Justice Jottings

Australian Society of Presentation Sisters Spring 2014 Volume 7, Issue 3 Justice Jottings We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live. We acknowledge their deep spiritual connections to this land and we thank them for the care they have shown to Earth over thousands of years. Inside this issue: The Moses in my heart trembles, She hears God’s challenge: not quite willing to accept the prophet The ground of your being is holy. G20 and the Cries hidden in my being, Take off your shoes! of the Vulnerable 1 wondering how much it will cost Awaken your sleeping prophet. to allow the prophet to emerge. Believe in your Moses and go. Sydney Peace Prize 1 In these lines, Macrina Wiederkehr This edition shows some of today’s prophets acting captures the reluctance experienced by on their beliefs with compassion and courage. Justice Contacts’ Anne Shay, Peta Anne Molloy Meeting 1 prophets across the centuries. The Cry of the Poor and the Cry of the The Lord hears the cries Earth 2-3 of the vulnerable Reconciliation: More Bridges to Cross 4 The G20 leaders and their staffs Much less media attention focused have left, the barricades have been on Christian groups who, during Fraser Island - removed. Political analysts have several months before the Summit, Native Title Rights 4 commented on the outcomes of this met and planned ways to alert the forum and rejoiced in the peaceful- wider community to the vulnerable ness of the street rallies. Many civil people who will be most affected by society groups tried to influence the Julian Burnside AO QC the G20 outcomes. Brisbane G20 agenda - advocating awarded 2014 They did this through prayer for environmental protection, Sydney Peace Prize vigils, held each week from eradication of global poverty and 17 October till 14 November. a fairer global trade system. On Wednesday 5 November, Australian barrister, human rights advocate and author, Julian Burnside AO QC received the 2014 Justice Contacts’ Meeting Sydney Peace Prize at Sydney Town Hall . At the recent meeting of the Australian Justice Contacts in Hobart, we Julian Burnside gave the 2014 City of reflected on current issues and developed a plan of action that includes: Sydney Peace Prize Lecture that evening. 1. preparation of data for IPA re the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the Justice system, and the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers. The Sydney Peace Prize Jury’s citation reads: 2. action plans re children in detention and renewable energy. Julian Burnside AO QC: “For his brave and 3. allocation of task areas in preparation for 2015 meeting. principled advocacy for human rights and for those wronged by government, for insisting that we respect We farewelled Joan Power (Victoria) who our international legal obligations toward those has generously given many years to Society seeking asylum, and for his unflinching defence of Justice Ministry. We welcomed Mary the rule of law as a means to achieve a more peaceful McFadden (Lismore) who brings many gifts and just society.” and much experience to this ministry ABC Radio National Joan Power Mary McFadden P a ge 2 Justice Jottings Volume 7, Issue 3 The Cry of the Poor ... Voices for Asylum Seekers and Displaced Peoples Phil Glendenning in Afghanistan After a recent trip to Afghanistan, ERC’s director Phil be removed urgently, and the other has already Glendenning said that, contrary to reports from the U.S. fled Afghanistan and is seeking asylum in Government and Australia’s own Immigration neighbouring countries. The decision of the Department, Afghanistan is “the worst I’ve seen it in 10 Australian government to deport refugees to years.” Afghanistan is extremely troubling! The purpose of Glendenning’s recent journey was to ERC newsletter 10/10/14 monitor the safety of several asylum seekers who were More Lives at Risk deported to Afghanistan from Australia after their Another seven young Afghan men have received letters application for asylum was rejected. These men from the Department of Immigration And Border represent just a small fraction of the asylum seekers Protection advising them that they will be forcibly who have been denied protection in Australia and have removed from Australia in the next few days. The ERC is voluntarily or involuntarily been deported to their home urgently calling on the government to halt the deportation countries over the last decade. to Afghanistan of these young men who belong to that country's persecuted Hazara ethnic minority. Devastatingly, it appears that six of the eight men have already been killed. One of the remaining men needs to Our Government repeatedly claims that its motivation in stopping asylum seeker boats is to save lives. It would be grossly hypocritical of the Government to return Afghan Just Imagine citizens knowing