Girt By Sea: free ebook to read and download

Since I was keen to step up my ebook creating skills, I researched my options and then quickly moved into publishing mode.

I used an old street theatre-come-audio play of mine as the text and generated the approximation of the correct file to publish it on Smashwords.

Girt by Sea is an amalgam of several street theatre performances reworked as a play for voices (or for radio broadcast). There is nothing especially ambitious about the play as it merely tries to touch on a few notions about the mandatory detention of refugees and package them in a short, sharp piece that quickly gets down to satirical business.

While I've always liked the play and wanted to get it 'out there' I guess the main point is that it is easy -- once you master the drill-- to use a platform like Smashwords to publish your text.

The process didn't cost me a cent. All (!) I needed was Microsoft Word. You, the potential reader, can obtain your free copy of the book(although I could charge you if I wanted to by setting my own price) by going here and downloading the book in the format of your choice (including in pdf  if you are still paper dependent). You can also read it online.

Easy it was. I'm hooked and am looking forward to converting  my writing archive into very shareable, eminently readable, ebookery.

I wanted an initial exercise to test out my procedural skills. This time around I'm very unlikely to be listed in the catalogue of the big online distributors (I'm serious). 

Maybe I'll get my own Amazon page some day...

• Get your copy: Girt By Sea

Tamil Asylum Seeker Protests Hits Christmas Island

MASS TAMIL ASYLUM SEEKER PROTEST HITS CHRISTMAS ISLAND

In scenes reminiscent of the early protests that rocked Woomera, Port Hedland and Baxter, under the Howard government, a mass protest by Tamil detainees at Christmas Island began at 4.30pm Christmas Island time, on Thursday, 27 January.

The protest is supported by all the Tamils detainees but, “We are hopeful that the Kurdish, Iranians and Arabs people will join us,” a Christmas Island  detainee told the Refugee Action Coalition.

At 4.30 around 60 asylum seekers began marching around the path inside the detention with placards saying, “How Long Do we have to wait’, “Oceanic Viking 6 weeks, Christmas Island 6 months”, and “Protection Not Detention.”

The protest coincides wit h the visit to the island by Senator Fielding and Opposition spokesperson on immigration, Scott Morrison.

“People are sick and tired of waiting so long for their the applications to be processed. There are scores of Tamils now who have been waiting for six months and much longer. The government has no explanation for why Tamil asylum seekers are having to wait so long. As their placard says, processing on the Oceanic Viking was done in six weeks, ” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.

“They are also angry at the people being charged for last year’s so-called riot and being put into the Red Compound management units.

“Australian of the year, Professor Patrick McGorry, was right when he called detention centres ‘factories for mental illness’ Perhaps Julia Gillard and Chris Evans will face up to the fact that Christmas Island is just as much a mental illness factory as Woomera or Baxter.

“There is no adequate torture and trauma counseling available and medication of the detainees is increasing. A government with a humane policy towards asylum seekers would close Christmas Island,” said Ian Rintoul.

There will be more protests in the days ahead. The detainees said they will maintain their protest “until we get answers.”

The protest also comes after detainees were told that under a new rule, management would no longer allow detainees to have mobile phones. Detainees in mainland detention centres are allowed to have mobile phones, and Christmas Island detainees have been allowed to have phones for months.

Meanwhile, it is expected that the two Australian refugee activists detained by Indonesian immigration authorities will return to Australian on Saturday morning. Tamil community activist, Sara Nathan will arrive in Sydney (Flight QF 042) at 7.40am. She will be available for media comment/interview at the airport.

For more information contact Refugee Action Coalition Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713

Girt by sea

Free ebook Download: Girt By Sea

Girt by Sea is an amalgam of several street theatre performances reworked as a play for voices (or for radio broadcast). There is nothing especially ambitious about the play as it merely tries to touch on a few notions about the mandatory detention of refugees and package them in a short, sharp piece that quickly gets down to satirical business.

(One day I'll lay this down as audio...)

________________________
CHARACTERS
COOEE!
AUSSIE OI!
INTERCOM (Some amplification and voice distortion required as through a loud hailer.)
_________________



FX SOUND OF VOICES DEVELOPED FROM A BABEL MIX OF MIDDLE EASTERN AND ASIAN LANGUAGES.

AS VOICES EBB THEY BLEND WITH THE SOUND OF WAVES LAPPING ON A BEACH.

ROUGH DRUM ROLL FOLLOWED BY A SINGLE DISCORDANT NOTE FROM A PARTY WHISTLE OR KAZOO. FOLLOWED BY COUGHING AND MURMUING AS IN A HALL OF PEOPLE.




COOEE! AUSSIE OI! (TOGETHER. SINGING UNACCOMPANIED.)
Australians let us all rejoice
AUSSIE OI! For we are young and free
With ……..and
Our home is girt by sea….

COOEE! (IN TUNE - HUM/UM)
La da de da de da da da

AUSSIE OI! A beauty rich and rare

COOEE! (IN TUNE - HUM/UM)

Ummm Hmmmm Hmmm Hmmm Ummm Hm


COOEE!/AUSSIE OI : (TOGETHER)

AD vance Os tray lia fair….!


FX: DRUM ROLL. MUCH WHISTLE AND KAZOO BLOWING HAD BY ALL. SUDDEN SHARP BEAT. SILENCE


COOEE! Girted by sea.--

AUSSIE OI! Makes you think.

COOEE! To "girt".

AUSSIE OI! "Girtedness".

COOEE! Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

AUSSIE OI! Oi! Oi! Oi!

(BOTH LAUGH.)

FX: BLOW AND HUMMING OF KAZOOS. DRUM BEAT. STOP).

COOEE! Girt--

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

COOEE! Land.

AUSSIE OI! Girt-

COOEE! Sea.

FX: BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

AUSSIE OI! Land.

COOEE! Girt-

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: BRIEF BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

(AUSSIE OI & COOEE! THEN DO THIS CIRCUIT OVER AND OVER FASTER AND FASTER RAISING THEIR VOICES UNTIL…)

AUSSIE OI!: Land.

