Government step to release children from detention: too little too late to correct cruel practices!

Government step to release children from detention: too little too late to correct cruel practices!

The Social Justice Network (SJN) welcomes the Federal government’s announcement of new policy to start releasing children and their families from detention centres. But it considers the step to be too little too late. The government should start defuse the crisis by releasing all detainees who were in detention for more than 90 days, as per Labor’s official policy on mandatory detention centre.

“While the SJN campaigns to dismantle the mandatory detention system altogether, but the today’s announcement is a positive small step in the right direction” said Jamal Daoud, the SJN spokesperson. “The step will inevitably followed soon by further steps to release more detainees after the clear failure of the mandatory detention system”

“In this instance we notice the cheap way the Greens leaked the new announcement, to claim exclusive credit for the change. The Greens claimed that their demand of children release from detention was the main and only factor that brought this positive change. This is total false and misleading claim that caused deep shock and disappointment among human rights activists who campaigned for years to achieve this change”

The Greens misleading claims is both an assault on our intelligence and an assault on the feelings of thousands of activists and tens of organizations that worked very hard to change the heart of the government on this issue.

The claim is totally false and misleading as the Greens and all Australians know very well that the racist Liberal party demanded the release of children and their families from detention long before the Greens senators woke up and started to make demands on this issue.

The Greens party could claim credit for this change if they at least included this demand in the agreement with the Labor party to form a minority government. In that agreement and during the whole period of negotiation with the Labor party, the Greens did not even mention the issue of children in detention.

Any detailed analysis of the reasons of these changes would mention that the real reasons were:
1- The Labor tough treatment of the “boat people” proved to be a failed election strategy that cost the Labor a lot of votes.
2- The tough treatment attracted criticism from even Labor bases, where the Unions and many sections of Labor members and MPs were critical of such tough treatment.
3- The criticism also was tense from human rights organizations and public figures.
4- The situation inside the detentions centres had reached the crisis point with no horizon of easing under current practices. On the contrary. The situation proved to be very volatile and could explode very soon if the government does not change its attitude and practices.
5- The election is over and the Labor government that thinks that it will serve full term has enough time to clean the mess, even with criticism from racist opposition.
Taking into account the Greens cheap tactic of leaking changes and claiming credit, the Greens tactic is very simple, but very cheap. The Greens tactic is to claim any credit of changes to current situation, but to blame the Labor for all misachievments. We saw this when the Greens claimed credit for government promises to discuss introducing carbon tax. It also claimed credit for starting debate over future Australian commitments in Afghanistan. The Greens were very quick to claim credit, even before achieving any real change or achievement.

But the Greens is not taking any blame for indifference on issues of aliening public services, mandatory detention system, growing racism and Islamophobia, deteriorating life style and the situation of indigenous people. On this instance we note that the Greens are part of the government, as according to their agreement with labor to form minority government.

The Greens cheap claims of credit over the changes are both regrettable and highly condemned. The Greens should be ashamed from themselves for not using their numbers in both houses to enforce wide spread changes to highly inhumane mandatory system. The Greens has nothing to be proud of in this regard and on this issue.

The same senator who made these shameful claims failed to support the many desperate asylum seekers who protested outside the Federal parliament in the last few years. The senator could not leave her public-funded air-conditioned office in the parliament house to approach Bseem Mohamed, Aminovs family or Musher Saleh to know why they were protesting there. The Greens senators, including Ms Sarah Hanson, showed no humanity to show interest in helping desperate people protesting against their deportation to unknown fate.

The Greens has nothing to claim credit on the issue of migration and refugees.

The network will continue its campaign to expose the inhumane and brutal nature of the mandatory detention system. And the network will not hesitate to expose the hypocrite forces that want to trade the suffering of thousands of vulnerable people for more votes. This is why the network is not participating nor urging decent Australians to participate in rallies designed to fool Australians. Such rallies and protests that invite the Greens politicians to be the only political speakers, in an attempt to win them more votes. Such rallies that does not serve any noble cause, but to deceive Australians and give them false impressions on who really supports the refugees’ rights. If the Greens genuinely support the refugees’ rights, they should have taken practical steps to relieve the asylum seekers. In this instance we note that the Greens politicians’ pilgrimage to detention centres starts only before elections.

The network vows to continue its campaign until all detainees are released and mandatory detention dismantled.

For more information, you can contact Jamal Daoud on 0404 447 272.

