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27.6.19

Australia, PNG governments agree to extend Paladin's Manus Island contract: SBS

Manus Island: From SBS video
"A day after Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape addressed the issue in parliament, both Australian and Papua New Guinean governments have agreed to extend Paladin's contract for security work on Manus Island.

The contract will be partially extended before the Papua New Guinean government takes over at a later date, it was announced in a joint statement."


About No Friend but the Mountains. Pan Macmillan


"The book begins with Boochani boarding a boat somewhere on Java, hoping to reach Australia. In elegant prose, he brings to life the refugee journey through detailed observations of his fellow travellers. He describes a rapid collapse of order: 

Men lie in the arms of another’s wife, children lie on the bellies of strangers. It seems they have all forgotten … the energy spent establishing a gender-based order. 

25.6.19

Newsletter for 25th June 2019 RAR Bello and Nambucca

Coffs Harbourside market report


Roadside Demonstration: Thursday 27th June, opposite the

Base Hospital, Coffs Harbour


National RAR Annual General Meeting: Saturday 27th July,

5.00 pm in Queanbeyan


The UNHCR Global Trends Report


The Medivac Legislation





Coffs Harbourside market report

We had a hugely successful market in Coffs Harbour on Sunday. Mercifully, the rain that had been forecast didn’t materialise, and we had a really busy morning talking to people, handing out leaflets and collecting signatures on our open letter to the Prime Minister, in which we urge him to accept the New Zealand government’s offer to resettle 150 refugees annually from Manus and Nauru. Our wonderful team of supporters did a great job in collecting more than 200 signatures on the open letter, and we received many appreciative comments from market-goers for the work that we do to bring the reality of offshore detention to the public’s attention.

Our next market stall will be at the Bellingen Market on Saturday 20th July. Please put the date in your diary.

Roadside Demonstration: Thursday 27th June, opposite the
Base Hospital, Coffs Harbour

A reminder that our next roadside demonstration is scheduled for this Thursday from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. You will find us by the side of the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour, opposite the Base hospital. Please join us if you can, and help us to build on the momentum created by our record turnout for our recent demo at the Big Banana. We have lots of banners and placards to share.

National RAR Annual General Meeting: Saturday 27th July, 5.00 pm in Queanbeyan

This year’s AGM will take place at the Uniting Church, Queanbeyan, commencing at 5.00 pm, followed by guest speakers and Annual Dinner. If you wish to attend, Queanbeyan RAR members can offer billets. Alternatively, you can participate in the AGM remotely, using ZOOM. For billet enquiries, contact Anne at: anne.gardner9@gmail.com. For dinner bookings, contact Carolyn at: cbr23154@bigpond.com. For further information, including about using ZOOM, or nominating for a committee position, contact: rar.australia@gmail.com or phone 0417398528.

The UNHCR Global Trends Report

Last week, to coincide with Refugee Week, The United Nations High Commission for Refugees published its annual Global Trends report, a comprehensive update on the global situation for displaced people, refugees and asylum seekers. The report includes “eight refugee facts that you need to know”. They are:

  • CHILDREN: In 2018, every second refugee was a child, many (110,000) alone and without their families.

  • TODDLERS: Uganda reported 2,800 children aged five or below alone or separated from their families.

  • URBAN PHENOMENON: As a refugee, you are more likely to live in a town or city (61%) than in a rural area or camp.

  • RICH AND POOR: High income countries on average host 2.7 refugees per 1000 of population. Middle and low-income countries on average host 5.8. The poorest countries host one third of all refugees worldwide.

  • WHEREABOUTS: About 80% of refugees live in countries neighbouring their countries of origin.

  • DURATION: Nearly four in every five refugees are in displacement situations that have lasted for at least five years. One in five have been in displacement situations that have lasted twenty years or more.

  • NEW ASYLUM SEEKERS: The greatest number of new asylum applications in 2018 was from Venezuelans (341,800).

  • LIKELIHOOD: The proportion of humanity who are refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced is now 1-in-108. Ten years ago, it was 1-in-160. 
     