COOEE! Girt-

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: BABBLE STOPS

(PAUSE.)

COOEE!/AUSSIE OI!
Refugees!

FX: DOUBLE DRUM BEAT.

COOEE! Over there,…
AUSSIE OI! Beyond the girt
COOEE! Beyond the girt… people live in garbage tips.
AUSSIE OI! Over there, they work for next to nothing.
COOEE! Over there, life is cheap.
AUSSIE OI! The root problem over there… is…
COOEE! --there's too many of them
AUSSIE OI! Over there.
COOEE! Or they're not over here.
AUSSIE OI! Over here, you can live the life of Riley if you work hard.
COOEE! But we don't want them from over there working hard over here.
AUSSIE OI! If they were over here who'd be working over there making all the stuff we buy over there?
COOEE! So all those over there need to stay over there so over here can stay the same. If they weren't over there we couldn't enjoy over here as much as we do. So we need them over there.
AUSSIE OI! And they need us over here. That's the rule, the status quo…that's geography in the market place.
COOEE! Thus the girt!
AUSSIE OI! (AGREEING)
Thus the girt!
COOEE! Without us over here, who'd buy what they've got to sell? It's a well known fact that over there you can live much cheaper than over here.
AUSSIE OI! Over here we don't live on garbage tips. Over here we've got a mortgage, a car to run and reticulated sewerage….Over there you can get by without those things.
COOEE! (ASIDE) So why don't they!
AUSSIE OI! Over here we've got problems. Over there they have them too. But the problems over there are just so BIG.
FX: DRUMBEAT.ROLL. CYMBAL.
COOEE! Over here we have a big enough task making ends meet. Over there it is probably the same…but hey! we're not over there, we're over here. And since we are over here, over there is a world away.
COOEE! Thus the girt!
AUSSIE OI! Thus the girt! So who gives a stuff, if over there gets it tougher than we get it over here.
COOEE! It's all relative. That's life.
COOEE! AUSSIE OI! (TOGETHER)
Fortunately it 's not ours.
FX: DRUMBEAT - CALL TO QUARTERS.
INTERCOM I wouldn't "jump the queue" if I was you
"Cause we got ways and means.
Of making sure we lock the door
To protect our coastal seams.

Wether you swim or drown
It's all the same
'Cause we don't give a stuff
Blather and cry, winge and complain
It's useless --- we play tough.

Girt by sea we can live with
Refugees we can't.
We secure our borders
By giving orders --
One rule for all when you approach our door
It's simple, just …piss off!
COOEE! Globalise existence if you will. We're ready here downunder.
AUSSIE OI! Restructured--
COOEE! Best practiced--
AUSSIE OI! Marketed--
COOEE! Fiscally reformed--
AUSSIE OI! Downsized--
COOEE! Privatised--
AUSSIE OI! Corporatised.
COOEE! Christ! We got a GST!
AUSSIE OI! So come on world
COOEE! Oi! Oi! Oi!
AUSSIE OI! And do you stuff:
COOEE! Send us your huddled downturns, your in-balanced sheets and your homeless capital yearning to be free!
AUSSIE OI! Oi! Oi! Oi!
COOEE! This is Australia calling.
AUSSIE OI! (SHOUTING)
Coooooooo_____ee!
FX "COOEEE" ECHOES…ENDS. THEN:
ANNOUNCER'S VOICE (FAR OFF. IN CLIPPED ENGLISH ACCENT OTHER THAN AUSTRALIAN)
Stay where you are Australia - I'm coming over!
FX: FIRST THREE BARS PLAYED BY A BRASS BAND OF ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR. THIS ENDS ABRUPTLY.
CARCOPHANY OF ASIAN URBAN SOUNDS MESHES WITH ANTHEN FROM WHICH EMERGE…CHORUS: AUSSIE OI'S AND COOEE'S VOICES EITHER PRE-RECORDED AND PLAYED IN FAST MODE OR THE SAME ACTORS EMPLOYING DIFFERENT OR DISTORTED VOICES .


