The Social Justice Network (SJN) is holding its annual celebration of World Refugees Day next week as recognition of the deep suffering and sacrifice of the refugees during their journey to reach safe country that protect their lives and dignity.
This year’s celebration, the SJN decided to have the celebration as lunch with refugees and detainees. The network wants to give community members and journalists chance to meet refugees and detainees to explore the truth about their suffering in our detention centers. The celebration will present golden opportunity to clear any misinformation about the boat people and the reasons to make this dangerous journey.
“For the last few years, the refugees and asylum seekers (especially those who arrived by boats) endured sustained attacks from the opposition Liberal party, demanding very tough and inhumane measures to “stop the boats” said Jamal Daoud, spokesmen of SJN.”Instead of standing up against these attacks, the Greens-backed Labor government bowed to these attacks and adopted very tough measures that attracted national and international criticism”.
“The Greens-backed Labor government wanted to introduce legislations to deport asylum seekers to Malaysia, before their claims examined. Such move that was labeled as “inhumane” and “violating international laws” even by Liberal party”.
“The Greens-backed Labor government adopted very inhumane measures that resulted in 6 deaths inside our detention centre, hundreds of refugees attempted to end their lives, rooftop protests and riots and fire in almost all detention centres in the country”
Instead of acting to end the suffering of detainees that caused all these, the government resorted to more draconian arrangements. The government released thousands of detainees on community detention with no rights and no time frame of visa grant.
At the celebration-lunch, many of these “detainees” in community detention arrangement will be present and will be happy to explain their plight. The insecurity and instability they suffer have inherited almost all of them deep mental health problems. Almost all of them are living now on anti-depressants and sleeping bills. Many had told us that they are thinking seriously to end their suffering by ending their lives. Their release from detention centres to unknown destination, did not improve their situation or their health.
What makes situation worse is the fact that many of these detainees in community have either been found to be refugees earlier (in Indonesia or in Australia when they came by boat during Howard era). Many of them are stateless that will be almost impossible for this government or any future government to deport them to any country in the world. In the celebration, there will be chance to meet some of them.
In the celebration, there will be many refugees who survived the boat crash off Christmas Island, December 2010.
During the network’s celebration this year, we want to send strong message to the Australian politicians. The message includes deep disappointment the refugees and their supporters are feeling of the empty rhetoric the politicians promised them before the last elections.
The Greens-backed Labor government should have worked to change the policy fundamentally. They should have worked progressively to abandon the policy of mandatory detention, closing down all detention centres and increase the settlement services for refugees and asylum seekers. This is the declared policy of the Greens. The Greens assumption of balance of power did not bring any relieve to refugees and asylum seekers. On the contrary. Their situation got worse, while the Greens is still engaging in empty rhetoric about setting committees and introducing bills that will never pass the parliament.
The Greens should have used their power (uniquely in both houses) to enforce the Labor government to abandon its inhumane policies. The unique power should have enabled the Greens to enforce the Labor to move more forward and introduce more progressive policies, including widening the definition of refugee to include statelessness and environmental refugees.
The annual celebration is aiming also to send message of solidarity with refugees in Australia and outside for their resilience to survive. The last few years witnessed major armed conflicts that created millions of refugees. The celebration will remember and salute the sacrifice of refugees, everywhere.
The celebration will be held next Sunday 24 June 2012, 1 pm at Kebab Abu Ali restaurant – 14/75-77 Auburn Rd, Auburn.
For media, you can contact Jamal Daoud, the SJN spokesperson, on 0404 447 272
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
Social Justice Network rejects call to decriminalize illicit drugs: show us evidence!!!
It is shocking today to hear that some “high profile” Australians are calling to decriminalize some or all illicit drugs because the “war on drugs was not successful”. The “experts” who met and lead such call did not give us any evidence that decriminalizing drugs would solve any problem.
“It is the easiest way to give up responsibility by decriminalizing illegal substances or activities. But the consequence of such moves was and would be always deadly” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson for SJN. “The decriminalization of gambling saw the addict gamblers numbers increased from few hundreds to few millions at the moment”.
The “experts” did not tell us why they chose drug addictions only to ask for its decriminalization. The “experts” know very well that all human societies failed to stop other addictions and criminal activities. Human civilizations could not, for example, stop pedophilia, rape, killing, theft and other evil crimes.