The Medivac Legislation

The government is clearly determined to repeal the Medivac
legislation, which was passed late last year. The legislation was designed to ensure that medical practitioners, rather than bureaucrats, should make recommendations about the evacuation of individual detainees on Manus and Nauru to receive treatment in Australia. The legislation stipulates that the government retains the power to reject transfers on security or character grounds. Minister Dutton has now mounted a crude scare campaign to persuade the opposition and the cross bench in the Senate to overthrow the legislation. Yet again, he has resorted to his familiar tactics: the floodgates are about to be opened, the people smugglers are lining up to restart their trade, hundreds of detainees will be brought to Australia under the new legislation, we will be accepting rapists, paedophiles, and hardened criminals. Dutton appeared on Sky news last week, and suggested that women who had been victims of rape on Nauru were “trying it on” by deciding, on arrival in Australia, to continue with their pregnancy. He offered no evidence to support his claim. His remarks have, quite properly, enraged the people involved in supporting these women. Lawyers who have acted for multiple rape victims on Nauru say that this applied to none of their clients. George Newhouse, principal solicitor at the National Justice Project, stated: “I know of cases where women were raped under his watch and needed termination, and the fact that he’s using them as political cannon-fodder is an absolute disgrace.”
Minister Dutton’s claims just keep coming, as he becomes increasingly outraged at the dire threats to our future. He is particularly incensed that the Federal Court has ruled that it is in order for two doctors to review a patient’s case notes, rather than have direct contact with the individual, when making a recommendation for a medical transfer, in spite of the fact that it is normal medical practice to do so. Doctors involved in the assessment process are described by minister Dutton as “activists” rather as medical practitioners. To emphasise his point, he suggests that to “two activist doctors from Nimbin” can make the decision to request a transfer!!
Unsurprisingly, none of the above is true. Dr Kerryn Phelps, who, as an MP, steered the legislation through parliament, states: “There are not floodgate to open. There has been a very careful, measured and professional process put in place to assess people for transfer and that’s why it took a while for the transfers to begin, because it was very important for the processes to be medically robust.” She goes on to say: “It is outrageous that Mr. Dutton should come out swinging on this law, and try to deny people the care they need, on World Refugee Day. And to denigrate the motives and reputations of the doctors who are giving their time for a humanitarian cause is unconscionable. These doctors are acting out of compassion in the interests of human rights and the obligations of the medical profession.” 
 
Senator Stirling Griff, who supported the Medivac bill in the Senate, is incensed at Mr. Dutton’s portrayal of the legislation, accusing the minister of an “outright lie” in his comments about the new law. The facts are that the government has approved 31 transfers (not hundreds) over the past four months. The expert medical panel has been called on just 9 times to review the transfers recommended by doctors. The panel cleared two of these cases for transfer and backed the government on the other seven. One has to conclude, therefore, that the system is working as envisaged in the legislation. Of the 31 refugees involved, 22 have arrived in Australia for treatment. Minister Dutton would clearly prefer the number to be zero, and for people to remain on Manus and Nauru with their serious medical conditions, which have been brought on by the cruel system of indefinite detention, a system designed by government to break people’s spirits.

Please consider contacting your local MP, who for most of us is Pat Conaghan, and urge them NOT to support the repeal of the Medivac legislation. The legislation is operating as planned, presents no threat to our security, will not “open the floodgates”, and is a measured and humane response to dealing with medical needs which cannot be met on Nauru or Manus. The only way to make these people healthy again is to evacuate them all urgently, rather than a few at a time as they become more and more unwell.
Pat Conaghan’s contact details: 02 6277 4446 (parliament); 02 6652 6233 (Cowper office). Email: pat.conaghan.mp@aph.gov.au.
The vote of newly-elected Jacqui Lambie to the Senate will be vital when the matter comes before parliament. At the time of writing, the list of members of the Senate has not been updated to reflect the changes to membership. We will hopefully be in a position to share her details with you in next week’s newsletter.

