A cruel, cruel deportation from Oz.(& asylum seekers tales)

Developments relating to the Immigration Department are happening so thick & fast it's hard to keep up! It seems that possibly, just possibly, the federal government is finally responding to community outrage over extended detention of refugees. Also, the Immigration minister, Amanda Vanstone, seems barely able to keep up with each new scandal or revelation. She has been under seige! This softening of the government's position could well be a gesture to take the pressure off her & the Immigration Department:

Nauru nine win freedom
By Michael Gordon
National Affairs Editor
May 29, 2005/the AGE


Ali Hussaini with his wife Batool, daughter Zahra and son Saqlain Abbas in the Nauru processing camp in April.
Photo: Michael Gordon

The long wait is finally over for Ali Mullaie and eight other Afghans who have spent more than 3½ years in offshore detention, most of it in the harsh environment of Nauru.

After a sleepless night, Mr Mullaie, 23, and eight others were told yesterday that their claims for refugee status, repeatedly rejected in recent years, had been found to be genuine and they would be resettled in Australia. Among them is Ali Hussaini, whose youngest child, Saqlain Abbas, was born on Nauru in September 2002..... <cont.>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Nauru-nine-win-freedom/2005/05/28/1117129935388.html

Yay!!!! A piece of GOOD news, finally!

Yes, it certainly is, Deb. Three & a half years stuck in Nauru, wondering what on earth is going to become of your life, then presto!: You're a genuine refugee with a place to live!

Remember that fellow (& his cat), the subject of so much excitement when he was finally accepted? All that deep, serious concern that the cat (his one true friend on Nauru) should be able to come to Oz, too! Very important people helped, to ensure they could stay together! A wonderful story, that was! Loved it!

Streuth! Here we go again! Just when things appeared to be getting a bit saner!:

Get out of our country, but your wife and twins are welcome
By Frank Walker
May 29, 2005
The Sun-Herald/SMH


Waruna Herath with wife Xiao Qing Herath and their twin daughters.
Photo: Fiona-Lee Quimby

A Sri Lankan man married to an Australian and the father of her twin daughters has been ordered to leave the country within three weeks or be deported.

The Federal Government rejected Waruna Herath's application to stay in Australia even though he and his wife, Xiao Qing Herath, say they have had a longstanding and legitimate relationship for five years.... <cont.>


http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Get-out-of-our-country-but-your-wife-and-twins-are-welcome/2005/05/28/1117129933514.html

The front page of today's AGE newspaper - Melbourne, Oz:

The babes behind bars revealed
By Lee Glendinning
May 31, 2005/the AGE


Some of the forgotten faces growing up in immigration detention.

They are allocated a bar code the moment they enter detention or, for some, from the moment they are born.

For them, these fluorescent yellow identification cards become the first photographs of their lives.

There are 70 children living in detention throughout Australia. Seven were born in custody.

A two-month-old boy has been issued a card, printed only with "baby" in the slot for his name...... <cont.>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Immigration/Babes-behind-bars/2005/05/30/1117305559364.html?oneclick=true

Aaaaarrrrghhhhhh.

Yes, shocking isn't it, Deb? The front page of the AGE was even more confronting: Six of those yellow identity cards. Taking up most of page one!

Last Update: Tuesday, May 31, 2005. 6:09pm (AEST)

Liberals to further discuss detention issues.


Prime Minister John Howard has told Liberal Party MPs he wants further talks to determine whether the party can address colleagues' concerns over mandatory detention.

Federal Coalition MPs met for three hours today to discuss the proposed private member's bills of Victorian Liberal Petro Georgiou.

The bills would release women and children from detention and free long-term detainees after a year.

At today's meeting, seven MPs said they supported the bills but 34 MPs said they did not.

It was the view of the majority that mandatory detention of asylum seekers should remain but be administered in a more flexible way.

Much of the discussion was on this point.

Mr Howard told the party room he accepts there have been problems administering the policy.

