My first thought on seeing the video of Omid setting himself on fire was that he didn't have a support person. If he did, they would have talked him through his suicidal thoughts in the night or the morning and he would have settled down.
As an advocate for refugees, I talk to those on Manus at all times of the day and night and make sure they are okay.
Of course, they are not okay, but so far all of my friends are still alive.
We, the advocates, keep their spirits up by sending them clothes, games and keeping their phones paid-for so they can talk to their families. We keep them informed about what is going on in Australia. We do not encourage them to hurt themselves in order to get attention or put pressure on the government. We do everything possible to stop them from hurting themselves or attempting suicide.
After Omid's death, more than one had copycat thoughts. This was an intense time for those of us who listen and care for these people.
The asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru can talk to the paid staff of the detention centres, who may try to stop them from self-harming.
However, many of the paid medical staff also try to get them to go back to the country they came from, even though they have a well-founded fear of persecution there. If they did not have such a fear, they would have left by now. The conditions on Manus and Nauru are subhuman and they are being treated with deliberate, organised cruelty.
On Manus I regularly hear of inmates being beaten by guards for offences such as having a mobile phone. The guards who beat the inmates are not charged for these crimes. The guards who raped women and children on Nauru have not been charged either.
"One of my friends says that he is finding it increasingly difficult to see his friends' blood every day, after they have cut themselves."
Of the six people identified in the murder of Reza Barati, two were white Anglo-Saxon guards — an Australian and a New Zealander. They have been repatriated to Australia, and not charged.
The refugees are living in a fearful and dangerous place, and the consistent message from the Australian government is that they have no hope. It is the message of hopelessness that causes self-harm and suicide.
Their medical conditions are untreated, many have skin diseases and injuries