I have just posted the following comment on the SBS website chatroom on this excellent doco:
"Thank you for your documentary. I was a witness to much of the 'process' associated with the Nauru detainees as a member of the DIMIA coordinating committee for the Nauru detention facilities. I have been raising concerns about the violations perpetrated by the Howard Govt since early 2005 through my blog at http://seekingasylumdownunder2.blogspot.com/
I have written three times to Sen Evans in his capacity as Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, seeking a judicial inquiry into the refugee policies of the Howard Govt. On the 3rd occasion I received the standard perfunctory reply from DIMC stating everything is now hunky dory on the human rights front and that an inquiry would be inappropriate. I suggested terms of reference for the inquiry. One of my suggested areas of investigation was the "wrongful repatriation of asylum seekers (a particular concern of the UN Committee against Torture)". My ToR were, of course, much broader in scope because I hold strong views that the mandatory detention policy should be investigated and that those responsible for human rights violations held accountable, mainly to ensure it can never happen again."
It is time to pursue these issues more forthrightly. Politicians and public servants must understand the inviolable nature of human rights and that their systematic violation diminishes us all.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 03, 2008
Human Rights in Tibet - EMAIL ACTION: Where is Dhondup Wangchen?
The ATC reports that in March this year, after completing the filming for his unique documentary, ‘Leaving fear Behind’, filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen was arrested in the Tibetan province of Amdo along with his assistant Jigme Gyatso, a Buddhist monk. The arrests were confirmed by the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet but have not been formally acknowledged by Chinese authorities.
On 15 October, Jigme Gyasto was released from Kachu prison reporting that he had been severely tortured - including being hung by his feet from the ceiling for several hours, receiving regular beatings and being tied to an interrogation chair for days at a time.
No news has emerged on the fate of Dhondup Wangchen.
Click to send an email to Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs, requesting the Minister to push the Chinese Government to release Dhondup Wangchen.
On 15 October, Jigme Gyasto was released from Kachu prison reporting that he had been severely tortured - including being hung by his feet from the ceiling for several hours, receiving regular beatings and being tied to an interrogation chair for days at a time.
No news has emerged on the fate of Dhondup Wangchen.
Click to send an email to Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs, requesting the Minister to push the Chinese Government to release Dhondup Wangchen.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Financial systems and human rights
Hi readers, I've been overseas for a stretch but have been following recent events from the human rights perspective. It seems the excesses of Wall Street and the culture it spawned will challenge human rights more broadly than recent wars & famines. The fall out from the financial crisis fueled by a mindless greed that has underpinned the corporate culture over the last three decades will have savage consequences for the world's poor.
That documentary that likened the pathology of corporations to that of a psychopath has proved prescient. The 'I'm alright Jack' culture of excess and rampant consumerism has come unstuck in alarming fashion. We have the spectacle of earnest politicians scurrying for their Keynesian readers, trying to stem the breach by taking huge equity slices in private banks, pumping public liquidity and guaranteeing private savings. The deregulation phantasmagoria cooked up by dry rot free marketeers has imploded!
Some of the futures derivatives markets have been little more than gambling houses where greedy people played and swapped other people's money at the crap tables, betting on risky future potential earnings, and putting at risk the livelihoods of whole communities. The whole thing was a dodgy pack of cards waiting to collapse - the sub-prime mortgage fiasco was just the tip of the iceberg!
We are witnessing a cultural shift that will see financial markets change immeasurably. It could have positive implications in the longer term as the market licentiousness of the last decade was bad for the planet. Our economies have become unsustainable and people are losing sight of what is important - genuine community and shared humanity. In the meantime savings are under threat, retirement incomes will be dealt savage blows and weaker economies will be hurt.
That documentary that likened the pathology of corporations to that of a psychopath has proved prescient. The 'I'm alright Jack' culture of excess and rampant consumerism has come unstuck in alarming fashion. We have the spectacle of earnest politicians scurrying for their Keynesian readers, trying to stem the breach by taking huge equity slices in private banks, pumping public liquidity and guaranteeing private savings. The deregulation phantasmagoria cooked up by dry rot free marketeers has imploded!
Some of the futures derivatives markets have been little more than gambling houses where greedy people played and swapped other people's money at the crap tables, betting on risky future potential earnings, and putting at risk the livelihoods of whole communities. The whole thing was a dodgy pack of cards waiting to collapse - the sub-prime mortgage fiasco was just the tip of the iceberg!
We are witnessing a cultural shift that will see financial markets change immeasurably. It could have positive implications in the longer term as the market licentiousness of the last decade was bad for the planet. Our economies have become unsustainable and people are losing sight of what is important - genuine community and shared humanity. In the meantime savings are under threat, retirement incomes will be dealt savage blows and weaker economies will be hurt.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ruddock's shameful legacy - About time an empowered post-mortem on the Howard human rights legacy proceeded!