“We wonder if these “experts” would move later on to demand legalizing pedophilia, killings, rape and theft as a solution for historically lost war on these horrendous crimes!!!”
The same “experts” that caused all socio-economic crisis our society is facing now, are trying to add to its problems.
The “experts” compare between illicit drug addiction to cigarette addiction, but failed to make valid conclusion to learn lessons from historical mistakes. Yes, smoking cigarettes is very bad and dangerous (though not to the extent of illicit drugs). But the experts do not observe the tremendous efforts to limit the devastation of such bad habit. Instead of demanding delegalising smoking cigarettes, the experts reached the wrong conclusion by demanding decriminalization of illicit drugs.
Other societies experience on decriminalization of illicit drugs were complete failure. Holland and Portugal became capitals of drug addiction, trafficking and all related socio-economic problems.
The SJN opposes and will strongly oppose any such move. This does not mean that the government and other security agencies should not take extra measures to fight the addiction, like community education campaigns and other rehabilitation campaigns.
The government should also consider other factors that lead people to become addicts. These include stress, poverty, social isolation, discrimination, loss of hope and other socio-economic factors that lead people to addiction. But any move to legalize illicit drugs would send the wrong message to the wrong direction and will have devastating effects and consequences.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
“It is the easiest way to give up responsibility by decriminalizing illegal substances or activities. But the consequence of such moves was and would be always deadly” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson for SJN. “The decriminalization of gambling saw the addict gamblers numbers increased from few hundreds to few millions at the moment”.
The “experts” did not tell us why they chose drug addictions only to ask for its decriminalization. The “experts” know very well that all human societies failed to stop other addictions and criminal activities. Human civilizations could not, for example, stop pedophilia, rape, killing, theft and other evil crimes.
“We wonder if these “experts” would move later on to demand legalizing pedophilia, killings, rape and theft as a solution for historically lost war on these horrendous crimes!!!”
The same “experts” that caused all socio-economic crisis our society is facing now, are trying to add to its problems.
The “experts” compare between illicit drug addiction to cigarette addiction, but failed to make valid conclusion to learn lessons from historical mistakes. Yes, smoking cigarettes is very bad and dangerous (though not to the extent of illicit drugs). But the experts do not observe the tremendous efforts to limit the devastation of such bad habit. Instead of demanding delegalising smoking cigarettes, the experts reached the wrong conclusion by demanding decriminalization of illicit drugs.
Other societies experience on decriminalization of illicit drugs were complete failure. Holland and Portugal became capitals of drug addiction, trafficking and all related socio-economic problems.
The SJN opposes and will strongly oppose any such move. This does not mean that the government and other security agencies should not take extra measures to fight the addiction, like community education campaigns and other rehabilitation campaigns.
The government should also consider other factors that lead people to become addicts. These include stress, poverty, social isolation, discrimination, loss of hope and other socio-economic factors that lead people to addiction. But any move to legalize illicit drugs would send the wrong message to the wrong direction and will have devastating effects and consequences.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
Monday, January 23, 2012
SJN call for Australian participation in Global March to Jerusalem
After participating in Amman conference to organise Global March to Jerusalem, 11 December 2011, the Social Justice Network invites all peace loving activists who opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestine to actively participate in this historical march.
The march is planned to start from different countries around the globe and meet on the borders of Palestine on 30 March 2012, to coincide with the annual anniversary of Palestinian Land Day. Then the participants of the march will progress to the borders demanding their free passage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Under international resolution, Jerusalem is a holy city for all religions and the passage to it should be allowed without any obstacle. Israel occupied the holy city during the war of 1967 and since then it took several steps to change the demographic composition of the city in a bid to claim that it should be the capital of its state.
The main march will be in Jordan. Other points of assembly will be on the borders of Palestine with Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
It is expected that hundreds of thousands of protestors will participate in the march to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the demand for international community to enforce Israel to recognize and implement International resolutions.
The network is in the mid of gathering support and endorsement for the Amman Communiqué which outline the objectives of the march. We aim to encourage as many Australians as possible to participate in the march by travelling to Jordan. Special attention will be given to get support of high profile Australians for the march. The network will send representatives to the march.
