Protest: Monday 21 May, 9.00.

Tamil refugees from the Merak boat still waiting for re-settlement after three years will hold a protest in front of the UNHCR and IOM offices at Jl.Mojopahit #65/43, Medan-20153, Indonesia, at 9.00a,. Monday 21 May.

For media comment: Indonesia +6289613145176; Australia +61 417 275 713

We are the group of over 250 Tamils who were intercepted by the Indonesian navy on our way to Australia on 9 October 2009, and taken to Merak. We were over seven months at the port of Merak, Indonesia before disembarking.

When we disembarked, we were promised by both the Indonesian government and the UNHCR, that we would be processed and resettled within twelve months.

At that time, almost three years ago, UNHCR Jakarta representative, told us at a meeting (that also involved the representative of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry) that there were 4,400 asylum seekers in Indonesia but only 450 recognised refugees and that we would be the first to be resettled after them. But that has not happened.

The Australian government promised that they would assist the UNHCR to resettle us as soon as the UNHCR referred us to them. The Indonesian government also said that they wanted a priority resettlement solution for us.

But we were detained for a year in Tanjung Pinang some of us more than one year before we were granted UNHCR refugee status and subsequently released.

From time to time, over the past year, we have been told that our resettlement arrangements were starting, but then nothing happens. Now another year later, we are still waiting for resettlement. We have waited patiently for over three years now.

We have asked the UNHCR many times when will be resettled but we get no answers. We are still told to wait. But we cannot wait forever.

It is clear now that most of the asylum seekers who arrived after us are being given priority and are been given resettlement assistance before us. We do not know why, but it seems clear that we are being discriminated against. Recently some resettlement interviews were started for the families but then they have stopped again.

We appreciate the assistance we have been given by the Indonesian government and the UNHCR, but we now need urgent assistance for resettlement so that we can find safety and security and be able to restart our lives. We cannot continue to endure our temporary existence in Indonesia. We have been recognized as refugees for the personal threat that we faced in our country not for the general situation of the country. We have still face danger in our country

We urgently need a resettlement solution. We cannot stay in Indonesia indefinitely. Eventhough there are opportunities to give us resettlement, UNHCR denies to gives. Every now and then one or two Tamil Refugees are given resettlement for formality. UNHCR doesn’t give priority to Tamil refugees in Indonesia.

According to UNHCR statistics only 17 refugees referred to Australia from UNHCR Indonesia have been resettled in the first three months of 2012.

Signed: Merak Tamil Refugees

(i) http://www.theage.com.au/national/rudd-call-stops-refugee-boat-20091012-gu1h.html).

(ii) http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/indonesia-seeking-asylum-seeker-deal-20091230-lj3a.html).

(iii) http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/jakarta-puts-kevin-rudd-on-notice-over-asylum-seekers/story-e6frg6nf-1225814257261).

(iv) http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/30/2782556.htm

(v) http://penseur21.com/2010/12/11/sri-lanka-deported-asylum-seekers-face-torture-jail/

Rally to end mandatory detention

1pm Sunday June 24, Sydney Town hall

20 years too long: this year marks 20 years mandatory detention began: a reminder that until 1992 refugee “boat people” weren’t locked up

Endorsed by: Labor for Refugees, Chilout, NSW Greens, Refugee Action Coalition, MUA Sydney branch, Friends of the Earth Sydney

Download a poster to print out and stick up to promote the rally here

Photos (see below) obtained today (Tuesday 15 May) by the Refugee Action Coalition from the Darwin Airport Lodge, where a large number of children are detained, indicate that Mr Logan’s comments are not correct and that shamefully children are still locked up behind barbed wire.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul stated, “Sandi Logan either has no idea about the reality facing children in detention or he has been caught lying. It does raise the question of where Sandi Logan gets his information. Perhaps he is spending too much time in Canberra? Children remained detained behind barbed wire and a number in Darwin have been in detention for over a year.”