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Check out the index of subjects on our blog http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au
It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.
(579 likes)
Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
Email address bellingen.rar@gmail.com


The National RAR web site is at  www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au 
The National RAR facebook site is at  RAR Facebook

20.6.19

World Refugee Day #NotForgotten


Please join us next Sunday at our stall at the popular Coffs Harbour Harbourside Market. We'll be chatting to market-goers, handing out leaflets,and encouraging people to sign our open letter. Importantly, by our presence, we give a strong message to everyone that we intend to continue our fight to end offshore detention and to demand a humane and compassionate policy for asylum seekers and refugees in Australia.Why not drop by to say hello?

19.6.19

Newsletter June 18

In this newsletter:


Roadside demonstration report

Our next market stall: Coffs Harbourside market, Sunday 23rd
  June from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm

Local events during Refugee Week

The Stamp Collection: a second appeal!

A fundraising date for your diary: Sunday 28th July at 2.00 pm,

 Nambucca Heads

Offshore detention in the spotlight


Roadside demonstration report
We had a record number of supporters at our Big Banana roadside demonstration last week. It was really heartening to welcome a significant number of new participants to swell the ranks of our regular crowd. All agreed that the event was very worthwhile, and that it is important to keep the issue of offshore detention in the public spotlight. A big thank you to all who participated, and we do hope that more people will consider joining us from time to time.
Our next roadside demonstration is planned for Thursday 27th June, by the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour, opposite the base hospital, from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. Please join us if you can.

Our next market stall: Coffs Harbourside market, Sunday 23rd
June from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm
A reminder that we have our next market stall at the Coffs Harbourside market, which is located near the jetty, on Sunday 23rd June from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. As usual, we’ll be handing out leaflets, talking to market-goers, encouraging people to sign our open letter, and selling merchandise to raise funds for the Asylum Seekers Centre. The markets present a great opportunity for us to interact with the community, to talk about the cruel realities of offshore detention and the harsh treatment of asylum seekers living in Australia awaiting the outcomes of their claims for protection. If you can help out at our stall for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com
 
Local events during Refugee Week
Apologies for the short notice about these events for Refugee Week, but here they are, and we hope that there will be something to interest you.

Wednesday 19th June: share a meal, share a story: Scotts Head
Come along to Scotts Hub, 1/5, Adin Street, Scotts Head. Bring some food to share, bring a story about refugee or asylum seeker connections that you may have, and enjoy the company of people united by their shared humanity. Start time: 5.00 pm. Email Janet Granek for further details at: granekj@gmail.com
 
Thursday 20th June: Freedom Feast, Coffs Harbour Showground. 6.00 pm to 9.30 pm
Freedom Feast is a long table sit down shared community meal experience with a variety of live entertainment, all coming together under one roof for an incredible evening of food, conversation, music and dancing. Relax in the Showground Exhibition Pavilion and enjoy live music and dance performances from diverse local cultural communities with culinary flavours from across the globe. Please bring a plate of food to share.
Full details of the event can be found on our Facebook page. Just click on the link at the bottom of this newsletter.

Friday 21st June: film screening of The Staging Post at Cavanbah Hall, Coffs Harbour
This uplifting film tells the story of a small group of asylum seekers stuck in Indonesia. In addition to the screening, Jolyon Hoff, the Director, together with Muzafar Ali, the star of the film, will be present to introduce the film and to engage in a Q and A forum following the screening. This is a free event, but please book your tickets at: www.jettytheatre.com. Time: 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start. Cavanbah Hall is located at 191, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour.

The Stamp Collection: a second appeal!
In last week’s newsletter, we asked for help in relation to the extensive stamp collection that one of our supporters has donated to us to raise funds for the Asylum Seekers Centre. We are still seeking someone who might advise us on how best to proceed to get the collection valued and put on the market – or better still, someone who might take on the task of getting the collection valued and sold. If you think that you can help, please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com
 
A fundraising date for your diary: Sunday 28th July at 2.00 pm, Nambucca Heads

We are in the early stages of planning a major fundraising event which will take place in the beautiful main hall of the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre building on Sunday 28th July, starting at 2.00 pm. We can promise you a wonderful and varied afternoon of music, which we guarantee you will enjoy. Further details in the weeks ahead, but in the meantime, please put the date in your diary.