After Viva Palestina: Social Justice Network participates in the Asian Aid Convoy

After the success of its campaign to achieve the first Australian public participation in Viva Palesina aid convoys which resulted in the participation of 3 Australian activists, the Social Justice Network proudly announces that it will participate in the Asian aid convoy to deliver aid to Gaza and try to break the siege.

“The SJN actively participated in the initial preparation and communications to send the first aid convoy from Asia” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson of the SJN. “The convoy that will starts from India through different Asian countries to end up in Lebanon, before sailing to Al Arish in Egypt”

The idea came from the fact that Palestine is in the continent of Asia, while all aid convoys were coming from Europe. Consequently, representatives of more than 50 Asian non-government organisations met in Tehran mid September and decided to organise gigantic aid convoy.

“The convoy will commence its journey to Gaza from New Delhi on the first of December, to reach Gaza by 27 December. This to coincide with the anniversary of the latest Israeli barbaric war on Gaza”

The convoy will include representatives of non-government organisations from India, Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Australia. Such organisation that made it very clear that they oppose the illegal and inhumane blockade of Gaza and will challenge it by all means until it will be dismantled totally.

“The network will announce its campaign to collect money to fund its participation in this new initiative. Such money that will be used to buy medical and food supplies to be delivered to Gazans”

The network will soon announce the names of its members that will participate in this convoy.

“In regard to Viva Palestina 5 convoy, we have the pleasure to announce that Egypt gave today, at last, the permission for activists to sail to Al Arish before entering Gaza. The convoy, which consists of around 150 vehicles and 400 activists, is expected to start sailing from Syrian port of Latakia in two days”

“Our representative on the convoy, Omer Quaider, communicated to us the high emotional feelings among all participants at the moment, despite all obstacles and hard work. At last they will enter Gaza and will deliver the aid”

“Mr Quaider was sending us reports and pictures about the very warm reception the convoy participants were receiving in all European countries. He told us that the reception got very warm when the convoy entered the Turkish border, where the participants were treated as heroes. The participants visited the cemetery where victims of Israeli assault on Freedom Flotilla were buried”

The network is making the necessary contacts with human rights organisations to encourage them to participate in these efforts. The network will announce soon the result of these contacts and the final details of the initiative. More information will be available after the network’s representatives will attend regional organisational meeting in Malaysia, 3 October 2010.

For more information, Jamal Daoud can be contacted on 0404 447 272

Viva Palestina 5 entered Turkey: Social Justice participant is hopeful and enthusiastic to enter Gaza soon

Social Justice Network’s representative on Viva Palestina 5, Mr Omer Quiader, communicated to the network his high emotional enthusiasm and hope to enter Gaza soon, possibly within the next 10 days. Mr Quaider told us that today they crossed the border of Turkey to a very welcoming reception from officials and civilians.

“While the convoy received warm welcome in each city they entered en route to Gaza, the welcome in Turkey was exceptional” said Mr Quiader “The Turkish officials and ordinary citizens welcomed us with very warm reception and expressed deep support for Gaza people”

The aid convoy travelled from London on 18 September. Then it crossed through to Paris and many other French cities. From there they convoy crossed to Italy, then to Greece and from Greece to Turkey. The convoy is expected to reach Gaza by 10th of October.

“Despite the long journey we travelled so far, all participants of the convoy have high morale and enthusiasm to reach Gaza and participate in breaking the siege”

Mr Quaider through his phone and email contacts in the last few days expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the mission and the goals it achieved so far. He told us that despite all obstacles, he would love to participate in any similar future missions.

“The encouraging messages we are getting from supporters in Australia and in all cities we crossed in the last 2 weeks are highly encouraging. The messages are strong signal of wide spread opposition to the illegal and brutal siege of Gaza. They are clear indication of wide spread support for any mission to end such brutal siege”

“The participants of the convoy are activists from many countries around the globe. We have three activists from Australia participating for the first time in these convoys”

Mr Quiader also praised and thanked all Australians who donated for the campaign to participate in this convoy. It is the first time that Australia was mentioned in the world media of participating in these noble convoys. This itself is very positive step to engage Australian citizens, politicians, media and non-government organizations in the fight to dismantle this highly inhumane siege that imprison 1.5 million Gazanas and deprive them of all vital needs.