We started already seeking input of active community members and representatives of human rights and Palestinian rights organization to make the Australian participation both effective and valuable. We first asked them to consider endorsing the objectives of the march by endorsing the Amman Communiqué.
Further information on the march could be found on the website http://gm2j.com
We are in the process of calling for broader meeting of individuals and organisations supporting and active on this important issue. We will keep everyone in the society posted about the outcome of the meeting and the efforts to achieve descent Australian participation in the march.
If further information is needed, I can be contacted on 0404 447 272. You also can access our Facebook of Social Justice Network, the Facebook of Viva Palestina Australia or our website www.socialjustice.net.au
Activists can register their intention to participate or endorse the march by sending email to daoud_j6@yahoo.com.au or on the website www.socialjustice.net.au
Jamal Daoud
Social Justice Network
The march is planned to start from different countries around the globe and meet on the borders of Palestine on 30 March 2012, to coincide with the annual anniversary of Palestinian Land Day. Then the participants of the march will progress to the borders demanding their free passage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Under international resolution, Jerusalem is a holy city for all religions and the passage to it should be allowed without any obstacle. Israel occupied the holy city during the war of 1967 and since then it took several steps to change the demographic composition of the city in a bid to claim that it should be the capital of its state.
The main march will be in Jordan. Other points of assembly will be on the borders of Palestine with Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
It is expected that hundreds of thousands of protestors will participate in the march to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the demand for international community to enforce Israel to recognize and implement International resolutions.
The network is in the mid of gathering support and endorsement for the Amman Communiqué which outline the objectives of the march. We aim to encourage as many Australians as possible to participate in the march by travelling to Jordan. Special attention will be given to get support of high profile Australians for the march. The network will send representatives to the march.
We started already seeking input of active community members and representatives of human rights and Palestinian rights organization to make the Australian participation both effective and valuable. We first asked them to consider endorsing the objectives of the march by endorsing the Amman Communiqué.
Further information on the march could be found on the website http://gm2j.com
We are in the process of calling for broader meeting of individuals and organisations supporting and active on this important issue. We will keep everyone in the society posted about the outcome of the meeting and the efforts to achieve descent Australian participation in the march.
If further information is needed, I can be contacted on 0404 447 272. You also can access our Facebook of Social Justice Network, the Facebook of Viva Palestina Australia or our website www.socialjustice.net.au
Activists can register their intention to participate or endorse the march by sending email to daoud_j6@yahoo.com.au or on the website www.socialjustice.net.au
Jamal Daoud
Social Justice Network
SJN call for Australian participation in Global March to Jerusalem
After participating in Amman conference to organise Global March to Jerusalem, 11 December 2011, the Social Justice Network invites all peace loving activists who opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestine to actively participate in this historical march.
The march is planned to start from different countries around the globe and meet on the borders of Palestine on 30 March 2012, to coincide with the annual anniversary of Palestinian Land Day. Then the participants of the march will progress to the borders demanding their free passage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Under international resolution, Jerusalem is a holy city for all religions and the passage to it should be allowed without any obstacle. Israel occupied the holy city during the war of 1967 and since then it took several steps to change the demographic composition of the city in a bid to claim that it should be the capital of its state.
The main march will be in Jordan. Other points of assembly will be on the borders of Palestine with Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
It is expected that hundreds of thousands of protestors will participate in the march to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the demand for international community to enforce Israel to recognize and implement International resolutions.
The network is in the mid of gathering support and endorsement for the Amman Communiqué which outline the objectives of the march. We aim to encourage as many Australians as possible to participate in the march by travelling to Jordan. Special attention will be given to get support of high profile Australians for the march. The network will send representatives to the march.
We started already seeking input of active community members and representatives of human rights and Palestinian rights organization to make the Australian participation both effective and valuable. We first asked them to consider endorsing the objectives of the march by endorsing the Amman Communiqué.
Further information on the march could be found on the website http://gm2j.com
We are in the process of calling for broader meeting of individuals and organisations supporting and active on this important issue. We will keep everyone in the society posted about the outcome of the meeting and the efforts to achieve descent Australian participation in the march.