In today's Canberra Times Jacquie Everitt puts the lie to any defence Howard govt frontbenchers may launch against a critique of their human rights record. It was abysmal and I remain concerned that a judicial review has not been convened into the worst excesses of the Howard experiment.
Everitt writes:
"The stars of the former government are in decline, none more absolutely than Philip Ruddock, who recently celebrated 35 years in Parliament. With his hard stance on refugees, he assisted John Howard more than any other minister to win an election the Coalition had been in danger of losing before the Tampa incident.
In a last-minute conversion to humanity or a desperate attempt to resurrect his depleted reputation, this Father of the House, has finally expressed unease about one aspect of Australia's mandatory immigration detention policy: the length of time it took the Howard Government to release the children from detention.
While others might be concerned at the legacy of mental damage done to the children, he told The Australian (August 13, 2008), ''If I have any regrets, it's not so much the question of the policies but the question of the speed and implementation.'' He went on to blame lack of funding as the reason the children had remained locked up for so long.
This is specious nonsense. As minister for immigration from 1996 to 2003, he had it in his power to release the children at any time and chose not to...."
Everitt writes:
"The stars of the former government are in decline, none more absolutely than Philip Ruddock, who recently celebrated 35 years in Parliament. With his hard stance on refugees, he assisted John Howard more than any other minister to win an election the Coalition had been in danger of losing before the Tampa incident.
In a last-minute conversion to humanity or a desperate attempt to resurrect his depleted reputation, this Father of the House, has finally expressed unease about one aspect of Australia's mandatory immigration detention policy: the length of time it took the Howard Government to release the children from detention.
While others might be concerned at the legacy of mental damage done to the children, he told The Australian (August 13, 2008), ''If I have any regrets, it's not so much the question of the policies but the question of the speed and implementation.'' He went on to blame lack of funding as the reason the children had remained locked up for so long.
This is specious nonsense. As minister for immigration from 1996 to 2003, he had it in his power to release the children at any time and chose not to...."
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Médecins Sans Frontières - REFUGEE CAMP IN YOUR CITY - COMING TO CANBERRA!
MSF are inviting you to their free awareness-raising event in Canberra on Saturday 20 September at Glebe Park.
Make sure you don't miss this chance to meet Médecins Sans Frontières field workers and discover life in a refugee camp. No bookings are required - just turn up on the day.
The event is open from 9:00am every day, with fully escorted tours, for a maximum 15 people, leaving every 15 minutes. The last tour departs at 5:00pm.
The venue and dates are:
CANBERRA
GLEBE PARK (Corner of Akuna & Bunda Street)
Saturday 20 - Wednesday 24 September, 2008
For more information on REFUGEE CAMP IN YOUR CITY, please see the MSF website.
Make sure you don't miss this chance to meet Médecins Sans Frontières field workers and discover life in a refugee camp. No bookings are required - just turn up on the day.
The event is open from 9:00am every day, with fully escorted tours, for a maximum 15 people, leaving every 15 minutes. The last tour departs at 5:00pm.
The venue and dates are:
CANBERRA
GLEBE PARK (Corner of Akuna & Bunda Street)
Saturday 20 - Wednesday 24 September, 2008
For more information on REFUGEE CAMP IN YOUR CITY, please see the MSF website.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Olympics: China and IOC must learn from mistakes and uphold human rights values
AI has criticised the IOC's failure to hold China to human rights reform:
"...As the Beijing Olympics ended, Amnesty International today accused the Chinese authorities of prioritizing image over substance as it continued to persecute and punish activists and journalists during the Games.
The organization also criticised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for tarnishing the human rights legacy of the Olympics by turning a blind eye to the abuses.
“The Beijing Olympics have been a spectacular sporting event but they took place against a backdrop of human rights violations, with activists prevented from expressing their views peacefully and many in detention when they have committed no crime,” said Roseann Rife, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Program Director in Hong Kong...."
"...As the Beijing Olympics ended, Amnesty International today accused the Chinese authorities of prioritizing image over substance as it continued to persecute and punish activists and journalists during the Games.
The organization also criticised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for tarnishing the human rights legacy of the Olympics by turning a blind eye to the abuses.
“The Beijing Olympics have been a spectacular sporting event but they took place against a backdrop of human rights violations, with activists prevented from expressing their views peacefully and many in detention when they have committed no crime,” said Roseann Rife, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Program Director in Hong Kong...."
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Alert & Alarmed - The IOC shuffle!
And, they shoot Tibetans who just don't want to be ruled by tyrants, and they punish grannies who have the temerity to protest their treatment by the state. Its just gets better!
Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony - Don't Forget Tibet
Channel Seven refused to show the new Tibet ad the Australia Tibet Council produced with GetUp for the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony - so ATC booked simultaneous spots on every other network, including channels Nine, Ten and SBS.
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