Offshore detention in the spotlight

It is becoming clear, as the weeks since the election go by, that the government is under considerable pressure from several quarters in relation to offshore detention. On Manus island, both the governor and the police chief have spoken out about the epidemic of self-harm amongst the detainees in recent weeks. They have indicated that they believe it is time for the Australian government to take responsibility for the welfare of the detainees, and to evacuate them from the island. 
 
In addition, the PNG government has expressed its unhappiness
about the awarding of a hugely lucrative contract last year to the little-known contractor Paladin in a secret deal which excluded the PNG government from bidding for the contract, which expires at the end of June. Minister Dutton says that he expects Paladin to continue to provide services to the detainees, but the PNG government is expressing strong opposition to the move.

The independent MPs Rebekha Sharkie and Zalli Stegall have also spoken out in recent days about the plight of the detainees. Rebekha Sharkie has made it clear that she intends to campaign to bring offshore detention to an end once parliament resumes, stating: “we will not stop our pressure on the government, because they cannot leave people languishing there indefinitely”.

There are still more than 800 people languishing on Nauru and Manus, with an increasing number of them being brought to Australia for treatment for serious medical conditions, which themselves are a direct result of the pain and suffering which our government has deliberately inflicted on them. 
 
About 300 of the remaining detainees have been approved for resettlement in the US, and they are expected to depart in the weeks and months ahead. The government has no plans for the remaining 500 detainees, who are becoming more desperate and more unwell as each week goes by. It is surely time for our government to accept the New Zealand offer to resettle 150 refugees, and for the remainder to be brought to Australia for treatment and resettlement either here or in another safe country willing to take them.
This newsletter is sent to >620 recipients


 LINKS


Check out the index of subjects on our blog http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au
It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.

(579 likes)

Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam

Email address bellingen.rar@gmail.com

The National RAR web site is at  www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au 

The National RAR facebook site is at  RAR Facebook

Letter to the Editor: The shame of continued mental torture


It saddens me greatly to read that 50 male asylum seekers have self-harmed or attempted suicide since the federal election on Manus Island and in Port Moresby. The question I ask repeatedly is “Why have we and our politicians lost so much empathy towards others in need of help and compassion?” Come on my fellow Australians, let’s embrace and support others in need and not be afraid of them. I urge everyone to petition their federal representatives to exercise their natural humanity and change this cruel practice.
Robin Hesketh, Bellingen

15.6.19

Australia has been seduced by creeping authoritarianism – and its citizens need to wake up: The Guardian

Deaths in Australian offshore detention
"In this country, 9/11 coincided with the arrival of the Tampa – and the general atmosphere of emergency facilitated the development of an increasingly draconian system, one that always required careful media management. The director general of defence communication strategies, Brian Humphreys, reportedly testified to a Senate select committee that defence minister Peter Reith instructed his staff to not humanise the refugees.

Offshore detention made the prevention of that humanisation easier, simply by placing asylum seekers a long way from the Australian media.

It also fostered an overtly colonial and authoritarian engagement with the regimes housing the camps.


In Nauru, for instance, the Australian government helped develop the local government’s policy for excluding journalists from the detention centre, even as, according to the Lowy Institute, the island “lurched towards authoritarianism”.


In Papua New Guinea, Australia pushed for the Manus camp, even though the facility violated the constitution, and then relied on the notorious mobile squad to police it."