For media interviews or comments on the progress of the convoy, you can contact Jamal Daoud, the spokesperson of SJN on 0404 447 272

Detention centres’ crisis: real reasons behind these desperate actions

The death of Fijian asylum seeker in Villawood detention centre on Monday and the rooftop protest of many detainees is a clear indication of mandatory detention regime in deep crisis. All these are also clear indication of Federal parliament empty of any real progressive force that works to dismantle this highly inhumane regime.

“The issue of boat people was high profile issue in the last Federal election conducted 21 August this year. The issue gave boost to especially the Greens, who promised then to work to dismantle the mandatory detention system altogether. Yet after the dust of the election had settled, the Greens failed to act to fulfill their election promises”

“The Greens had the chance to demand even partial dismantling of the system when they negotiated the agreement to back the Labor to form minority government. The Greens failed to do so. It even failed to even mention this highly humanitarian issues during the long negotiation with the Labor”

The Labor - Greens - Independents failure to address this issue was the real reason for the wide spread disturbance inside the centre. The detainees’ hope was dashed after the minority government was formed and the new minister vowed to toughen treatment of asylum seekers and facilitate quick deportation of “failed” detainees.

“The detainees told us before election that the only hope they have then was that the Greens possible hold of balance of power which means ability to bargain with the government for quick fix to detention centres crisis” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson of Social Justice Network (SJN). “But when the agreement was signed between the Labor and the Greens with no mentioning of their suffering, the detainees expressed deep disappointment and total loss of hope”.

Yesterday, the detainees expressed to us their believe that they were left alone to fight for their freedom. This is why few of them decided to take desperate drastic measures, like committing suicide, rooftop protest and complete hunger strike.

They believe that all parliamentary politicians are treating their plight as political football for own benefits: The Liberals will win more racist votes, The Labor confused and hope to win back some racist votes and the Greens to win more progressive votes.

One Sri Lankan detainee laughed yesterday when he was told that Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young would visit Villawood DC next Wednesday. He commented: “We know that the Greens could end our suffering just in few days if they determine to do so. Without the Greens support in parliament, the government would collapse immediately. The Labor does not want this to happen. So the Greens could use this fact to push for end of the crisis almost immediately. We know that they are treating our suffering just as media stunts to improve their electoral rating for the next election”

The network will continue its campaign to highlight the inhumanity of the mandatory detention system and the need to dismantle it totally. The network understands that the attack on refugees rights is part of continuing attack on multiculturalism. All political parties are participating in this attack, including the so-called progressive parties like the Greens. The clear evidence of this is the lack of any objection from all parliamentary parties of the abolition of “Multiculturalism” from the cabinet departments titles. It is also very evident in lacking Non-English speaking representation in parliament.

The network will continue to fight racism, Islamophobia and all kind of discrimination. This will include encouraging voters to vote away from mainstream parties (Liberals, Labor and the Greens) in the next state election. We are definitely running non-English speaking candidates in the March NSW state election.

For more information, you can contact Jamal Daoud on 0404 447 272.

The latest suicide inside detention: Labor-Greens-Independent coalition government has blood on its hands!

The new Labor -Greens - Independents government has blood on its hands following the suicide of Fijian detainee at Villawood detention centre. The incident caused wide spread protest among detainees who declared hunger strike and few of them staged protest on the rooftop. They are demanding immediate release from detention and review of their cases by either totally independent body or the court.

“The detainees’ desperate action came after their hopes were dashed following the formation of the minority government. The asylum seekers hoped that the Greens will negotiate with the Labor to demand immediate end of inhumane treatment. They apparently swallowed the empty rhetoric of the Greens on supporting the refugees’ rights during the election campaign”.

“Many asylum seekers had expressed to us that they are prepared now to go to the end with their desperate actions after all hopes in the new government was evaporated with the new minister’s comments threatening to deport all asylum seekers whose applications were rejected by his department. The smaller partner of the government, the Greens, was silence on such cruel comments”

Today’s tragic loss of innocent young life is a clear evidence of parliamentary political parties dealing with this highly humanitarian issue as political football for electoral gains only.

The Social Justice Network was right to declare that the new government would be more conservative than the previous one. The network declared rightly that the role of the Greens in this government would not be more than opportunistic voice to get more exposure by spreading more empty rhetoric, with no actual actions.

