Refugee Rights Action Network - Western Australia

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

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.

Refugees cannot find secure resettlement or protection in Indonesia. Indonesia is not a signatory to the UN Convention. Nor is India, Malaysia or indeed any country between Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Australia. Australia is the first “convention country” that refugees fleeing eastwards will likely encounter.

The queue!

Ignorant commentators have pejoratively applied the term “queue jumpers” to asylum seekers trying to come to Australia. This implies that these refugees have somehow circumvented an existing fair, equitable and orderly system of obtaining asylum. In the countries from which refugees flee often no such system exists.

In Sri Lanka it is ridiculous to believe that a persecuted Tamil could travel to the capital city to access “official” avenues of assistance. In May 2009 the Sri Lankan government defeated the long running Tamil insurgency. The “victory” was almost certainly accompanied by summary executions and other human rights abuses but Sri Lanka has resisted calls for an international war crimes investigation. Perhaps a 100 000 refugees continue to languish in camps in the north of the country with no realistic hope of joining an “orderly queue” for sanctuary.

For those who’ve come across the sea, we’ve boundless plains to share

As Australia celebrates its national holiday and congratulates itself on the seemingly egalitarian society it has built spare a thought for those refugees who have fled war and persecution to try and find a better life – a basic human right to which they are entitled. They find themselves now in limbo, stranded or imprisoned in either Indonesia or Christmas Island. If Australia’s celebrations are to be truly meaningful, to these people we should extend nothing more than “a fair go”.

Join us at the Synergy Parkland, Kings Park on 26 January, 2010 from 1:00 pm for a picnic.  We will be making paper boats to float across the "troubled sea".

With road closures in Kings Park effective from 6 am this morning, the easiest way to get into Synergy Parkland for today's picnic action is to take the bike path that runs from the corner of Aberdare Road at the intersection of Winthrop Avenue/Thomas Street which will take you straight to the parkland.  It is only a short walk.

A map can be found here

You can find instructions on how to fold your own origami boat in the file attached below.  Happy folding!!