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Iraqi refugees 'heading to Australia'

February 21, 2010 - 11:16 — RRAN

Mass Tamil asylum seeker protest hits Christmas Island

January 29, 2010 - 12:11 — RRAN

There is an update on the situation on the ABC News website

In scenes reminiscent of the early protests that rocked Woomera, Port Hedland and Baxter, under the Howard government, a mass protest by Tamil detainees at Christmas Island began at 4.30pm Christmas Island time, on
Thursday, 27 January.

The protest is supported by all the Tamils detainees, with over 350 asylum seekers involved, but, “We are hopeful that the Kurdish, Iranians and Arabs people will join us,” a Christmas Island detainee told the Refugee Action Coalition.

Adrift on a troubled sea

January 25, 2010 - 12:36 — RRAN

The people who attempt the dangerous journey to seek asylum in Australia are neither illegal migrants nor queue jumpers. adrift

Refugees are not illegal immigrants

Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.”

When refugees seek asylum they are only exercising what is widely recognised as a basic human right.

Article 1 of the UN Refugee Convention, to which Australia is a signatory, defines a refugee as, "A person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution."

This exactly fits the people who are fleeing war and persecution in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and who make up the bulk of those risking their lives to find sanctuary in Australia. They are not migrants they are refugees seeking asylum.

RRAN in the midday sun

January 19, 2010 - 12:52 — RRAN

On Monday 18th January a small but indomitable crowd gathered on one of the hottest days of the year outside the office of Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration.

They were there to remind the “honourable” minister that the crisis of people fleeing war and persecution continues.

They were there to remind the minister that, 250 or so Tamil asylum seekers are still on board their boat at the Indonesian port of Merak and that one very preventable death has already occurred.

Message from ACTU President Sharan Burrow to refugee rally

January 19, 2010 - 12:15 — RRAN

Message from ACTU President Sharan Burrow to refugee rally

ASIO needs to explain its decisions

January 15, 2010 - 13:29 — RRAN

On the back of its decision that 5 Sri Lankan refugees should be refused entry into Australia because they "pose a risk to national security", ASIO needs to explain on what grounds this decision was made - at the very least to the people about which the decision was made or to the people representing them.  If the decision was made based on information provided by the Sri Lankan Government (the government from whom these people are seeking asylum) then surely there are grounds for this decision to be overturned by the Australian Government.

ABC Online: Asylum seeker fly-in an 'outrageous special deal'

January 13, 2010 - 10:58 — RRAN

NB: See comments by defence lawyer Rob Stary and Doctor Martin Mulligan from RMIT University in the later part of the article


Asylum seeker fly-in an 'outrageous special deal'

By Samantha Hawley for AM

ABC online: Christmas Island detention centre almost full

December 10, 2009 - 18:59 — RRAN

posted 10/12/09 at Christmas Island Detention Centre almost full

The immigration detention centre on Christmas Island is nearly at capacity with the arrival of another boat last night. CIDC

The navy intercepted a boat carrying 53 people not far from the island.

Rudd wrestles with refugee crisis

December 10, 2009 - 17:21 — RRAN

From The Japan Times online, 2 December, 2009

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20091202a1.html

By ALAN GOODALL
Special to The Japan Times

SYDNEY — Just when links between Indonesia and Australia were looking good, along come Sri Lankans fleeing in leaky boats. Suddenly the Indian Ocean marks a diplomatic and humanitarian standoff of grim proportions.

Sri Lanka opens Tamil camps

December 10, 2009 - 16:56 — RRAN

From Aljazeera.net (english), 1 December, 2009

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/12/200912123337359527.html

 

More than 120,000 Tamil civilians held in state-run detention camps in Sri Lanka have been allowed to leave the facilities and return home, the government has said.

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