More than 100 asylum seekers on Manus Island have sent Clive Palmer a hand-written letter (letter with names redacted below) appealing for him not to exclude them from any deal struck between the government and the Palmer United Party.
The letter was prompted by the fact that the Palmer United Party was willing to support the government’s proposed “Asylum Seekers Legacy Bill” that would see asylum seekers who arrived after 19 July 2013, but who have not been sent to Manus Island or Nauru, processed and allowed to resettle in Australia, in return for the legislation re-instating temporary protection visas.
The letter appeals to Palmer not to ignore the fate of those on Manus, who arrived on the same boats as those on Christmas Island, but who were arbitrarily selected and sent to Manus Island.
The letter comes as the campaign against the “Asylum Legacy Bill” intensifies.
“MP’s electorate offices are being bombarded with calls and emails calling for them to oppose temporary protection visas and to vote down the whole of the legacy bill,” said Ian Rintoul, on behalf of the Refugee Action Coalition.
“Scott Morrison is attempting to sweep away fundamental rights of asylum seekers and to recast Australian law regarding the definition and treatment of asylum seekers.
“The bill would give enormous powers to screen out asylum seekers’ applications and remove appeal rights. Temporary protection visas would leave the thousands of asylum seekers both on Christmas Island and those denied processing in the community in permanent limbo – denied family re-union and other rights for life. It would be a life sentence for them and their families despite being recognised as refugees needing protection.
“And, as the letter states, it would create two classes of refugees – those in Australia and those who were arbitrarily selected to be sent offshore and are denied any right to resettlement in Australia.
“The Bill must be defeated. The government’s own parliamentary committee on human rights has questioned whether the Bill undermines the government’s human rights obligations. Enough said.”
The committee’s report can be found here.
The Refugee Action Coalition is holding a public meeting, on, Monday, 17 November, 6pm, Teachers Federation, 23 Mary Street, Surry Hills: “What Really Happened on Manus Island?” with Nicole Judge, the former Manus Island worker who gave evidence to the Senate Inquiry into the incident’s at Manus Island that led to the killing of Reza Berati in February this year.
