Today in Nope, Nup, Fuck That, guards at the Manus Island processing centre have used Facebook to ridicule an asylum seeker who swallowed a pair of nail clippers on Christmas Day.
Instead of a succinct seasonal message wishing health and happiness upon a select group of friends he could no longer differentiate from a line up of regular bigots because gee, sure has been a while hasn’t it?, Darren Powell, a supervisor employed by a private company GS4 which runs the asylum seeker processing centre, decided not only to laugh at the misfortune of some poor soul reduced to self-harm by swallowing a piece of metal but to Roll Around Laughing his Fucking Arse Off at said detainee. According to The Guardian, a number of G4S officers ‘liked’ the post, and lo, just like the very first Christmas, a discussion between three wise men did ensue:
Ugh. Pipe down Kylie.
A spokesman for G4S has today confirmed an investigation will be launched concerning the matter, stating the company is “very concerned by reports of recent inappropriate comments on a social media network. We were not previously aware of these allegations. The health, safety and welfare of all those in our care are our highest priority. The matter will now be investigated and dealt with appropriately according to company policy and the legal requirements of the market in which they are alleged to have occurred.”
Per The Guardian, Powell’s LinkedIn page also lists his duties as a supervising officer as “[ensuring] that clients are treated with dignity and respect at all times by G4S staff and to report immediately an incident which gives rise to concern”. No mention of refraining from posting dehumanising status updates making a mockery of a person already so far marginalised as to contemplate such an unthinkable course of action. Nope, nup, fuck that.
via The Guardian; photo via The Independent