Read all The Guardian article

Protesting the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers . Where: Coffs Harbour NSW


"In the struggle for democratic freedoms, we need to ensure that rights apply to everyone – for, if they don’t, they’ll soon apply to none." Jeff Sparrow, The Guardian

Roadside demonstration: Thursday 13th June, Big Banana, Coffs Harbour

 It is important, in the post-election phase, to continue to remind the public that the cruel policy of the ill-treatment of refugees, both offshore and in Australia, has not subsided in any way. The reality of the re-election of the Morrison government has been nothing less than disastrous for refugees detained offshore, with more than twenty of them self-harming or attempting suicide since 18thMay. It is equally distressing for the asylum seekers in our cities who find themselves increasingly at the mercy of the government’s harsh policy of withdrawing support for them as they wait, seemingly indefinitely, to have their claims for protection determined.
Fifteen committed protesters demonstrate outside 'The Big Banana" in Coffs Harbour NSW


Bring refugees here for processing.
Bring asylum seekers here.

Offshore processing statistics, April 2019


End 'Off Shore' detention.


Fast tracking statistics

The government introduced new system of determining who is a refugee for people who came by boat, called 'fast tracking'. How many decisions have they made? How many people are being recognised?


Australia was a compassionate country.

There is growing support from local drivers.




11.6.19

RAR Bello and Nambucca, Newsletter for 11th June 2019

Roadside demonstration: Thursday 13th June, Big Banana, Coffs Harbour: 2.30 to 4.00 pm

Dates for our roadside demonstrations

Our next market stall: Coffs Harbourside market, Sunday 23rd June

Supporting detainees on Manus and Nauru

Is there a philatelist amongst us?

National RAR priorities

Status Resolution Support Services




Roadside demonstration: Thursday 13th June, Big Banana, Coffs Harbour: 2.30 to 4.00 pm
A reminder that our next roadside demonstration, after quite a gap, is this Thursday, by the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. It would be great to welcome new members to join our team of regular stalwarts at the demo. It is important, in the post-election phase, to continue to remind the public that the cruel policy of the ill-treatment of refugees, both offshore and in Australia, has not subsided in any way. The reality of the re-election of the Morrison government has been nothing less than disastrous for refugees detained offshore, with more than twenty of them self-harming or attempting suicide since 18th May. It is equally distressing for the asylum seekers in our cities who find themselves increasingly at the mercy of the government’s harsh policy of withdrawing support for them as they wait, seemingly indefinitely, to have their claims for protection determined. Please join us on Thursday if you can. We have lots of placards and banners to share.



Dates for our roadside demonstrations
Apologies for the fact that we gave you incorrect dates for our demonstrations in July. The programme for June to August is listed below. Please note that all the roadside demonstrations take place on a Thursday, from 2.30 to 4.00 pm.
June 13th: Big Banana, Coffs Harbour.
June 27th: Opposite the Base hospital, Coffs Harbour.
July 11th: Waterfall Way, Bellingen.
July 25th: Hogbin Drive, Toormina.
August 8th: Big Banana, Coffs Harbour.
August 22nd: Opposite the Base hospital, Coffs Harbour. 
 

Our next market stall: Coffs Harbourside market, Sunday 23rd June
Our next market stall will be at the popular Coffs Harbourside market on Sunday 23rd June, from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. As usual, we’ll be handing out leaflets, talking to market -goers, and encouraging them to sign our new open letter to the Prime Minister. If you can help out for an hour or so on our stall, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.



Supporting detainees on Manus and Nauru
At our recent general meeting, one of or members talked to us about a scheme which enables refugees and asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru to keep in touch by phone with their families back in their home countries. Contact with their loved ones is absolutely vital for them in keeping alive some glimmer of hope for the future. If you wish, you can make a one-off or a regular contribution to the purchase of phone cards, which are sent to the detainees. You can do so by going to: https://giftsformanusandnauru.org.au/

Is there a philatelist amongst us?
One of our supporters has kindly donated a stamp collection to help us raise funds for the Asylum Seekers Centre. He inherited the collection from his father, and it is in pristine condition, and goes back some time. There are six albums, comprising some 4,000 stamps, including one which is devoted exclusively to Christmas and Easter stamps from around the world. A seventh album contains some 40 first day covers and sets of new issues. We are keen to have the collection valued so that it can be put up for auction, presumably in Sydney. If there is anybody out there who has any expertise or insights which might help us to manage this process, then please get in touch with Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.




