ONE of the Vietnamese taken to hospital after the High Island detention centre raid this week was a novice Buddhist monk who tried to set himself on fire rather than be deported to Vietnam.
Vuong Thanh Binh, is recovering in Queen Elizabeth Hospital from burns to much of his lower body and is said to have set his clothes on fire after leading rooftop prayers. He is in a fair condition.
Refugee lawyer Pam Baker said last night that Binh, in his 50s, was a religious leader in the camp and feared that he would be repatriated next week.
'Rather than go back, he turned to what he must have believed was his last option, self-immolation,' she said.
Almost 1,000 Correctional Services Department (CSD) and police raided High Island on Thursday to remove 38 people who had refused to leave for pre-repatriation processing.
Binh has been the subject of urgent appeals this week to the Government and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees based on a recent Human Rights Watch (Asia) report identifying continued persecution of Buddhist monks in Vietnam. Mrs Baker has asked both to intervene.
He has the offer of sponsorship to join his religious order in France where his previous master resides.