Keep Up the Pressure: Kids Out!

An addendum to my last post. I’ve received this email (below). It’s a small step and there are still questions. For instance, this doesn’t address the kids on Nauru. Or adult asylum seekers. So we need to – we must – keep up the pressure…

But wouldn’t it be good if we could look back on today as something of a turning point???

Sarah Hanson-Young via server8839.e-activist.com	16:48 (3 hours ago)
to me

Having trouble reading this email? Try the online version here.

Dear Clare,

The Senate just passed Greens amendments that say no child will be locked up in detention centres on Australian soil.

This is a massive step forward — but we must make sure PM Turnbull doesn’t reverse it.

As well as the new law to remove children from detention (with their parents), the Senate legislated to have the centres opened up to media scrutiny, to enforce the mandatory reporting of abuse and to reverse the punitive Border Force whistle-blower crackdown which covered doctors and nurses in detention.

Now, the legislation will return to the House of Representatives and it will be up to Malcolm Turnbull whether he reverses the will of the Senate and the people so that he can keep children locked up in detention.

Will you add your voice, and tell PM Turnbull that no child here in Australia, or locked up offshore, belongs in detention?

Today the Senate took a historic step forward.

Please spread the word and make sure the Prime Minister doesn’t drag us backwards.

Thank you,

Sarah Hanson-Young

What the Hell are we DOING? (A reblog and further links)

I’ve said this many, many times. But the government don’t speak for me on the issue of asylum seekers.
Unfortunately, they’re still the government with an entitlement infallibility complex, so we have to bring them to account in other ways. The UN aren’t happy…newsflash, Australian government: neither are many of the people!

There have been some heartbreaking cartoons released from Manus recently, also.
Here are a couple. The rest can be found here.
Further links at the bottom.

 

UN submissions slam Australia’s asylum-seekers program: extracts from reports – WRITTEN BY UNDERCOVER1 by winstonclose Posted on 10 November, 2015by Undercover1 UN Human Rights Council session (Geneva) On Tuesday Australians woke up to discover that their country had been damned in a report published only hours before at a special meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and attended by representatives from around the world. The reports included page after page of abuses. An unprecedented 110 countries lined up to give their views on Australia’s human rights record. Below, we reproduce screenshots of those sections of the main compilation document that examines Australia’s asylum-seeker program and operations, as well as provide links to submission documents. Note: To see a recording of the entire UNHRC session regarding Australia’s record of human rights and violations, click here. Over 100 countries commented and made 300 recommendations on Australia’s human rights record at the UNHRC session. Just under half of the submissions were on Australia’s policies regarding asylum-seekers and refugees. Thesesubmissions included demands that Australia cease its boat turnbacks policy, that mandatory detention should end or be used only when strictly necessary. There was also concern about Australia’s breach of the principle of non-refoulement. Note that Australia is the only country in the world to use offshore processing and mandatory detention. The review also included indigenous rights, disability rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, racism and Islamophobia as well as marriage equality. A report on which recommendations have been formally adopted will be issued this coming Thursday. Australia, especially if it still wishes to take a seat at the UNHRC from 2018, is expected to accept and act upon the recommendations. To see details of the Australian NGO Coalition recommendations, click here. To see the Joint Australian NGO submission to the UNHRC, click here. To see Australia’s NGO Coalition Fact Sheet on Refugees and Asylum Seeker, click here. Extracts from the Report of the Human Rights Council Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Twenty-third session, 2-13 November 2015. Summary prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21. Australia… Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers section (extract): The document (protected pdf) as a whole can be seen by clicking here then click on the ‘E’ next to “Compilation of UN information”. TO READ  more articles from UNDERCOVER INFO Click on =  https://undercoverinfo.wordpress.com/

http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/12/top-5-signs-your-countrys-refugee-policy-is-a-disaster-written-by-kate-m-progressive-conversation/
http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/13/duttons-renditions-written-by-bob-ellis/
http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/13/simply-the-worst-written-by-bob-ellis/
http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/13/press-gallery-reform-written-by-politically-homeless/
http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/14/genocide-ravages-the-tamils-as-the-world-turns-a-blind-eye-written-by-trevor-grant/
http://winstonclose.me/2015/11/21/those-in-peril-on-the-sea-written-by-bob-ellis/