1ST VOICE I don't know who they think they are fooling --
2ND VOICE We suffer and starve and go without schooling.
1ST VOICE: To make ends meet we gotta come cheap --
2ND VOICE Selling our labour till the end of the week.
1ST VOICE They told us the old days were over and gone -
2ND VOICE But everyone knows the same days live on.
IST VOICE Labour and capital, rich and poor --
2ND VOICE We don't want to live like this anymore.
IST VOICE We need some respite
2ND VOICE But what do we get?
1ST VOICE The same old "solution" -
BOTH Debt! Debt! Debt! …
FX: THIS EXTENDS INTO A BALINESE STYLE MONKEY CHANT WHICH DRIFTS INTO THE BACKGROUND WHILE AUSSIE OI! SPEAKS.
AUSSIE OI! What are we going to do? Offshore -- everywhere -- there's all these people dead set keen on coming here or any location offering a shot at three meals a day and an indoor toilet. Not that that's guaranteed, but that's the promise in the promised lands. And whether you recognise it or not what we've got here in the way of material pleasures is as good as it gets. Yesiree, it won't get any better than this. You may have misgivings. You may be one of those who harps on and on about how hard done by you are. Get a life! Instead of being born into a triple-fronted brick veneer low set and a regular breakfast of Weetbix plus choice of beverage, you could have been stuck in the household of a landless peasant from Upper Volta with early tuberculosis and a nasty case of intestinal worms. Get real, matey! You've got it good.
FX: "DEBT" MONKEY CHANT STOPS'
INTERCOM Stay away.
FX: WAVES ON BEACH
INTERCOM Stay away. Stay away.
FX: WAVES ON BEACH. STOP.
COOEE! Sheep shit in the South Pacific. With your baa lambs and your empty sky, you big fella stretched out sun baking.. Sunburnt. Sleepy. Empty. You lucky bastard of a country. You your own boss cockie. Sheep shit and blowies. My country. "Core of my heart."… My suburban quarter acre block with 3 b/rms, VJ interior, carpeted floors, refurb kitchen and all cons. You it. You girt by sea. You gloating in your wee little Aussie battlers this small. Youse the underdog. Youse all mates. Too bloody right you are… So with a sprig of wattle in our hand we celebrate from whence we came. Australians! You true blue sons and daughters of Oz! I ask you to charge your glasses and raise your voices. And let's hear it for all the dinky-dyes out there:
(ATTEMPT AT SINGING)
Australians let us all rejoice, for we are young and free ... etcetera, et…cet…tera…rah…rah…rah…rah!.
FX: MERGES INTO BACKGROUND OF DRUNKEN PARTY EXCHANGE WITH CLINKING OF GLASSWARE. TAPERS OFF.
INTERCOM Stay away!
FX: WAVES ON BEACH
INTERCOM Go back where you came from!
FX: WAVES ON BEACH
INTERCOM You're not wanted here!
FX: WAVES ON BEACH STOP.
(PAUSE)
COOEE! If we offend it is with our good will.
AUSSIE OI! We want the best
COOEE! The very best
AUSSIE OI! For all and sundry.
COOEE! For you--
AUSSIE OI! And you--
COOEE! And you--
AUSSIE OI! For all of us.
COOEE! In this dry brown land do dwell.
(PAUSE)
AUSSIE OI! But the job market is so very, very tight.
COOEE! Let us make this quite clear: Very tight.
AUSSIE OI! We're not to blame.
COOEE! Free enterprise being what it is.
AUSSIE OI! Has its ups.
COOEE! And downs.
AUSSIE OI! Here --
COOEE! As well as over there --
AUSSIE OI! Here .. there… is-simply-not-enough-to-go-around.
COOEE! Not enough land.
AUSSIE OI! Think of our carrying capacity.
COOEE! Hospital beds.
AUSSIE OI! Think of our carrying capacity.
COOEE! Pensions.
AUSSIE OI! Think of our carrying capacity.
COOEE! Money.
AUSSIE OI! No where near enough of that.
COOEE! Jobs.
(PAUSE)
AUSSIE OI! So if you are down and out ...
COOEE! We don't want to have to be lifting up our heads and shouting:
AUSSIE OI! Some wog's got my job!
COOEE! Do we?
AUSSIE OI! (ASIDE) Many lands.
COOEE! (ASIDE) One voice.
AUSSIE OI! But them --
COOEE! Them. Them's a different matter.
AUSSIE OI! Sneaking into our country!
COOEE! (ASIDE) And there's no way of telling them from the locals.
AUSSIE OI! No way.
COOEE! No bloody way!
AUSSIE OI! If they were to-
COOEE! Play by the rules
AUSSIE OI! Follow procedures.
COOEE! Join the queue.
AUSSIE OI! They'd be most welcome here.
COOEE! Most welcome.
(PAUSE)
AUSSIE OI! (AGGRESSIVELY) Don't come in the first place.
COOEE! We're not a soft touch.
AUSSIE OI! (ASIDE) Many lands.
COOEE! (ASIDE) One voice.
AUSSIE OI! But to sneak in!
COOEE! Sneak!
AUSSIE OI! Without an invite.
COOEE! We don't want people like that here…
AUSSIE OI! You never know what to expect…
COOEE! (ASIDE) It's embarrassing…smudging our picture postcard like that.
AUSSIE OI! We like to pick our own.
COOEE! It takes real effort to become a bona fide Australian.
AUSSIE OI! You don't become one by sneaking into the country, for instance.
COOEE! That's un-Australian.
AUSSIE OI! No. To become one you gotta play by the rules.
COOEE! Our rules.
COOEE!/AUSSIE OI! (TOGETHER.)
--We're searching for identity.
FX FIRST TWO BARS OF WALZING MATILDA. ABRUPTLY STOPS
AUSSIE OI! (ASIDE) Many lands.
COOEE! (ASIDE) One voice.
AUSSIE OI! COOEE! (TOGETHER. CURSORY ATTEMPT AT SINGING )
We are Aus-tray-lee-yarn.
COOEE! And just because you're here it doesn't mean you can stay.
AUSSIE OI! That's taking advantage.
COOEE! Stay away
AUSSIE OI! Stay at home.
COOEE! Go someplace else.
AUSSIE OI! Not here. Out there.
COOEE! Somewhere.
AUSSIE OI! Beyond the girt.
FX: WAVES ON BEACH QUICKLY BUILDING IN VOLUME AND POWER WITH A RISING WIND.CRY OF SEAGULLS. MUSIC RISING ABRUPTLY: 'ONEDIN LINE THEME' (THE BALLET MUSIC FROM SPARTACUS BY KHACHATURIAN.)
COOEE! (SHOUTING) Not here. Out there. Beyond the bloody girt.
FX: SEA, MUSIC AND WIND SOUNDS TAPER OFF QUICKLY TO SILENCE.
COOEE! Girt--

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

COOEE! Land.

AUSSIE OI! Girt-

COOEE! Sea.

FX: BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

AUSSIE OI! Land.

COOEE! Girt-

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: BABBLE OF ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN LANGUAGES.

AUSSIE OI! Land.

COOEE! Girt-

AUSSIE OI! Sea.