If further information is needed, I can be contacted on 0404 447 272. You also can access our Facebook of Social Justice Network, the Facebook of Viva Palestina Australia or our website www.socialjustice.net.au
Activists can register their intention to participate or endorse the march by sending email to daoud_j6@yahoo.com.au or on the website www.socialjustice.net.au
Jamal Daoud
Social Justice Network
The march is planned to start from different countries around the globe and meet on the borders of Palestine on 30 March 2012, to coincide with the annual anniversary of Palestinian Land Day. Then the participants of the march will progress to the borders demanding their free passage to the holy city of Jerusalem. Under international resolution, Jerusalem is a holy city for all religions and the passage to it should be allowed without any obstacle. Israel occupied the holy city during the war of 1967 and since then it took several steps to change the demographic composition of the city in a bid to claim that it should be the capital of its state.
The main march will be in Jordan. Other points of assembly will be on the borders of Palestine with Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.
It is expected that hundreds of thousands of protestors will participate in the march to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the demand for international community to enforce Israel to recognize and implement International resolutions.
The network is in the mid of gathering support and endorsement for the Amman Communiqué which outline the objectives of the march. We aim to encourage as many Australians as possible to participate in the march by travelling to Jordan. Special attention will be given to get support of high profile Australians for the march. The network will send representatives to the march.
We started already seeking input of active community members and representatives of human rights and Palestinian rights organization to make the Australian participation both effective and valuable. We first asked them to consider endorsing the objectives of the march by endorsing the Amman Communiqué.
Further information on the march could be found on the website http://gm2j.com
We are in the process of calling for broader meeting of individuals and organisations supporting and active on this important issue. We will keep everyone in the society posted about the outcome of the meeting and the efforts to achieve descent Australian participation in the march.
If further information is needed, I can be contacted on 0404 447 272. You also can access our Facebook of Social Justice Network, the Facebook of Viva Palestina Australia or our website www.socialjustice.net.au
Activists can register their intention to participate or endorse the march by sending email to daoud_j6@yahoo.com.au or on the website www.socialjustice.net.au
Jamal Daoud
Social Justice Network
Friday, January 20, 2012
Abbott’s new policy on boat arrivals: impractical steps in violating international laws
The new policy announced by Tony Abbott to turn every boat arriving to Australian international water is inhumane, impractical and clear departure of Australian commitments under International laws and treaties. It is no more than a cheap stunt to drag the racist debate on asylum seekers and boat people to new morally low level.
“Australia is obliged under Geneva Convention 1951 and the subsequent protocol 1967 to not deport any asylum seeker arriving into its borders before examining their application for protection” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson of Social Justice Network (SJN). “Tony Abbott is capitalizing on the government’s chaotic dealing with this issue for the last 2 years to extract as many conservative voters as possible”.
“The policy will also meet stiff resistance from Indonesia and would have definitely a backlash with already vulnerable relationship with Indonesia. The Indonesian will have the full right to revolt against such policy that will leave the full burden of dealing with this international issue on their poor country”.
The policy was also proven to be no more than a farce during Howard era. The navy could tow back only one or two arriving boats. The following arriving boats witnessed disastrous consequences when the navy attempted to tow them back to international water.
Tony Abbott policy is no more than a farce to deal with such small issue. The boat arrivals to Australia is very tiny if compared to numbers of asylum seekers arriving to other countries. Poor countries like Jordan, Kenya and Tunisia are receiving hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers every year, when Australia is receiving nor more than 2-4 thousands/year for the last decade.
“Tony Abbott’s mad, evil, inhumane and illegal under international treaties new policy was encouraged by the government’s chaotic dealing with this issue. The government should have taken several steps in the last few years to change laws to relax the treatment of asylum seekers”
The government also failed to take any steps to expose the reality of the issue and the Australian commitments and obligations under international law. Failure to do so and the concentration on taking tough measures to stop the boats arrivals and breaking people smuggling module have encouraged Mr. Abbott to announce this totally inhumane policy.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
“Australia is obliged under Geneva Convention 1951 and the subsequent protocol 1967 to not deport any asylum seeker arriving into its borders before examining their application for protection” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson of Social Justice Network (SJN). “Tony Abbott is capitalizing on the government’s chaotic dealing with this issue for the last 2 years to extract as many conservative voters as possible”.
