At 11:07 AM 23/03/00 +1000, you wrote:
>
>wow deborah
>why are you calling angela out???
>
>At 10:29 AM 22/03/2000 +1100, you wrote:
>> (perhaps rc-am should come out of the closet a little and explain their
>>position on refugee camps in Australia, rather than just posting Irish
>>newspaper columns with inflammatory letters to the editor attached...)
>>
>> Mandatory sentencing and Refugee camps in Australia:
>> I think that at present the Australian Federal government is making an
>>absolute hash of things in regards to human rights. That's obvious on any
>>number of fronts, including it's refusal to hold a conscience vote on the
>>practice of mandatory sentencing in two of its states; the above-claimed
>>operation of 'detention centres' in the outback; and last but not least its
>>attempt to rewrite the actual authority and operation of our national Human
>>Rights commission. However, not all of these issues are black and white,
>>because they are complicated by various national and international laws.
>>And like most governments - i guess - the Australian government will
>>respond to criticism from the UN only when that criticism is made explicit.
>>Right now they're just dodging the call.
>>
>> Mandatory sentencing: Next month two UN rapporteurs will arrive, one to
>>examine aspects of racism in this country, the other with a specific
>>mandate to look at 'arbitrary detention'. Now, arbitrary detention could
>>cover *both* the issue of mandatory sentencing and the issue of refugee
>>detention. Both issues are also potentially racial issues given that most
>>of the people actually suffering from the mandatory sentencing laws are
>>Aborigine. It's rather more obvious why racism might be a factor in the
>>operation of refugee camps.
>> The issue of mandatory sentencing is completely uncomplicated, since these
>>laws are a transparent case of racial discrimination and also an abuse of
>>the rights of the child. They should be repealed immediately. However, the
>>states in this country are organised as sovereign states, giving them
>>particular legal jurisdictions. The Federal Government could override them
>>if it chose, but it would require a vote. At present, there are (almost
>>daily) Bills being put forward by opposition members of parliament in an
>>attempt to bring this matter forward.
>>
>> perception - government, media, public - that perhaps many of these
>>illegal immigrants are not 'refugees' of war, political persecution, etc.
>>Reports from residents of islands where these people have landed say things
>>like 'well i saw them getting of their boats with their Gucci sunglasses
>>and their Luis Vuitton luggage'. This kind of thing makes people rather
>>skeptical. The amount of money spent by 'refugees' flying from Iraq to
>>Indonesia and then catching a boat to Australia has also been highlighted.
>> However what is not discussed in the media, generally, is how the West may
>>well be complicit in, specifically, the formation of Iranian and Iraqi
>>refugee subjects. It would seem that the West does have a responsibility to
>>these people. Aren't we the ones who impose sanctions and make life
>>conditions appalling in these countries? I would like to hear more
>>discussion of how Australia or any Western nation could evaluate its
>>liability to refugees of Western capitalism and US war games.
>> The conditions of refugee camps/detention centres are not hideous. They
>>are very basic, but they are not tents and trench toilets. The detention
>>centres are buildings, have beds, latrines, regular meals, and are staffed
>>with doctors, counsellors, and case advisors. However, there are reports
>>that even with the recent building of new detention centres conditions are
>>becoming overcrowded. People have said that locating these people 'in the
>>desert' is unfair. It's true, detention centres are usually located in
>>isolated areas. This means that armed security is, in general, quite
>>unnecessary. If people walked out of the detention center in the Woomera
>>desert, they'd probably die before they got to the next town. This makes
>>them dependent on the centre. (It should be remembered that Australia is
>>around 85% desert. Water is a scarce commodity in Australia, becoming
>scarcer.)
>>
>> If the Irish newspapers want to claim that Australia has taken the wrong
>>approach to managing a sudden increase (from late last year to now) in the
>>illegal immigrant population, it should be remembered that this is an
>>island continent. It is not a portion of the European continent, where
>>people pass through national borders with scarcely a wave of their EU
>>passport. Illegal immigration to Australia is highly planned, organised at
>>a numbers of co-ordinated arrival and departure points, and is actually
>>quite expensive (therefore it might be argued that many of the Chines/Iraq
>>refugees come from the more well-off classes in those nations
>>respectively). Can it be compared to the conditions in Europe? If so, what
>>methods do the newspaper reporters and outraged Irish citizens propose as
>>alternative measures to the ones that are currently being deployed by
>>Australia? By the way, Amnesty International has today condemned an attempt
>>from our Immigration minister to have the UN Refugee laws 'reconsidered'.