FX: NO BABBLE
(PAUSE)
COOEE!/AUSSIE OI! Refugees!
FX: CICADAS, BLOW FLIES,ETC ON A HOT SUMMER DAY.
RISING FROM BACKGROUND -- FAR OFF TO OFF --IS SOUND OF ETHNIC RADIO EG: ARABIC THEN INDONESIAN POP MUSIC -- AS STATIONS ARE CHANGED. THIS IS SUDDENLY SWITCHED OFF AND REPLACED BY STERILE MUSACK. SOUND OF A MICROPHONE BEING HANDLED AND STATIC.
INTERCOM Unlawful non citizens…Unlawful non citizens….This is not a borderless society. You are not wanted here….You are unauthorized arrivals...You are unauthorized arrivals…You have chosen not to apply for a visa. You refused to line up. You should have staid at home. You have shown no respect for the rule of law in this country...You have shown no respect.
FX: BLOW FLIES BUZZING
INTERCOM (PAUSE)
You are detained as a result of your unauthorised entry, not for asylum seeking …not for seeking asylum. You should have done that before you left to come here. That was your mistake. That was your mistake...You will be removed from here. You will be taken to the place from whence you came…You cannot stay in this country. You are going to be sent home...or somewhere else. You are non citizens who have broken our laws.
FX: BLOW FLIES BUZZING
AUSSIE OI! Naughty, naughty, naughty…
COOEE! We don't like that.
AUSSIE OI! Not at all.
COOEE! Any offshore resource is similarly girt by law.
AUSSIE OI! Girt by law.
COOEE! So if any unlawful non citizen were to beach themselves on Christmas Island.
AUSSIE OI! That's girt by law.
COOEE! Ashmore reef.
AUSSIE OI! Girt by law.
COOEE! Cocos Island.
AUSSIE OI! Girt by law.
COOEE! Oil rigs at sea.
AUSSIE OI! Girt by law.
INTERCOM (BARKED AS ON PARADE GROUND)
Excised offshore places strengthening our territorial integrity.

FX THREE BARS, ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR.

AUSSIE OI!/COOEE! (TOGETHER PSEUDO SINGING IN 4/4 TIME AS SOON AS MUSIC STOPS)
Girt by law
Girt by law.
FX: BLOW FLIES BUZZING
INTERCOM (BARKED AS ON PARADE GROUND)
As your official detention service provider we have been contracted to run this immigration detention facility.
AUSSIE OI!/COOEE! (TOGETHER PSEUDO SINGING)
Girt by law
Girt by law.
INTERCOM (PROMOTIONAL)
For around $120 per person per day twin share we offer a great deal. Three meals a day. Culturally appropriate menus. A bed for all. Laundry facilities. Games room. Shower block. Unlimited chilled water, tea, coffee, milk and sugar. 24 hour medical centre. All mod cons. So if you are depressed, severely depressed or slip into psychosis on occasion during your extended stay with us…We're prepared.
FX: BLOW FLIES BUZZING. STERILE MUSACK* BEGINS. THEN STOPS
INTERCOM (VOICE MOVE FROM 'OFF' TO 'ON' AS IN PASSING BY]
No escaping… No self mutilation… No starving to death…No sitting on roofs.... No stitching of lips together…No torching facilities…No rioting … No litigation…No attention seeking…No embarrassing behaviours of any kind … None of that…You can't complain. Not allowed…That's un-Australian.
[VOICE MOVE FROM 'ON' TO 'OFF', THEN 'FAR OFF' & PART REPEAT THROUGH A FADE.]
FX: BLOW FLIES BUZZING . SILENCE. STERILE MUSACK BEGINS. THEN STOPS
INTERCOM Thankyou for waiting. Your application as an unlawful non-citizen is being processed.
FX: STERILE MUSACK BEGINS. THEN STOPS
INTERCOM Thankyou for waiting. Your application as an unlawful non-citizen is being processed.
FX: STERILE MUSACK BEGINS. THEN STOPS
INTERCOM Thankyou for waiting. Your application as an unlawful non-citizen is being processed.
FX: STERILE MUSACK BEGINS. THEN STOPS.
INTERCOM Thankyou for waiting. Your application as an unlawful non-citizen is being processed.
FX: STERILE MUSACK BEGINS. FADES. SOUND OF A DISCONNECTED PHONE LINE. TAPERS OFF. DRUM ROLL. FOLLOWED BY SINGLE LONG BLOW ON SPORTS WHISTLE
INTERCOM All men on stage!
FX: RUNNING ON WOODEN FLOOR.
INTERCOM Everybody down on one knee! Now bend down low and look battle-worn. A bit more tension there. A touch more gloom on your faces. That's it.
You there, you'll play the role of Dole Bludger. Now dance over to the others with an expression of furtive glee.
FX: SINGLE PERSON DANCING ON WOODEN FLOOR.
INTERCOM Furtive glee, I said, furtive glee! Ah, that's better.
All available female personnel. Line up!
FX: RUNNING ON WOODEN FLOOR.
INTERCOM You -- yes you! -- you're Miss Homelife. Sorry, Mrs Homelife. You seem demure enough for the role. And you're Miss Equality, because it's all the same to me whoever plays the part. And you're Miss Australia, so look stalwart and generous. Stalwart and generous, I said!
Get ready now. Let's go.
All you men there, break from your imaginary toil and rise upward toward an imaginary sun. Mrs Homelife, Miss Equality and Miss Australia, minister to them. Minister! Put some love in it! They're your little darlings, for crissake!
Men, pretend "you have nothing" and imagine "you can make it". Climb over each other, symbolising the effects of a free market economy. Excellent! Now build a pyramid with your competing bodies.
FX: STRAINED SCRAMBLE OF BODIES. SOME FALLING.
INTERCOM How about a little teamwork there! That's better. Dole Bludger, lay down flat so you can break their fall.
You on top, take an imaginary flag in your hand and wave it to the tempo of a free country, conveying the joy of being a victorious Aussie battler. Great.
All ladies stand up. Come on up you get. Hang imaginary garlands around the necks of everyone -- for trying. That's to symbolise the blooming of happiness that only comes with effort.
Wonderful! That's it. That's it! Let in the sheep. Bring up the kookaburra chorus.
FX BACKGROUND: SHEEP. KOOKABURRA CALL.
INTERCOM Add the didgeridoo.
FX BACKGROUND: DIDGERIDOO LEAD IN. ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR SLOWLY RISING

INTERCOM Now, unfold the flag. Slouch hats on. Wave the sprigs of wattle. I said, wave them -- hold them aloft and give them a bloody good shake. That's better. Now all you ethnics in the front row, face the front and smile. Good. Excellent. Send in the wombat and the kangaroo. And you, indigenous Australian blackfella-type person in a loin cloth, show us your teeth. Now we're cooking. Are we happy or what? I can't hear it? Are we happy? You bet we are.
(PAUSE)
No wonder they all want to come here.
FX ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR RISES QUICKLY IN VOLUME AND OCHESTRATION. THEN FADES. WAVES ON BEACH. BLOW FLIES BUZZING.