“Sandi Logan is attempting to maintain the fiction that Alternate Places of Detention are not detention centres, euphemistically calling them “facilities” but these facilities are toxic. Barbed wire or not, APODs are detention centres with all the despair and self-harm that goes along with them.

“At Easter, protesters saw for themselves the evidence of self harmed bodies of children. We also received a note from a 10 year-old child saying that they had cut themselves three times in the year that they had been in detention. In late April a letter to the Australian public from a Vietnamese child revealed her suffering in detention. The Australia Medical Association has described the detention of children in immigration detention as a form of child abuse.

“Perhaps Sandi Logan can’t deal with the truth at all. The Minister should sack Sandi Logan for peddling myths; sack himself as the guardian of unaccompanied minors and act immediately to get children out of detention.”

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

Photo of Darwin note from child available on request

The Original Nation Passports – issued by Indigenous Elder Robbie Thorpe of the Treaty Republic – are being given to the Tamil men by Indigenous Elder Ray Jackson in a ceremony to be held in front of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre on Monday.

Robbie Thorpe stated, “Indigenous people never ceded Sovereignty over Australia. The Australian Government has no legitimate right to grant or refuse entry to anyone in this country, let alone lock up people fleeing war and persecution”.

“We are issuing passports to these men because its what any reasonable, humane society would do. We expect these men to be responsive to Traditional Law, and respect the Indigenous customs of this land. If they do this, which we expect that they will, then they will be welcome to live amongst us,” said Robbie.

Ray Jackson, President of the Indigenous Social Justice Association, said that “locking people up doesn’t solve any problems, it only causes harm. We have seen that time and time again with Indigenous people, and now the government is making the same mistake with Asylum Seekers. This has to stop. The Australian Government must stop imprisoning Indigenous people, and they must stop imprisoning asylum seekers. I am proud to welcome people in need into our community”.

Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition stated, “These Tamil men are in a heightened state of distress. They have come from a dangerous and extremely repressive situation in Sri Lanka, and have been thrust directly into indefinite incarceration for no good reason.”

“The latest attempted suicide on Friday 11 May by a Tamil that has been refused security clearance highlights the terrible situation for the ASIO-negative refugees,” said Ian. “They are condemned to indefinite detention, without charge or trial. There is no right to know what evidence ASIO relies on for the negative security finding and there is no right to review or appeal negative decisions.”

“The Labor government has been sitting on its hands since last December’s ALP national conference called for the independent security monitor to review the handling of ASIO refugee assessments,” said Ian Rintoul.

The indefinite detention of ASIO negative refugees is the subject of a complaint by ASIO negative refugees in Australian detention to the Geneva UN High Commission for Human Rights. The Australian government has been given until July to respond to a complaint. The recent Parliamentary Report into detention has also called for refugees to have the same rights of review and appeal for their ASIO assessments as Australian citizens.

The Original Nations Passport Ceremony will be held at 12.30pm, Monday the 14th of May, in front of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (Miowera Road entrance). All are welcome to attend.

Media Contact: Shane Reside, Cross Border Collective, 0400 526 313

For Comment: Robbie Thorpe, Treaty Republic, 0415 801 170 Ray Jackson, Indigenous Social Justice Association, 0450 651 063 Ian Rintoul, Refugee Action Coalition, 0417 275 713

The Tamil man, who is 36, had attempted suicide by hanging and was dropped down by fellow refugees who found him at around 1.30am this morning.

The Tamil refugee, who has been given a negative ASIO finding, had been in detention for 35 months. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, unconscious and with a weak pulse. His present condition is not known.

It is the second time, in less than a month, that ASIO-rejected refugees have attempted suicide at MITA. Many of the ASIO rejected refugees have now been in detention for three years or longer.

“The attempted suicides highlight the terrible situation for the ASIO-negative refugees,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, “They are condemned to indefinite detention, without charge or trial. There is no right to know what evidence ASIO relies on for the negative security finding and there is no right to review or appeal negative decisions.