“The policy will also meet stiff resistance from Indonesia and would have definitely a backlash with already vulnerable relationship with Indonesia. The Indonesian will have the full right to revolt against such policy that will leave the full burden of dealing with this international issue on their poor country”.
The policy was also proven to be no more than a farce during Howard era. The navy could tow back only one or two arriving boats. The following arriving boats witnessed disastrous consequences when the navy attempted to tow them back to international water.
Tony Abbott policy is no more than a farce to deal with such small issue. The boat arrivals to Australia is very tiny if compared to numbers of asylum seekers arriving to other countries. Poor countries like Jordan, Kenya and Tunisia are receiving hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers every year, when Australia is receiving nor more than 2-4 thousands/year for the last decade.
“Tony Abbott’s mad, evil, inhumane and illegal under international treaties new policy was encouraged by the government’s chaotic dealing with this issue. The government should have taken several steps in the last few years to change laws to relax the treatment of asylum seekers”
The government also failed to take any steps to expose the reality of the issue and the Australian commitments and obligations under international law. Failure to do so and the concentration on taking tough measures to stop the boats arrivals and breaking people smuggling module have encouraged Mr. Abbott to announce this totally inhumane policy.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
Monday, January 9, 2012
In response to Teresa Gambaro: Politicians needs cultural awareness about post White-Australia society
The disgraceful comments by Liberals politician and shadow citizenship minister Teresa Gambaro about the needs to enforce new migrants into cultural awareness classes are not a laughable matter. The new low level of political debate our politicians are taking us to is very concerning and very dangerous.
“The dangerous level of the debate is coming from the fact that the comments came from a daughter of migrant. The destructive low level of debate made a politician disregard her past” said Jamal Daoud spokesperson for Social Justice Network. “Ms Gambaro should have consulted her parents about their level of hygiene, health and life style after their arrival to this country before making these public comments”.
“This new low level of race to bottom on race proves beyond any doubt that the real need is for politicians to be sent to cultural awareness classes to explore expectations of new post White –Australia society of their politicians”.
“The god-father of Ms Gambaro’s politics previous PM Howard, started this destructive debate about “Australian vs. Unaustralian” and the superiority of Australian “culture” without explaining what is in fact the “Australian” culture is” Mr Daoud added.
“The debate is raging now among all Australians if homosexuality should be encouraged into marriage, if drugs should be decriminalized, if alcohol should be banned, if racism is good and if euthanasia should be promoted. So what are Australian norms saying about these divisive issues?”
If Ms Gambaro is really concerned about the integration of new migrants, she should listen to experts on this issue. The experts emphasize that greater respect, spending on more settlement services and strengthening racial and religious discrimination Acts would be more effective to make migrants get out of their ghettos and integrate in their society.
The SJN expresses its great concern about the low level of the political debate that now reached the using of deodorants and women tampons instead of talking about the great challenges Australian are facing, especially during this volatile period of time.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
“The dangerous level of the debate is coming from the fact that the comments came from a daughter of migrant. The destructive low level of debate made a politician disregard her past” said Jamal Daoud spokesperson for Social Justice Network. “Ms Gambaro should have consulted her parents about their level of hygiene, health and life style after their arrival to this country before making these public comments”.
“This new low level of race to bottom on race proves beyond any doubt that the real need is for politicians to be sent to cultural awareness classes to explore expectations of new post White –Australia society of their politicians”.
“The god-father of Ms Gambaro’s politics previous PM Howard, started this destructive debate about “Australian vs. Unaustralian” and the superiority of Australian “culture” without explaining what is in fact the “Australian” culture is” Mr Daoud added.
“The debate is raging now among all Australians if homosexuality should be encouraged into marriage, if drugs should be decriminalized, if alcohol should be banned, if racism is good and if euthanasia should be promoted. So what are Australian norms saying about these divisive issues?”
If Ms Gambaro is really concerned about the integration of new migrants, she should listen to experts on this issue. The experts emphasize that greater respect, spending on more settlement services and strengthening racial and religious discrimination Acts would be more effective to make migrants get out of their ghettos and integrate in their society.
The SJN expresses its great concern about the low level of the political debate that now reached the using of deodorants and women tampons instead of talking about the great challenges Australian are facing, especially during this volatile period of time.
For media contact, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272
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