FINIS


*STERILE MUSACK: [Suggestion] The same few bars--repeated each time-from the instrumental version of The Girl from Ipanema (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

Fact Sheet and Calls for International Solidarity for the Tamil’s Asylum Seekers in Indonesia

From Indonesian Working People's Association - PRP

Nov 18, 2009

Profile

Some 255 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka since 11 October 2009 still live in a wooden boat leaning on Harbor Indah Kiat, Merak, Banten. Merak in Banten Province is a small city 120 km or about 3 hours drive from Jakarta. The wooden boat they use is about 100 feet2 (30.48m2). On the ship they share a place among 195 men, 29 women, one of them is 5 month pregnant, and 31 children. They are Tamil who came from some areas in Sri Lanka such as Jaffna, Batticaloa, Mullaittivu and Colombo. They left their home country, Sri Lanka, a result from prolonged conflict between the government and LTTE armed groups. There are six main reasons why they left Sri Lanka: Racial Discrimination, oppression by LTTE to join them, genocide, persecution, kidnapping and murder. Now in Sri Lanka over 250,000 people are suffering in so-called refugee camps, which are in fact torture camps. In all parts of Sri Lanka Tamil-speaking people have been arrested and killed.

The Travel of Asylum Seeker

In Malaysia

The Asylum Seeker leaved Sri Lanka not at the same time then meets in Malaysia. In Malaysia they stay at detention center. Some of them managed administer their refugee documents in the UNHCR Malaysia office. The total number of person who has Refugees Document from UNHCR is 109 people. Another 24 have UNHCR letters stating they are in the final stages of refugee determination. However, because Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, they cannot get their rights as refugees. Among those rights are the right to work and the right to a decent livelihood. Another problem in Malaysia is: the health service came late despite being sick. It is hard and sometime they do not get medical services from the hospital, despite brought the documents required and also the lack of education for their children. They stated also that the Sri Lanka Government belief that Tamil people residing in Malaysia is involved with the LTTE. Because of that condition, they decided to flee from Malaysia on October 1, 2009 to continue the journey to Australia in the hope for a better life.

In Indonesia

By using wooden boat they began to depart from Malaysia to Australia. On October 10, 2009, they were intercept by the Indonesian Navy, and force them to dock at the port of Indah Kiat, Merak, Banten, Indonesia. Since then, they were in detention Indonesian Navy. Next the authority was switch to the Banten Immigration Office and also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the help from IOM (International Organization on Migration).

They refused to leave the ship and to be moved to a building near the port which is provided by the immigration authorities because of fears of arrest, deported back to Sri Lanka. They worry that there is no guarantee of fulfillment and protection of human rights, including rights to health and education for their children. Indonesia hasn’t signed the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugee.

The desire of the Asylum Seeker

They refuse to be send to their home country Sri Lanka. Fears of persecution by the Government of Sri Lanka became the main reason for the rejection. They also didn’t want to meet with representative from Sri Lanka Embassy. For fearing of their identity might be known by the Sri Lanka government and it will affect their relatives in Sri Lanka.

They also requested that the Government of Indonesia does not hold them, and to release or let them continue their journey.

They want the UNHCR to visit them as soon as possible to discuss the fate and the protection of their rights as asylum seekers/ refugees.

They wanted to be in a contry that can give assurance of their life existence as Tamils ethnic. They wanted a better life especially for the economy, education, health, and other fundamental rights for their children in countries that have the ability to fulfill it. Like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.

Indonesian Government Policies

The existence of diplomatic agreements related to immigration flows between the Government of Indonesia and Australia’s "Indonesian solution", pointed out as a major factor for the detention of this asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. Related to these asylum seekers, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has requested the help of the Government of Indonesia to continue holding asylum seekers in Indonesia. For these purposes, the Australian Government would provide the budget.

On the other hand, Indonesia does not have a framework for dealing with asylum seekers or refugees. Indonesia also hasn’t sign the UN Convention on Refugee Status. This resulted in lack of clarity about the fate of asylum seekers and refugees. Fundamental rights, of those are guaranteed by the civil rights and political covenant, as well as covenants of economic rights, social, and cultural became ignored. The asylum seekers cannot obtain a decent living in this country. More severe, asylum seekers are often classified as illegal immigrants in the context of Indonesian law that can be detained and treated as criminal immigration, which then leads to the arrest and deportation. Such policy is clearly a threat to asylum seekers, as well as refugees.

What We Do?

We consolidate several organization to build a coalition, those organization are: Confederation Congress of Indonesia Union Alliance, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Legal Aid Institute Foundation and Human Rights Working Group. And we named our coalition: Civil Society Solidarity for Asylum Seeker and Refuges. We have visited the refugees three times. The last one is with Indonesia Human Rights Commission. We have also had a meeting with UNHCR.

In the meeting with UNHCR, they said that Indonesia UNHCR is maintaining a silent publicity. This is due to Indonesia hasn’t sign the UN Convention. UNHCR also stated that they have been asking for an access from the Foreign Ministry. But their request was rejected.

In a meeting between the Asylum Seeker, Working Peoples Association, Indonesia Human Rights Commission and our coalition, the Human Rights Commission promises several things: they will contact the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to provide better basic needs and they will contact the Foreign Ministry to pressure them in finding a solution for the Asylum Seeker.