“The Labor government has been sitting on its hands since last December’s ALP national conference called for the independent security monitor to review the handling of ASIO refugee assessments, said Rintoul.

The indefinite detention of ASIO negative refugees is the subject of a complaint by ASIO negative refugees in Australian detention to the Geneva UN High Commission for Human Rights. The Australian government has been given until July to respond to a complaint. The recent Parliamentary Report into detention has also called for refugees to have the same rights of review and appeal for their ASIO assessments as Australian citizens.

“Chris Bowen must urgently address the recommendations of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Immigration Detention that call for refugees to have the same rights of review and appeal for their ASIO assessments as Australian citizens. This is becoming a matter of life and death,” said Lucy Honan, from Melbourne Refugee Action Collective.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul (Refugee Action Coalition) 0417 275 713 or Lucy Honan from the Melbourne Refugee Action Collective, 0404728104

Speakers:

NICK POYNDER
(Refugee lawyer who challenged mandatory detention in 1992)

DJAMILEH VAMBAKHSH
(Iranian who arrived at Villawood before it was a detention centre)

DR MICHAEL DUDLEY
(Suicide Prevention Australia)

6pm Monday May 28, NSW Teachers Federation 23-33 Mary St, Surry Hills

This year marks 20 years since the introduction of mandatory detention. Before 1992, refugees who had arrived by boat were not detained. This changed when Cambodian refugees began arriving in 1989. In 1992 lawyers including Nick Poynder challenged the detention of asylum seekers. To stop this the Keating Labor government passed legislation on May 6 to entrench indefinite detention. This forum will discuss the history of the policy, and how it was not so long ago that mandatory detention did not exist.

Yesterday, (Tuesday 1 May) five asylum seekers were moved from Darwin’s Northern Immigration Detention Centre (NIDC) to Christmas Island. Four of them were the long term Iranian asylum seekers who staged a roof top protest at NIDC less than two weeks ago.

“Serco and immigration are making good their threat to ruthlessly punish anyone who is involved in any kind of protest action. This extra-judicial punishment regime is a complete violation of asylum seekers’ human right and it must be stopped,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refuge Action Coalition.

“The protesters have not been charged with any offence yet they are being exiled to punishment compounds on Christmas Island. Serco is becoming the judge, jury and punisher of asylum seekers.

“Serco’s punishment regime is like something out of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ with asylum seekers subjected to isolation and mistreatment in order for them to learn to be compliant with a dysfunctional and damaging detention regime that is literally driving them crazy. The Catch-22 of NIDC is that you would have to be crazy not to protest,” said Rintoul.

CLOSE NIDC

“We are also shocked to hear that NIDC is once again being filled with asylum seekers. We were told by DIAC regional manager that NIDC was being closed, yet Afghans from Wickham Point have been moved there and now more people are being there from Christmas Island.

“NIDC is a hell-hole; a nightmare of self-harm and attempted suicides that should be closed.”

Mark Goudkamp from the Refugee Action Coalition and Ridwan Bakar from the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) visited the traumatised men in Pontianak’s St Augustus hospital on April 16.

Goudkamp said: “On February 28, six Hazaras escaped through the roof of their room detention centre, which is partially funded by the Australian government.

“One of the men, Taki Nakoyee, was beaten to death after he was recaptured. More than ten guards beat him with wood, burnt him with cigarettes, whipped him with cables, and gave him electric shocks. The three witnesses to the killing were also tortured and beaten by the guards.”

Detainees inside Pontianak’s “Rumah Detensi Imigrasi” told Goudkamp that they’d heard the screaming for 2 to 3 hours from about 2am on the night the men were re-captured.

Two other Hazara escapees caught after Mr Nakoyee had been murdered, were stripped and forced to sleep naked on the floor of an isolation cell.

The other three Hazara escapees weren’t so lucky. They are slowly recovering in hospital, but Mohammed still has two broken ankles and a large cut across his scalp. Ali has an enormous gash along his left arm which required surgery. Abdul had black eyes, and badly injured ribs and legs

The five men are currently held at the Merpati Hotel.

