3rd January
2015
Dear
Minister Dutton,
I trust that
you are enjoying a well-earned Summer break with your family and friends.
Sadly, for
the asylum seekers and refugees on Nauru, their days and nights continue to be
filled with fear and uncertainty as a result of the Coalition's asylum policies.
We read on a regular basis, notwithstanding the government's efforts to shroud
the harsh realities in secrecy, of the constant threats of physical and sexual
abuse, and of violence committed against refugees now "settled" in
this utterly inappropriate environment.
The
Australian government, in spite of assertions to the contrary, continues to be
responsible for the safety and the lives of these people.
Why should
female asylum seekers and refugees feel obliged to sleep in their jeans because
of their fears of rape? Why are asylum seekers and refugees fearful of
reporting assaults and other abuse to security guards or to the police?
How can
things be so bad for refugees on Nauru that some of them have asked to be
returned to the detention centre?
Save the
Children is contracted by the Australian government to provide social services
to refugees on Nauru.
Notwithstanding
the gagging clauses in their contract, they state: "Save the Children
believes that Nauru is not a sustainable, long-term option for the resettlement
of humanitarian refugees."
Given
this statement of the obvious, and given that punishing these people is costing
the Australian taxpayer up to $5billion per annum, will you not now begin to
take some steps to respond to the voices of so many decent Australians who believe that offshore detention should be
brought to an end in 2015?
Surely it should now be acknowledged that it is time to put this ugly and shameful
chapter in our history behind us.
I look
forward to hearing from you.
Yours
sincerely,
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