On Sunday, 15 November 2009, Working Peoples Association with Confederation KASBI visited Merak again for the purpose to giving several goods that they need but not provided by the IOM. Among other things are; mirror, comb, SIM card, mobile phone, laptop and some Indonesian currency to be exchange with the foreign currency they have. The other is to ask what other things they need but not being given by IOM. From our campaign some of Working Peoples Association members and other peoples have given donation. But we are forbidden to enter the area. On Tuesday, 17 November 2009, PRP and Coalition held press conference urging the Indonesian government to give access to Indonesian people’s solidarity, UNHCR and other humanitarian aid.

The condition of the Asylum Seeker

They perform daily activities in the wooden boat ranging from bathing, washing, cleaning, cooking, eating, drinking, playing, etc. They have to take turns to sleep on the narrow deck. International Organization on Migration (IOM), Indonesia became the supplier of their basic needs while they dock in Merak, Banten. Under the coordination of the Merak Immigration, IOM distributed staples such as water, food, and some other needs.

On 26–30 October 2009, the distribution of their basic needs was stopped. This is done to force them to move from the ship and live in buildings that have been provided. However, the Asylum Seeker stays and refused to move. The Merak immigration authorities denied that they stop the supply of basic needs for the asylum seekers. Although they acknowledge the facts about the supply of basic needs was stopped and implicitly that the termination came from initiative of the Government. They stated that it would be better that asylum seekers living in the building provided by the immigration authorities.

IOM and the Indonesian government give them 3.000 liter water a day, one t shirt and one shorts for male and a set of cloth for women. Pillow only for women and children and one mat for two people. The refugees complaining that the food had worm, needle and small stone in it and all the 31 children is losing weight.

After Working Peoples Association last visit with the Civil Society Solidarity for Asylum Seeker and Refugees and Indonesian Human Rights Commission, the refugees was called by Indonesian Navy guarding them. A Colonel, named Irawan, socialized government decision to state the area as a restricted area and not to allow UNHCR and media to go to the area. Later when we came we know that Indonesian people’s solidarity was also forbidden to enter the area.

Heavy rain since couple of days has complicated the asylum seekers condition, especially women and children. The boat only use tarpaulin roof that torn in several spot and doesn’t cover all the room. Children are infected with pneumonia, fever and diarrhea. On Saturday, 14 November 2009, there was an incident: The conditions of the refugees are deteriorating because of the weather and the Indonesia government attitude in stalling the time in giving proper solution for the Refugees. Deteriorating condition causes one woman fainted and unconscious. Panic and tension then happen when International Organization of Migration (IOM) is disincline to come to the boat and treat the woman. After some time finally the woman was taken to Krakatau Steel Hospital. Now International Organization on Migration, who previously distributing daily needs given by the Indonesia government, moved outside Indah Kiat Harbor area. The generator that supplies electricity for the refugees is also taken by IOM. Often the asylum seekers are starve because of the food that deliver by Indonesia Navy was late (after IOM pull back). They also have to use their own money to pay for ambulances to transport sick and unconscious people to hospital.

We are calling all International Organization

1. To support the Asylum Seekers and our demand:

a. The Indonesian government must immediately open humanitarian aid access from the people of Indonesian to the Asylum Seeker.

b. The Indonesian government must stop banning media to cover the Asylum seeker condition.

c. The Indonesian government must immediately give access to UNHCR.

d. The Indonesian government must stop becoming a puppet regime for the Australian government’s “Indonesia Solution”.

e. The Indonesian government must give protection and humanitarian aid to the Asylum seeker in the form of:

i. Protection and accommodation while they are in Indonesian territory.

ii. No limitation for their rights of mobilization.

f. The Indonesian government must signs the UN Convention on Refugees.

2. By giving urgent action; letters, fax, phone call, lightning action, etc in the Indonesian embassy.
3. By holding a demonstration at the Indonesian embassy on your country on the 5th December 2009.




Ign Mahendra K

Vice Chairperson of International Department

Regional left groups statement on Tamil refugees

A joint statement of: Socialist Alliance, Australia    Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)    Network of the Oppressed People (JERIT), Malaysia    Confederation Congress of Indonesian Union Alliance (KASBI)     Working Peoples Association (PRP), Indonesia    National Liberation Party of Unity (PAPERNAS)    Indonesian National Front for Labor Struggle (FNPBI)    Socialist Party (Australia)    CWI Malaysia

Respect human rights - free the refugees!
Reject Australia's 'Indonesian solution'
Australia should welcome the asylum seekers

All respect for elementary human rights and dignity have been thrown overboard as the governments of Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia refuse to accept the latest wave of Tamil asylum seekers fleeing war and oppression in Sri Lanka and instead treat them like criminals.

The Australian government is the only of these three governments to have signed the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees but it is refusing to carry out its obligations to asylum seekers under that convention.

For weeks, more than 250 Tamil-speaking people, including children, remain in dire conditions on a boat in Merak, Indonesia. Another 68 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers, including children, remain on the Australian customs ship Oceanic Viking off Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia. Both groups are refusing to leave their boats for fear that Indonesia will lock them up in detention centres with a reputation for brutality and/or send them back to an uncertain future in Sri Lanka. On November 1, it was reported that a boat of asylum seekers had sunk near the Cocos Islands, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean, and 12 are missing feared drowned.

Meanwhile, 207 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers are being held at the Immigration Detention Centre at Kuala Lumpar International Airport, and 108 Sri Lankan refugees are being detained at Pekan Nanas Immigration Detention Centre in Johor, Malaysia. Malaysia is both a transit point and a country of permanent asylum for tens of thousands of refugees from countries such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Australian PM Kevin Rudd claims its policy is "humane" but "tough". It is neither. The Rudd Labor government of Australia is bribing the Indonesian government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to intercept the boats of asylum seekers on their way to Australia. This "Indonesian solution" out-sources Australia's obligation to asylum seekers to Indonesia just as its predecessor did to Nauru and PNG in the name of a "Pacific solution".

