Migration Action
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MIGRATION ACTION Vol. XXIII, Number 1 April/May2001 III fl~,y BROTUmunnn n r o r ______ 67 F11 VIC Behind public policy on asylum seekers The Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC), now work ing as part of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, is a statewide non-ethno-specific agency working with new and emerging communities in Victoria to ensure they have full access to resources, services and opportunities. Within this context the key activities of the EMC are: • identifying and articulating the needs of migrants and refugees, with particular attention to the needs of emerging communities; • advocacy in collaboration with these commi nutes; • working with these groups to address issues and build on strengths; and • preparing information, research and resources for those working with newer emerging communities. EMC ECUMENICAL MIGRATION CENTRE a part of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence 95-97 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3066 Ph: 03 9416 0044 Fax: 03 9416 1827 [email protected] / M igration A ction MIGRATION ACTION Contents YOL XXIII, NUMBER 1 APRIL/MAY 2001 Editorial ,2 ISSN: 0311-3760 M igration Action Survival stories: voices from the shadow of public policy is published by the Ainslie Hannan.....................................................4 Ecumenical Migration Centre 95-97 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Victoria Australia, 3065. Temporary Protection Visa Holders in Queensland: Tel: +61 3 9416 0044 the first report Fax: +61 3 9416 1827 Email: [email protected] Daryl Briskley MP................................................ 10 The Ecumenical Migration Centre (EMC), of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, works for Current public policy on asylum seekers: does it stand up to the development of Australia as a multicultural scrutiny? society through its welfare, educational, project and community work. The centre has been Martin Clutterbuck............................................... 16 working with migrants since 1962. EMC’s work is diverse, from community Ethical and practical issues in TPV policy: the community service and development to social action and community education. view Within a framework of ensuring equal access Dr. Nouria Salehi 22 and rights for all Australian society, EMC provides counselling services and community development activities to a number of ethnic Ha, buralardan sorugyorsun? communities, both established and newly arrived. Idiz Yahya...............................................................28 EMC also initiates research towards an understanding of a range of issues, and Woomera: part 2 promotes change where necessary. Peter Mares............................................................31 Editors: Sarina Greco, Dr Paul J. White Special thanks: Anne McKenna, Ainslie Hannan, Jane Hurle Photographs: Stuart Fleming Layout: Andrew Macrae, Brotherhood of St Laurence Production Sarina Greco, Dr Paul J. While Printing: Art Offset, Caulfield It is not the intention of this journal to reflect the opinions of either the staff or the Board of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. In many matters this would be difficult to ascertain, nor do the editors think it desirable. The aim of the journal is to be informative and stimulating through its various articles, suggestions and comments. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — (per volume of 3 issues) — $25.00 (student); $40.00 (individual); $45.00 (institutions); $50.00 (abroad); single issue: $15.00 APRIL/MAY 2001 1 M igration A ction Editorial Behind public policy on asylum seekers This first issue of Migration Action for 2001 comes as Over twelve months ago, Migration Action warned of we are well into the year of the Centenary of Federation. the desperate plight of refugees from Afghanistan and One hundred years ago, one of the first uses of the newly Iraq who had sought first refuge in Iran and Pakistan, Federated parliament’s power was to pass the only to face being sent back to the places they had fled. Immigration Restriction Bill based on the language We warned that Iran and Pakistan were unsafe refuges and politics of exclusion. And 100 years on, Australia for these refugees, and stressed that lives were literally continues to struggle with the central issue of who’s at risk. And we warned that the regimes in both allowed to be part of the great ‘Australian dream’ - Afghanistan and Iraq regarded people who fled their who’s allowed to dream it and be part of it, and who’s tyranny as ‘traitors’ who deserved nothing less than to be excluded, invisible or turned away? Certainly the death. language and politics of exclusion are in abundant evidence in the current response to asylum seekers in Even as we were putting together the issue of Migration our midst. Action containing these warnings (No. 1 in 2000), Iran announced that it had decided to refoule (that is, to So at the turn of the century - no, not that one but this forcibly return) its Iraqi refugees. Now Iraqi opposition one - we again find our Federal