20 April 2006
AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE TO REFUGEES 'UNPRINCIPLED' AND 'UNWORKABLE'
Church leaders of major denominations have used Easter sermons to condemn the latest proposals for dealing with asylum seekers put forward by the Australian government. Their voices join the widespread chorus of criticism that has greeted the recent announcement of the draconian measures that will be introduced to prevent people from obtaining asylum in this country.
In an effort to appease Indonesian outrage at the granting of asylum to 42 West Papuan refugees, the Australian government has announced that in future all asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat will be transferred offshore where there asylum claims will be assessed. The move means that these people will be denied access to the Australian legal system and even if they are deemed to be genuine refugees, they may be forced to languish in refugee camps until another country can be found to accept them. The Australian government has already signaled that it would not want to accept such people.
The attitude of the Australian government has been likened to that of Pontius Pilate, washing its hands of responsibility for the plight of people who are our nearest neighbours. This despite clear evidence of their mistreatment, and Australia's acceptance that the claims of the recently arrived refugees are genuine.
The Australian Government proposals are in clear breach of the UN convention on Refugees according to the Jesuit Refugee Services as quoted in CathNews on 18th April. And in an article published in several major newspapers this week, Fr Frank Brennan SJ described the proposals as both ‘unprincipled’ and ‘unworkable’.
This issue will be one of those addressed at a forthcoming seminar being organized by the Christian Brothers and Presentation Sisters Justice group for Sat Jun 17th on "Balancing individual human rights and national strategic interests"
In an effort to appease Indonesian outrage at the granting of asylum to 42 West Papuan refugees, the Australian government has announced that in future all asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat will be transferred offshore where there asylum claims will be assessed. The move means that these people will be denied access to the Australian legal system and even if they are deemed to be genuine refugees, they may be forced to languish in refugee camps until another country can be found to accept them. The Australian government has already signaled that it would not want to accept such people.
The attitude of the Australian government has been likened to that of Pontius Pilate, washing its hands of responsibility for the plight of people who are our nearest neighbours. This despite clear evidence of their mistreatment, and Australia's acceptance that the claims of the recently arrived refugees are genuine.
The Australian Government proposals are in clear breach of the UN convention on Refugees according to the Jesuit Refugee Services as quoted in CathNews on 18th April. And in an article published in several major newspapers this week, Fr Frank Brennan SJ described the proposals as both ‘unprincipled’ and ‘unworkable’.
This issue will be one of those addressed at a forthcoming seminar being organized by the Christian Brothers and Presentation Sisters Justice group for Sat Jun 17th on "Balancing individual human rights and national strategic interests"
Comments:
Post a Comment