Many of those seeking asylum in Australia come from Sri Lanka where the Tamils have suffered from decades of brutal oppression at the hands of various Sinhala national chauvinist governments. The government of Mahinda Rajapaksa unleashed an all-out terror campaign this year, killing some 20,000 Tamil people in the month of May. Since the end of the military offensive, more than 300,000 Tamil people have been imprisoned in concentration-style camps and denied the right to return to their homes. It is estimated that 31,000 children are among those incarcerated, without proper access to shelter, food and medicine.

The Australian government, like many governments in the West and across Asia, supported the Rajapaksa regime throughout its final onslaught preferring to maintain trade links, including selling arms, rather than stop the Tamil minority from being massacred.

We condemn the Australia, Indonesian and Malaysian governments for their lack of commitment to the humanitarian problems faced by the refugees and we demand:

* That the governments of our countries withdraw financial and diplomatic support from the Sri Lankan government until it closes the concentration camps, and allows the Tamils trapped in camps to go back to their homes without fear of persecution.

* That no refugee fleeing war and persecution should be forced to return to the country they fled.

* That Australia, as a wealthy and developed country which has exploited its poorer neighbours, should immediately develop a program to settle tens of thousands of asylum seekers and take a leading role in helping reduce the misery of the world's millions of refugees, most of whom are trying to survive in desperate conditions in refugee camps in some of the world's poorest countries.

* That Australia allow the asylum seekers trapped in Indonesia to come to Australia to have their claims heard here and we condemn the Indonesian government for being a puppet for the Australian government in preventing refugees from going to Australia. This cooperation between these two governments is a threat not only to the Tamil refugees but to human rights in the region.

* That Australia must immediately close the Christmas Island refugee prison, close it down and allow those asylum seekers to live in freedom in Australia while their claims are processed.

* That the Indonesian, Malaysian and Australian governments respect the human rights of the refugees, give protection, humanitarian aid and accomodation to the refugees as long as they are in Indonesian territory and place no limitation for their rights to seek an asylum.

* That the Malaysian and Indonesian governments sign the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, release the asylum seekers they have in detention and allow them full access to UNHCR and human rights groups.

We appeal to all democratic and progressive people in Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia, trade unions, human rights organisations and women's rights organisations to understand the plight of the asylum seekers and to support our demands.

November 5, 2009

[If your organisation would like to add its name to this statement, please write to the Socialist Alliance .]

SLIDESHOW Sydney protest against Rudd Labor's "Indonesian solution"

Nov 2, 2009 Central Station, Sydney

photosAbout 100 people turned out for a lunchtime protest outside the immigration department offices in Sydney to protest the Rudd Labor government's racist and inhumane "Indonesian solution" - which means intercepting desperate asylum seekers at sea and forcing them into detention camps in Indonesia.

Made with Slideshow Embed Tool

SLIDESHOW Countering the racist lies & building solidarity with refugees

[These are presentation notes to accompany the Powerpoint Presentation which was delivered by Paul Benedek to a refugee forum  organised by the Socialist Alliance in Brisbane on October 27th, 2009  ]

Introduction

Focus of this is on countering the dangerous, racist lies – from politicians, from media – that create climate of fear, of scapegoating. Just what is behind this “fortress Australia” policy?

As Alex – Tamil spokesperson for the boat currently in Indonesia, where a recent hunger strike was held – told GLW: “When people are fleeing war and genocide, how can a country think protecting themselves is more important than helping these people? The world is for all of humankind, we are just like you except we do not have a country.”

“We are refugees and we want to get away from genocide”, Alex said. “There are women and children on board here. And we are not animals, we are people, but we are being treated inhumanely.”

Countering the racist lies & building solidarity with refugees

View more presentations from Ratbag Media.

The “Indonesia Solution”

New refugee colonialism – Australia using political pressure, and money, to “outsource” detention of (primarily Tamil) refugees to Indonesia. Tens of millions to Indo to halt and detain people fleeing genocide.

This is a slightly altered version of Howard Govt’s “Pacific Solution” – where poor countries like Nauru were bullied and bribed into being a dumping ground for refugees.

The idea of both these policies – Howard’s Pacific Solution and Rudd’s Indonesia Solution – is this: minimize Australia’s responsibility to these desperate people. Prevent them from reaching Australian territory and thus having access to the basic laws of Australia. The Howard govt even went so far as to excise parts of Australia – to say in effect “no you haven’t reached Australia, you still have no rights”. This policy came in the wake of the Tampa, where scapegoating refugees was used to win an election. Rudd is now following the same line…

These old Pacific and the new Indonesian solutions are not merely about 2 similarly placed countries jockeying about who takes refugees. It is essentially the rich, first world – which is massively better resourced to resettle refugees – putting up a fortress, and instead forcing refugees to poor countries. A sort of new “refugee imperialism”. Even have TV shows to underline the message “border security”!

Worse:

Indonesia is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, meaning no guarantee of accepting refugees and giving them rights (indeed, few countries between the Middle East and Australia have signed the Refugee Convention).

Indonesia of course very poorly equipped to resettle people who have experienced war, genocide, trauma, psychological distress, injuries, torture and more. Lets be clear on this – even when listed with the UNHCR as a refugee, in Indonesia not permitted to seek employment, send children to school, or apply for residency

Now reports of detention centres in Indonesia where Tamil refugees are being beaten. So we went through long campaign end brutality of mandatory detention, to close horror camps like Woomera and Baxter…..yet these new “outsourced” camps are worse!

Recent report on Indonesia's detention centres: "... babies and children reside in maximum security

third-world jails"; asylum seekers "treated like animals. There are beatings fairly frequently at the hands of Indonesian military and Immigration officials. If anyone escapes the rest who are left behind will be beaten as a warning." In places like Mataram, Lombok, there are rats running around….extremely cramped conditions….People can't lie down at the same time so they can't sleep at the same time. In a prison in Pontianak ... around 50 men and unaccompanied boys are locked up in a big cell just smaller than a tennis court, a concrete cell behind bars. It's very hot and steamy and when the men do their business it flows into a ditch behind the building and just sits there and the stench is unbelievable.

