Free The Children

[3RA1N1AC]

Originally posted by Alex H@3 December 2003 - 00:16
I remember a while ago, our Government rejected a Colombian guy who said he had run afoul of his countries government and was afraid to go to the US because they still might locate him there. He got kicked out with a "No imminent danger" letter and stuck on a plane back to Colombia. Two days later his headless torso was found floating down a river. One guy they sent back to Iraq didn't even make it off the plane before he was caught and they executed him in the airport bathroom.

seems like leading western governments (america, europe, australia, etc) have a VERY selective view of human rights violations & political persecution, and they usually only choose to see those things in countries that are hostile to us. "what? poor human rights in a country we're politically or economically allied with? impossible." how convenient.

[AussieSheila]

Well in Australia we are openly declaring a violation of human rights and trying to stop this from happening now, and from ever happening again. Maybe that's what makes us different. We CAN rise up and tell our government that we are not happy, and in this case, unlike the Iraqi war where the voice of the people was blatantly ignored, I think if we are loud enough we WILL be heard. This is intolerable!


B)

[Billy_Dean]

Originally posted by MagicNakor@3 December 2003 - 19:09
It looks much nicer than a Nazi concentration camp. I would also imagine that it is not a deplorable existance than one would have in said Nazi concentration camp.

So what's your point? Should they start gassing them? Will something be done then?

Why does everything have to be compared to the holocaust?

[Billy_Dean]

I make no apologies for the length of this post, it's too important to abbreviate.

This is a statement from Amnesty International Australia.


Since 1 September 1992 all people arriving in Australia without proper travel documents are immediately detained. They remain in detention from a few hours to up to a few years until they are either granted a visa or deported. This includes all people seeking protection as refugees. By contrast, people who enter Australia on a valid visa and who then claim protection as a refugee are not usually detained.

Detention of asylum seekers without proper travel documents is automatic. There are no charges laid, and no appearance before a magistrate or court to decide if detention is absolutely necessary or appropriate. Except for rare situations, Australian law prohibits the release of detained asylum seekers while their refugee claim is being assessed.

Amnesty International does not oppose all detention for people arriving in Australia without valid documentation. There are instances where initial detention may be necessary, for example to establish a person's identity or perform health and security checks. However, international human rights law requires that governments do not detain people automatically or beyond what is a reasonable length of time. In Amnesty International's view, delays in a refugee determination process, whether caused by appeals or other factors, are not sufficient justifications to continue an asylum seeker's detention.

Detention of all asylum seekers without charge or judicial review amounts to arbitrary detention. It this aspect of detention - ongoing and prolonged with no notification of release - that amounts to a serious violation of the rights to liberty and freedom from arbitrary detention.

Any person arriving in Australia, regardless of their modes of transport or lack of documentation has a right to seek protection from persecution or torture. Amnesty International urges the Australia government not to discriminate against people seeking refuge and protection from torture because they arrive in Australia without valid documentation. The 1951 Convention on the Rights of Refugees (Refugee Convention), a human rights treaty that Australia has ratified and thus agreed to adhere to, clearly outlines that a refugee seeking protection from persecution shall not be penalised for entering a country without valid documentation. This applies to Australia. Currently, Australia is punishing those who deserve our compassion.

Amnesty International has grave concerns about the effects of arbitrary, ongoing detention on detainees, particularly on children. Many people kept behind razor wire fences of detention centres have survived torture and ill-treatment, escaping from situations of violence and abuse. Many have lost loved ones and have been forced to leave their homes suddenly. Having survived traumatic experiences, the effects of being isolated in sometimes remote, harsh environments further accentuate their mental despair and anguish.

Up to 80 per cent of detainees are granted refugee status and provided with visas to remain in Australia. This very high rate heightens concerns that those kept in detention have experienced grave human rights violations and are not economic migrants whose illegal entry into Australia the policy aims to prevent.

Amnesty International is one of many organisations expressing concerns regarding the conditions and effects of detention.