Parliament enjoying sources (Iraq Press, 11 July 2001) report the first bi-partisan support for punitive policies designed to confirmed results of this policy: ‘Iraqi authorities have send a clear message of deterrence and exclusion - put to death 20 Iraqi refugees following their asylum seekers are not welcome here. They needn’t repatriation from Iran’. Of course, how many more lives think they can be part of the Australian dream. Australia have been lost in this manner, but remain unreported, is not for them. is a chilling thought. It is apparent that, well after Australia emerged from Afghan refugees in Pakistan look like they will be next. the profound racism of White Australia in the 1960s, An alarming report from SBS TV’s World News (9 July the ghosts of exclusion and fear of invasion continue 2001) breaks the chilling news that Pakistan has decided to lurk in the shadows, ready to be summoned by those to send many - if not most - of its Afghan refugees who willfully and immorally cultivate xenophobia and back to Afghanistan. As incredible as this might seem, hysteria for their own political gain. Yet the hysteria there can be absolutely no question that these asylum about boat people and the fear of bogus claimants seekers are at very grave risk at the hands of the Taliban. remains unfounded. Last year, for example, of the ‘boat people’ arriving on our shores, for every ten of these These developments demand a re-think of the current asylum seekers held in detention, nine were able to official Australian attitude towards asylum seekers from prove who they were. They were refugees. Afghanistan and Iraq - that they had no right to travel here because they were already perfectly safe after 2 APRIL/MAY 2001 M igration A ction escaping to Iran and Pakistan. Furthermore, the punitive challenging issue of how we respond to desperate Temporary Protection Visa policy, designed to create people seeking our protection. The juggernaut of an underclass of refugees fleeing places like punitive public policy accelerates dangerously out of Afghanistan and Iraq, must be removed. It is control because of bi-partisan support for divisive and increasingly clear that the Australian Government punitive policies. Yet much could be righted by a simple cannot deny protection to these desperate people with recognition that Australia will always need an On-Shore a well founded fear of persecution. Program for asylum seekers needing Australia’s protection, alongside an Off- Shore Refugee A contributor to this issue, Idiz Yahya, who was granted Humanitarian Program. Separating the visas allocated a Temporary Protection Visa himself, says ‘the to these two programs is an important start. So is government welcomes refugees now with all doors honouring our international protection obligations to closed’. A key goal for the Victorian based Justice for treat asylum seekers within a humanitarian framework Asylum Seekers coalition remains that of assisting the of dignity and care for the vulnerable amongst us. After public’s understanding of those seeking Australia’s all, we already know we can do better and we know protection. To this end. Survival Stories is an there is a better way. extraordinary collective account of the experience of 23 Iraqi and Afghan refugees, told in a social Sarina Greco documentary style by Ainslie Hannan. It aims to foster Editor understanding with the heart, as well as the head, about Co-convenor, Justice for Asylum Seekers coalition in what it means to find oneself in dangerous Victoria circumstances well beyond one’s control and to make a desperate choice to seek safety and protection in Australia. The first report on asylum seekers who have been granted Temporary Protection Visas, undertaken by the Queensland Government last year, shows how Federal government policy has ‘created’ a group of disadvantaged people - whose significant disadvantage has been imposed on them by the Commonwealth of Australia. An overview and excerpts of the report, Temporary Protection Visa Holders in Queensland (2001), are included in this issue. When the Centre for Public Policy (Melbourne University) organised a Monday Forum series on ‘Refugees in Australia: Key Ethical and Practical Issues’, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs was scheduled to present the Government View but cancelled his presentation. The symbolism of the Federal Government’s silence on ethics in public policy on refugees was stark. After all, is it not immoral to erroneously label asylum seekers ‘queue jumpers’, to refuel the hardening of public attitudes while doing nothing to help the Australian public understand who asylum seekers are? Despite the absence of the Government View of the ethics of refugee policy, the Community View is presented by Martin Clutterbuck and Dr Nouria Salehi. So as we approach the forthcoming elections, there is clearly an opportunity for any political party willing to engage moral and political leadership on the APRIL/MAY 2001 3 M igration A ction Survival stories Voices from the shadow of public policy Ainslie Hannan Survival Stories is a social documentary project made up of texts and photographic images.