National RAR priorities
Our national committee, which supports the work of more than 80 local RAR groups, has written recently about proposed priorities for RAR, and asked for responses.
The suggested priorities are:
  • Manus and Nauru – safe resettlement of the detainees
  • Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS)
  • Growing the RAR organization
  • Working with Faith Groups
  • Writing articles to the local press
  • Creating a list of sympathetic politicians
  • Supporting Refugee Week
Mike responded to the proposals as follows:
 
Dear RAR national committee,
Many thanks for the list of priorities for RAR, and for the invitation to comment on them.  I think that the items listed are ones that RAR groups will be happy to support and get behind, though I would prefer it if, instead of “faith groups”, the item were to read “faith and other community groups.” I guess that there are RAR groups around the nation who are invited to speak to a range of community groups, and I think that this should be encouraged and supported.

More generally, the list, to me, is just that, and seems to be lacking context, but I accept that this simply might be that, at this point, the issues have not yet been fleshed out. There is no mention, for example, of the national committee’s role in supporting, coordinating, leading or sharing information and actions with local RAR groups. I think that the list should be framed around these issues, so that RAR groups can feel that the national committee is a source of support, helping to coordinate their work. We are much stronger when we can work in unison, and I see this as a critically important role for our national committee.

 By way of example, at our recent meeting, attended by 33 supporters, there was strong support for moving from our present practice of writing open letters/ petitions, and then sending them to the national committee for circulation, in the hope that other RAR groups might support our initiatives. Some do, but many others will, understandably, have their own petitions and actions which they are promoting. The net result is that there are probably many similar initiatives in place at any one time, all of them less effective than they might be if we had one, nationally coordinated initiative.
I hope that this is helpful.
Keep up the good work!

If you have any comments or suggestions, then please let us know.



Status Resolution Support Services
The government has drastically reduced funding for the SRSS, which is paid to asylum seekers in Australia as they await the resolution of their claims to asylum. The allocation has been slashed from $139.8 million in 2017-18 to just $52.6 million in 2019-20, a reduction of more than 62%. In February 2017, 13,299 people were receiving financial support, which amounts to just 89% of the Newstart allowance. By April 2019, this number had reduced to 5,888, leaving many people destitute and homeless.
What does this mean for individual asylum seekers? Let’s consider the plight of Mohammed and Rosie, who came to Australia from Iran to escape persecution. Their story is told in the daily news sheet Eureka Street.
“In November 2018, the government notified them that their SRSS support would be withdrawn. They were very distressed by the news and anxious about the fact that they had not yet secured a job, despite their numerous attempts, or been able to secure suitable housing.
The odds were never in their favour. They are in their mid-sixties, speak little English, and have had very little education. They are also suffering from long-term illnesses. Mohammed was part of a community gardening group, which we hoped would assist him to build networks, develop new skills, and improve his mental health. But after his SRSS payments were cancelled, Mohammed could not afford the weekly commute and stopped attending. Without employment and a safety net, Mohammed and Rosie are homeless. They rely on food aid and emergency vouchers from the Jesuit Refugee Service and other organisations to survive day-to-day.”
This is the daily reality for thousands of asylum seekers in Australia. How have we managed to sink so low in our treatment of other human beings? Let’s join the campaign to urge the government to restore the SRSS to all asylum seekers who need it.
Please contact the Minister for Immigration, David Coleman, to ask him to treat asylum seekers with compassion and humanity. Email: immigration.minister@homeaffairs.gov.au. Tel: 02 6277 7770.

Check out the index of subjects on our blog
 http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au
It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.

This newsletter is sent to >620 recipients
(579 likes)

Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam

Email address bellingen.rar@gmail.com


The National RAR web site is at  www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au 

The National RAR facebook site is at  RAR Facebook