1. In May 2002, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) sent delegations to investigate conditions of detention and the legal regime governing the detention of asylum-seekers without trial or judicial oversight. In July 2002, the OHCHR delegate described the detention regime as "offensive to human dignity" and reported "serious concern" about the human rights situation of people in immigration detention, particularly children and unaccompanied minors. In December 2002, a WGAD report expressed similar concerns about "the psychological impact" of the detention regime, its "automatic and indiscriminate character, its potentially indefinite duration and the absence of juridical control of the legality of detention". The Australian government rejected the findings of both reports.

2. In November 2002, the national Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) found that Australia had breached its international human rights obligations by transferring six asylum-seekers from immigration detention to prisons, where they were arbitrarily detained without charge alongside convicted felons. One man had been held without judicial oversight in prison and immigration detention since December 1997.

3. In December 2002, the HREOC found that five asylum-seekers in Port Hedland detention centre had been arbitrarily detained for more than six days in isolation in dim or dark rooms before an immigration official became aware of their treatment. During the six days, they were allowed outdoors only twice for 10 to 15 minutes, and only one was given a change of clothes after five days. Despite reports by the official, the government took no action until alerted by AI Australia.

Asylum Seekers Unable to be Returned Home
Amnesty International also has grave concerns for the so-called 'failed asylum seekers' and their children. Currently populations of those in detention are remaining incarcerated indefinitely because Australia does not have diplomatic contact with their country of origin and thus cannot send them back. This includes Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan, countries from which many refugees are fleeing persecution and human rights abuses. In other situations countries refuses to accept returning 'failed asylum seekers' as is often the case with Iran and many of its ethnic minorities such as Sabaen Mandaens and Kurds.

Thus these people remain in detention, refused permission to stay in Australia, unable to be returned to their home country. They are never charged and no court reviews the length of their detention. They have become forgotten detainees.

[MagicNakor]

I don't know. I didn't compare it to the Holocuast. Alex H did.

Originally posted by Alex H @ 3 December 2003 - 02:07
It looks like a Nazi concentration camp!

[AussieSheila]

Sorry, MN, you are right, it was Alex that first mentioned concentration camps.

B)

[Billy_Dean]

Originally posted by j2k4
You miss my point.

What are all of these people trying to get away from, or trying to get to?

What is it that us light-skinned folk have that they want?

And why aren't us vengeful white people in the U.S. trying like hell to get into Mexico, just to get even?

I get your point j2, quite clearly.

Maybe they want to bring their children up in a country the United States and it's allies are unlikely to bomb.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by Billy_Dean+3 December 2003 - 10:23--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Billy_Dean @ 3 December 2003 - 10:23)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-j2k4
You miss my point.

What are all of these people trying to get away from, or trying to get to?

What is it that us light-skinned folk have that they want?

And why aren&#39;t us vengeful white people in the U.S. trying like hell to get into Mexico, just to get even?

I get your point j2, quite clearly.

Maybe they want to bring their children up in a country the United States and it&#39;s allies are unlikely to bomb.


[/b][/quote]
Yes, Billy-exactly so.

Now, we progress to determining whether we are an unlikely target for bombing because we are the United States, and we will come after you if you try, or because we live in a free, open, democratic republic?

Is it so hard to consider us to be "enlightened" when compared to, say, Iraq?

And, to return to my point, I don&#39;t recall that Mexico is a favorite target of terrorists or is horribly oppressed (though it is corrupt); why this migration to white/European/American countries?

Could it possibly be that we do things better?

[AussieSheila]

Why wouldn&#39;t they want to come to Australia? Compared to the countries most of these people are running away from Australia is heavenly&#33;

I don&#39;t think it&#39;s a question of whether we do it better, wouldn&#39;t it be more to do with the natural resources of the country? We know we&#39;re the lucky country, and the refugees who have gained asylum and settled here know it too.

We&#39;re a long way from perfect but I reckon we&#39;re aware of that and doing our best to make it better. And maybe because of having a lot less people, we are capable of pulling together as an entire country. I believe that every single Australian that hears about this petition will add their name to it, and these children will be out of detention by Christmas.

Can we not turn this into another &#39;defend America&#39; thread. It&#39;s bigger than that.

B)

[j2k4]

Originally posted by AussieSheila@3 December 2003 - 12:09

Can we not turn this into another &#39;defend America&#39; thread. It&#39;s bigger than that.

B)

Not my intention, Sheila, sorry.

I have signed, and hope the children are free soon.