that their return could well mean a death sentence. Just imagine that any one of the men What you can do: on Manus Island could be your sensitive son, your frail father, Please ring and/or write to the Office of your Federal a male friend, your brother. Member of Parliament urgently and demand an immediate end to these forced removals. Imagine men who are separated from families, ERC 29/10/14 men crying at night for their children. Young men away from mothers for the first time. Pope Francis speaks Men who are scared. Men grappling with recent memories of 'We need to see that migrants and refugees do not only torture in conflict zones. represent a problem to be solved, but are sisters and Men crippled by the uncertainty. brothers to be welcomed, respected and loved. Men struggling with their sexuality. They are the occasion that Providence gives us to help build a more just society, a more perfect democracy, a Teenage boys trying to become men. more fraternal world and a more open and Christian Men who are, before anything else, human. community'. Just stop and imagine. Towards a Better World - Migrant and Refugee Week 2014 Innocent men thrown indefinitely inside a filthy prison, with other men, each reacting differently Just like the original TPV only nastier to the pressures of the situation. The three year Temporary Protection Visa allows the refugees to work. No family sponsorship, no travel to see family, and If we care about the men who have drowned no certainty about staying in Australia beyond three years. in the ocean on their way to Australia, They face the fear of return, difficulties in building a life in if we care about the men in our own lives, Australia, as mental health issues compound in this state of Australians should be standing up to call for fear and uncertainty. How this helps a refugee to ‘get on an end to the suffering we inflict on these men. with their life’ is a mystery to me! Kerry Murphy Eureka Street 30/9/14 cf S. Metcalfe The Age 9/9/14 Action: Contact your local MP re this issue. Justice Jottings Volume 7, Issue 3 Pa ge 3 … and the Cry of the Earth We must kill dirty coal before it kills us In September Tim Flannery and Fiona Stanley Research has shown that coal emissions released a joint statement outlining the harmful have severe, and often unaccounted for, effects of coal mining and burning coal for human health impacts on miners, workers electricity. They examined the mounting and local communities. Here are some of evidence that has accumulated against coal. their findings: Global Reaction Health Impacts in Australia Global powers are tackling the human health The Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering woes caused by dirty coal. In the US, the estimates that the ill-effects of coal cost the country $2.6 billion Environment Protection Authority recently annually. The hidden costs of coal are already considerable, but issued "Flexible Carbon Pollution Standards when coal mine fires occur, these costs are clear for all to see. for Power Plants" to help curb pollution from Coal mine fires release heavy metal and organic compounds, coal. China has released plans to ban coal posing health risks for surrounding populations, such as fired-power use in Beijing and other major respiratory and heart disease, cancers and other health cities by 2020. China's use of coal could peak conditions. The communities around the Hazelwood mine in by as early as next year. Eastern Victoria experienced a significant and prolonged coal fire earlier this year. Many people reported respiratory concerns and in Australia? and the government eventually recommended that residents of Despite global momentum shifting away from Morwell and other communities leave their homes. highly polluting coal, Australia remains heavily In May 2010 a New South Wales government report on child reliant on ageing and inefficient coal-fired health showed that nearly 40 per cent of children aged 9-15 power. And, alarmingly, there is no consistent years in the Hunter Valley and the New England region had air, water, soil quality monitoring at and suffered at some stage from asthma. That is significantly around every coal mine and power station in above the national average of 10 per cent. Australia. T. Flannery, F. Stanley SMH 3/9/14 Poet Challenges Leaders at UN Climate Change Summit Human Trafficking Event As part of a new justice The Summit opened with a sensational poem I am very proud of our Pacific leaders and dreaming network set up in delivered by Marshall Islands writer Kathy of this young woman from the Marshall conjunction with a number of Jetnil-Kijiner. She challenged the world Islands, for the challenges that they put to Catholic groups in WA, leaders over their collective climate inaction, the emitting countries.

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