 2008, Nauru hosted an Australian detention center, holding between 200 and 1200 refugees, mainly ethnic Hazara Afghanis who were persecuted in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The hunger strike began on December 10, 2003, World Human Rights Day, initiated by eight Afghani and one Pakistani asylum seekers to protest their detention and highlight their plight.
What happened
On December 10, 2003, eight Afghani and one Pakistani asylum seekers began a hunger strike, with four sewing their mouths shut to symbolize their silence and struggle [source: nv-database]. The protest started out of concern for a detainee who had attempted suicide the previous week [source: nv-database]. Hassan Ghulam, president of the Hazara Ethnic Society of Australia, began informing the public through newspaper interviews [source: nv-database]. By December 17, 24 asylum seekers were on hunger strike, and Australian Immigration Minister Amanda Vadstone denied its existence [source: nv-database]. Human rights lawyers from A Just Australia and Rural Australians for Refugees filed lawsuits with little success [source: nv-database]. By December 19, 35 asylum seekers were involved, and 15 had been hospitalized [source: nv-database]. The strike gained Western news attention from The Guardian and BBC News [source: nv-database]. By December 24, over 40 detainees were striking, 18 hospitalized, and the UNHCR announced a review of refugee status for Afghani Hazara, though this was symbolic as Australia had denied asylum [source: nv-database]. Medical facilities on Nauru ran out of resources and requested help from the Australian Medical Association, which agreed to send six physicians [source: nv-database]. The hunger strikers suspended their strike on January 8, 2004, but on January 23 it became clear the Australian government prevented the AMA visit by threatening to revoke national aid [source: nv-database]. Many strikers remained unable to stand, walk, or digest solids, and it is unclear they ever received necessary medical attention [source: nv-database]. A series of hunger strikes continued between 2004 and 2008, and the Nauruan camp was closed in 2008 [source: nv-database].
Key people & organizations
- Hassan Ghulam
- Hazara Ethnic Society of Australia
- A Just Australia
- Rural Australians for Refugees
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- Australian Medical Association
- Amanda Vadstone
Tactics used
The hunger strike, including the dramatic act of sewing mouths shut, was used to draw attention to the detainees’ plight and pressure the Australian government, while external advocacy by organizations and lawyers sought legal and media support. [source: nv-database]
Outcome
Verdict: partial.
The strike achieved partial success: it gained international attention and prompted a UNHCR review, but the Australian government prevented medical aid and did not change its detention policy. The camp closed in 2008, but refugees continued to struggle for entry and compensation. [source: nv-database]
Lessons
- Hunger strikes can generate international media attention and pressure, but may be insufficient without sustained external support or legal leverage.
- Government obstruction of independent medical oversight can undermine the effectiveness of nonviolent protests in detention settings.
- Coalition-building with advocacy groups and legal organizations can amplify the impact of direct action.
Sources
Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.
Sources & verification
nv-database— grounding: primary — license: link-only- Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via
worker_casestudies_v2.py