The network believes that the Greens could play more constructive role in enforcing the government to retreat of its harsh treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. The Greens has proved with no doubt that it prefers to issue media releases and give media talks than take any practical steps to enforce the government to end its brutal treatment of detainees

While the network holds the government responsible for the blood spelt today inside the detention centre, it holds all partners (Labor, Greens and Independents) the same share of responsibility.

The network will continue to expose the true face of political forces, especially the ones that claim to be “progressive”. Progressiveness means for us not only a set of code words, but practical steps to achieve better society.

The SJN vows to take actions to expose the hypocrisy of the Greens and the inhumanity of Labor. We demand that Labor – Greens – independents government release all asylum seekers to community until their claims finalised.

For more information, you can contact Jamal Daoud on 0404 447 272.

SJN condemns the new government’s move to expand Curtin and other detention centres

The new Labor – Greens – Independents government’s announcement of expanding detention facilities, including the notorious Curtin DC, is a clear indication of the direction this government will take on the issues of asylum seekers arriving by boats. This announcement should be condemned by all Australians who believe in human rights.

“The announcement exposes the hypocrisy of the Greens party, the partner of this government that campaigned very hard on more humane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers during the last August election” said Jamal Daoud, spokesperson of SJN. “The announcement proves that all what the Greens were campaigning on were no more than empty rhetoric to win votes from progressive Australians”

“The Greens complete silence on this issue during their negotiation with Labor to form minority government is clear evidence that the Greens is using the suffering of these vulnerable people as political football to win more progressive votes, only”

“The Greens could demand during the negotiation that Labor honour its previous commitments to reform immigration detention system into more humane one”

“The Greens interest during the negotiation was focussed on Carbon Tax and Climate change legislation. While we understand that these issues are highly important, the Greens could use their numbers in parliament and senate to include the issues of asylum seekers “rotten” in detention centres in any agreement with Labor”

“We witnessed how Julia Gillard vowed to seriously consider Carbon Tax in the next few months. She could be enforced to make commitment towards asylum seekers too.”

“The Greens never had any interest to take actions on asylum seekers issues. So far and during the last 2 decades of mistreatment of refugees and asylum seekers, the Greens did not take any practical actions to force the government of the day to change its inhumane treatment of refugees. The Greens are very skilful in issuing media releases about this issue.”

“Today’s announcement is bringing Australia back to dark days of Howard’s era. Even during Howard’s era, Iraqi and Afghani asylum seekers were never forcefully deported back to their homeland”

The SJN vows to take actions to expose the hypocrisy of the Greens and the inhumanity of Labor. We demand that Labor – Greens – independents government release all asylum seekers to community until their claims finalised.

For more information, you can contact Jamal Daoud on 0404 447 272.

SJN announces its official participant in Viva Palestina 5 convoy bounds to Gaza soon

Social Justice Network is proudly announcing that Mr Omer Quiader will be its official representative on Viva Palestina 5, the international aid convoy that aims to break the illegal and inhumane siege of Gaza. Mr Quiader, a very active member of the network since its formation, will leave on 14 September to London to join the gigantic aid convoy. The convoy then bounds to Gaza form London on 18 September.

“The SJN participation is the first Australian participation in these courageous convoys bound to Gaza to highlight the inhumanity and barbarity of Gaza blockade” said Jamal Daoud, SJN spokesperson and coordinator of the campaign. “We are proud that we will be the first Australian organization that will participate in these convoys”.

“We also proud that our campaign in Australia to fundraise enough money to enable us to participate had drawn attention to the devastating consequences of the 4 years illegal blockade of the strip”

“The network is proud also that its campaign had urged other organizations to start discussing their participation in this convoy and future ones. While we are proud to initiate this process, we are welcoming any move in this direction”

The network had hoped from this campaign to bring the debate about Israeli barbaric actions against Palestinians under its occupation back to the Australian political arena. It is very clear that our participation and other organizations following our suit are good moves in this direction.

The network had raised around $8,800 for this mission in very short time. The network has transferred the amount of $6,500 to Viva Palestina organization to pay for half truck full with medical and food supplies. The other money will be used to pay for logistical expenses of sending our activist to deliver aid to Gaza strip.

The network had published the names of major donors on its website of www.socialjustice.net.au

Our team is very happy and proud of their active role in achieving this goal. They are proud to be first Australians to participate in such moves aiming to break the siege of Gaza. While this is the first participation of our organization in these overseas missions, but we are determined not to be the last.

For more information or to arrange media interviews with our representative, you can call Jamal Daoud on 0404 447 272.