>>This is fine by me, as it would seem that racism and immigration laws
>>always go hand in hand, and Amnesty has an important position. It leaves
>>open however the way in which the West can articulate a position in
>>response to 'illegal' immigration into nation-states that are globalised
>>economies, and whose fetishisation of commodity culture seems to be at
>>least one factor in the production of refugee subjects.
>>
>> Deborah
>>
>>
>> At 12:37 AM 22/03/00 +1100, you wrote:
>>>[from the Editorial of the Examiner, Ireland:]
>>>
>>>The shambles of Ireland’s policy on immigrants
>>>
>>>The Examiner
>>>21 March 2000
>>>
>>>IRELAND’S policy on immigration is in a total state of disarray judging by
>>> With some
>>>justification, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has drawn considerable flak for
>>>rashly endorsing Australia’s policy of detaining immigrants in compounds
>>>behind barbed wire. At the same time Justice Minister John O’Donoghue has
>>>confirmed that he is considering housing immigrants in “floating hotels”
>>>off the coast while applications for asylum are processed.
>>>
>>>Over the weekend, a Government spokesman moved to dispel reports that
>>>Ireland was about to incarcerate people in compounds. And yesterday,
>>>presumably in a move to distance herself from the Taoiseach’s line of
>>>thinking, Tánaiste Mary Harney has emphasised that neither she nor her
>>>party would favour setting up detention centres. To her credit, Ms Harney
>>>has made it clear the PDs would oppose any move to impound immigrants in
>>>this manner.
>>>
>>>Clearly, the Government is now trying to draw the sting of Opposition
>>>criticism in advance of what promises to be a heated Dáil debate on the
>>>controversy. However, we have yet to hear the Taoiseach spell out exactly
>>>what appeals to him about an Australian system which has been rejected by
>>>the UN High Commission for Refugees.
>>>
>>>It is generally accepted that something must be done about the growing
>>>numbers of people coming to this country illegally. According to official
>>>estimates, around 1,000 people arrive in Ireland by the back door every
>>>month. Many of them are economic rather than political asylum seekers,
>>>attracted by Ireland’s booming economy and lack of clearly defined
>>>policies on immigration, problems which are reflected throughout the EU.
>>>
>>>With intense pressure on public housing, there is no gainsaying that
>>>genuine problems arise when it comes to providing instant accommodation
>>>for large numbers of immigrants. Whatever policy the Government finally un
>>>veils must reflect caring and Christian attitudes towards our fellow human
>>>beings.
>>>
>>>The outdated, colonial approach to immigration embraced by Australia,
>>>where Aboriginals have also been treated so shamefully, must be eschewed.
>>>By the same coin, Irish people have not been noted for tolerance towards
>>>strangers who come to live here and we continue to treat travellers as
>>>second class citizens. It is imperative for Government to replace the
>>>present shambles with an effective system based on qualities of compassion
>>>and respect for immigrants, and also for the Taoiseach to end the utterly
>>>unacceptable practice of policy making on the hoof.
>>>
>>>& from the Letters section of the Irish Times):
>>>
>>>A Chara, - As a Fianna Fáil supporter, I write to register my utter
>>>disgust at the recent remarks made by An Taoiseach in Australia. During a
>>>recent visit to that country, I was deeply disappointed to discover the
>>>sheer level of racist ignorance that is endemic in Australian society.
>>>Extremist anti-immigrant opportunistic politicians enjoy a disturbingly
>>>high level of support, whilst many of their followers yearn for a return
>>>"" policy. The United Nations has quite
>>>"". However, their existence
>>>continues to enjoy enormous public support. Australia deserves to be
>>>internationally condemned for its current policy on asylum seekers. The
>>>fact that our Taoiseach admires their immoral approach contrasts markedly
>>>with his response to the election of Mr Haidler in Austria. Mr Ahern's
>>>ill-chosen, idiotic comments in Australia are nothing short of a
>>> RUAIRI HANLEY, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
>>