The Prime Minister is to hold further discussions with Mr Georgiou but after today's talks, the backbench MP still plans to put forward his bills.

The party room will further discuss the issue in a fortnight's time.

Humane

Greens Senator Bob Brown says the Labor Party should show its support for a more humane immigration policy.

"Labor's like a spinning top that's in the wobbling stage," he said.

"It says on one hand it welcomes the Petro Georgiou breakthrough on immigration policy, more humane.

"On the other hand it doesn't know whether it'll vote for it. It wants to see other changes.

"Labor should get in lock, stock and barrel behind these great innovations from the Liberal five, and let's hope that grows, and be supporting them."
~

Yep, the Labor Party is going to have to declare where it stands. Enough of this cautious fence sitting!

(I'm starting to feel like the chronicler of bad news here. )

Last Update: Thursday, June 2, 2005. 7:10pm (AEST)

A toddler with an Australian father has been held at Villawood detention centre. (ABC TV)
By Andrew Fowler from the ABC's investigative unit

A 22-month-toddler is being held in immigration detention despite being an Australian citizen.

<complete story>
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1383343.htm

So let's see what happens to the Chinese diplomat seeking asylum in Oz. Surely our government will do the right thing & not let secondary issues like trade with China influence them?.... Right?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200506/s1387655.htm

Msolga:

Of course the right thing is to not let the FTA influence the gov- but I believe the preliminary issue is whether the two individuals making such claims have solid proof? For example, it is extremely strange that Mr Chen would choose to make such announmnts that he did public shortly before he was due to return to china? He had four years to make such claims.

Also, these men are seeking political refuge here- but Madam Fu Ying has already guaranteed that should they return to China, they will not only be not punished, but also free to apply for Australian citizen ship again - so long as they do it in the right process and wait along with everyone else.

Both men have not had solid proof of persecution (in fact there is evidence against such possibilities) and no solid proof of their claims of spying. Therefore, before any application of theirs should be considered in the context of permission, their claims should be investigated first. Otherwise, we will be giving them a free - and unfair and undeserved - meal ticket.

pragmatic

... um, I wouldn't feel too comfortable with Madam Fu's guarantees, myself .... given that we know what we know about what happens to dissenters in China.

For me, the issue is how the Australian government treats requests for asylum in this country. There would be absolutely no problem with, say, white farmers seeking refuge from persecution in Zimbabwe ... as we have already seen. The Chinese diplomat seeking refuge here was refused within 24 hours & the Chinese Embassy was alerted. I don't believe that this man's request was treated properly at all ... largely because of our trade relationship with China.

Her guarantees are not things she says spontaneously but orders from above - and if she can say it - and publicly to the rest of australia, the defectors have nothing to fear. The chinese government are angry that such claims are taking place with no proof, but they are being very fair - not angry and not shaking their fist and saying "You get back here!!"

Because it's "orders from above" would make me feel even more nervous if I was the dissenter. Actually, it's always orders from above, I'd say...

Of course the Chinese government is angry. It's a public relations disaster. There are claims now from 2 sources now that Chinese in Australia are being spied on & harassed by spies for the Chinese government. I understood that the letter from the first defector included details of spying. Bob Brown (Greens leader) has a copy of it. I'll see what I can find on the internet .

'I would rather die than return to China': Chen Yonglin
AM - Thursday, 9 June , 2005 08:00:00
Reporter: Kim Landers

.... The former Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin says he "would rather die" than "be forced" to return to China. For the first time, AM can reveal the full contents of Mr Chen's original letter, pleading his case for political asylum. ... <cont.>

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1388127.htm

The cartoonists are having lots of fun & games with this story:

Every time I think my disgust has reached it's pinnacle, these worthless bastards sink even lower.

I wonder if our conservative politicians feel good about themselves? Does it make them feel superior to cage children like animals? Do they feel like sophisticated statesmen by inflicting life long emotional scars on innocent people?