“Ten low level guards charged with killing Mr Nakoyee are now behind bars in a neighbouring city awaiting trial,” said Goudkamp, “Yet detainees told me they believe that the problem goes much higher. ‘We pleaded with the head of the centre, Ageng Pribadi to tell his staff that we were asylum seekers, not criminals, but nothing changed.’ “

“Abdul, Ali, and Mohammed, already traumatised as a result of being tortured alongside Mr Nakoyee and seeing him die, are now terrified of recriminations for giving evidence against the guards.

“Desperate for Australia to process their refugee claims as soon as possible, they are continuing their hunger strike. It’s actually very worrying because their bodies are only just recovering from their beatings.

“The local UNHCR has recommended that Indonesian immigration immediately transfer them to Jakarta and to submit their cases to be Australian embassy, but so far there has been no response,” said Goudkamp.

To prevent further tragedy, the Australian government needs to act swiftly to process the men’s claims and ensure their future safety. Last Monday night, a message from the strikers said, “We think we have to continou (sic) strike with no eating and drinking. We are the real sacrification (sic) of this cruel action…We humbly want humanitarian help of Australia people and Australia (sic) state. Please don’t put us alone here.”

“Taki Nakoyee’s killing dramatically shows that Hazara asylum seekers are not safe in Indonesia. Australia is pushing the Indonesian government to detain and warehouse asylum seekers in Indonesia,” said Ian Rintoul, from the Refugee Action Coalition.

“There are now 996 desperate people (924 asylum seekers and 72 UNHCR refugees) in just 12 identified detention centres scattered across the Indonesian archipelago.

“The Australian government and opposition both feign concern about asylum seekers’ losing their lives at sea. Yet the death of Taki and the brutal bashing of three others reveals the fact that there is no security for asylum seekers in Indonesia. To get to safety, asylum seekers have to get on boats to get to Australia.

“Australia should be committed to re-settling all UNHCR recognised refugees in Indonesia. Yet according to UNHCR Indonesia’s latest factsheet, Australia has taken just 17 in the first three months of this year.

For further comment, in Australia call Mark Goudkamp on +61 422 078 376, Ian Rintoul on +61 417 275 713. In Indonesia, Ridwan Bakar ( Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) on +62 8 138 854 4332

The man was cut down by Serco staff and has been taken to hospital. He was breathing went he was cut down, but his present condition in not known. It is understood that he has been in detention for around 20 months.

NIDC has had the worst rates of self harm and attempted suicide across the whole detention regime.

The attempted suicide comes only a day after Serco tactical response group broke up a roof-top protest at NIDC. The four protesters taken off the roof are now in the high security isolation section of the detention centre.

It is also only a day since a suicide attempt in the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accomodation centre by a refugee in detention for almost three years.

“There is no excuse for the damage that long term detention is inflicting on asylum seekers and refugees. The Minister has stated that vulnerable asylum seekers would have priority to be released on bridging visas or community detention. But it is obvious that the Minister is prioritising mandatory detention which day by day is taking a terrible toll on the mental health of asylum seekers.

“The roof-top protesters were right to protest. It’s long past time for the Minister to release all those in NIDC,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

The Tamil refugee, who has a negative ASIO security finding went to his room after speaking with human rights officials this afternoon.

It is believed that he has taken a tablet overdose.

It is the man’s second suicide attempt in a little over a month.

The negative ASIO security finding condemns refugees to indefinite detention. The Tamil has been in detention for almost three years. There is no right to know what evidence ASIO relies on for the negative security finding and there is no right to review or appeal negative decisions.

“The mental health of many of the ASIO negative refugees has been seriously deteriorating in recent months,” said Ian Rintoul, from the Refugee Action Coalition.

“Having no appeal rights is such an obvious violation of natural justice – something that would completely unacceptable in the criminal justice system. Yet these refugees and their families are being given a life sentence with no opportunity to see the evidence against them and no opportunity to refute the evidence against them.”

For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713