Not just Indonesia – also Malaysia. Socialist Party of Malaysia statement against ‘collusion with Sri Lankan govt’ (note MSP will be at SA Conf)

Hundreds of Sri Lankan asylum seekers held at the Immigration Detention Centre at Kuala Lumpar Airport + another Detention Centre. Many women and children, including a woman in her 8mth of pregnancy

Reports that the Sri Lankan embassy were forcing a group of Sri Lankan refugees to sign agreements for repatriation – when refused to sign the agreements, the embassy personnel beat and kicked them to force them to sign the agreement.

UNHCR and HRC of Malaysia denied access to the refugees. Yet SL govt officials can.

Despite some having UNHCR status, cant work. Of course, must work, so do so illegally, opening up to abuse. What if boss doesn’t pay them? Opens them to extortion.

The global refugee situation and Australia’s role

But to get a full understanding of whats happening in Australia and the region and with the Tamil refugees, it’s important we put it in the context of the global refugee situation.

There are around 42mill refugees and internally displaced people officially – however that no doubt understates the figure. It still doesn’t include the growing number of climate change refugees, which are not yet officially included in the UN definition of refugees. The amount of refugees globally is on the rise - wars, conflict, poverty and the effects of climate change are causing this. According to Amnesty, 1 person in 115 on the globe is a refugee

So what is Australia’s role in this global tragedy? Surely we are always told we are such a “generous” country?! Well, Australia's refugee intake is tiny in relation to this global situation. –Australia houses 1 refugee for every 1600 people. Compare to Tanzania, a poor country – 1 in 76. In Switzerland, 1 in 160.

Australia takes around 13,000 refugees per year total – at the start of the 1980s it was 20,000. The 1500 or so boat arrivals this year is just over 10% of the total refugees we will take. It is just over 1% of immigration (134,000). . Fewer than 1600 asylum seekers have come to Australia by boat this year. Labelling this a “surge” is a sham. Australia is in a position to take many more refugees than it now does.

Aren’t they “illegals”? 

Rudd, the opposition and the media have casually used the false term “illegal immigrants” to describe the refugees.

To demonstrate their “illegality”, the navy is used to “repel” these people, as if they are an invading army….rather than desperate men, women and children seeking safety from war and genocide.

However, we must be clear – there is no such thing as an “illegal” asylum seeker. Both the UN refugee convention, and Australian law, make it perfectly clear that it is legal for people seeking asylum to do so in another country – whether they have papers or not, whether they arrive by boat or not – it is perfectly legal to seek asylum, and they have a right to be heard.

Indeed, when their cases are heard – after sometimes months or years being locked away cruelly after already experiencing the horror of displacement – around 85% are found to fulfil refugee criteria.

[By the way, this does not mean that the other small amount are ‘rorting’ the system, just that they may not fulfil the strict criteris….for example, people fleeing Tuvulu as their island goes under would not, under current law, receive refugee status.]

 Boatpeople are ‘queue jumpers’, stealing the places of ‘genuine’ refugees waiting patiently in camps for their turn at orderly processing by the UNHCR

There is no such queue. In many places, there is no UNHCR office and no Australian embassy – including Iraq and Afghanistan

Now, I looked up Sri Lanka, yes there is a UNHCR! And indeed several offices - Colombo,

Vavuniya, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Batticaloa. However, please note that you can only apply to the Colombo office for refugee status. The UNHCR Field Offices cannot entertain any applications for refugee status. Great. So all a Tamil has to do is get free from the camps and go to the heart of Sri Lanka and then they may have a chance…..?!

Of course, actually going to a UNHCR office and/or expressing a desire to leave may literally put your life at risk or expose you to danger. It is in a countries interest to prevent a refugee reaching the UNHCR, since such an application for asylum is an indication of persecution or war in that country.

Even if you do gain UNHCR status, it can mean little. Australia has not taken one UNHCR refugee from Indonesia in the last 3 yrs! 24 of those who recently died when their ship sank off the coast of Indonesia had already been granted refugee status by the UNHCR in Jakarta.

Finally, the concept of a queue, in a humanitarian view, is ridiculous. Imagine the Victorian bushfires, being told – “well sorry, the limit is 10 per week….you’ll have to wait your turn….yet the 170 deaths in these bushfires is indeed small compared to the daily toll in Sri Lanka.

Myth: Refugees cost “us” greatly

Millions is being poured into “border control” - including for the military. Now tens of millions is being given to Indonesia to run what could be described as torture camps to “outsource” the Australian governments dirty work. Mandatory detention cost $104 per day – up until recently, disgustingly, refugees were billed for this amount – one Iranian refugee who suffered depression after 4yrs in detention, was billed for $268,000!

The government is even sending furnished shipping containers from the Baxter detention centre — suspected of dangerously high formaldehyde content — to Christmas Island to house asylum seekers there.

A humane policy, that welcomed refugees and helped them settle here and build a better life, would be far less costly. Of course refugees can’t “contribute” when they are stuck in detention centres whether on Xmas Island or Indonesia, hunger striking for their rights. Instead of money being spent on razor wire, extreme security, military ships patrolling…money should be going to resettlement services, to help refugees join in the community, find work, housing, education, much needed healthcare and more.

For example – a parole system, with refugees living in the community, would cost $5.39 per day – compared to $104 per day for mandatory detention

Myth: Cracking down on ‘people smugglers’ will stop asylum seekers reaching Australia

While there are no doubt people smugglers who attempt to make the most money possible and often put asylum seekers lives at risk, the fundamental, unmistakable fact remains that ‘people smugglers’ fulfill a service that is absolutely necessary for those that use them.

As the barriers go up in on the rich-world fortresses, as the numbers of refugees to be taken by countries that have the resources to take them are inhumanely low, and as refugee services are unable to reach those suffering war or genocide – then asylum seekers are forced to turn to people smugglers to get to a country where they may gain sanctuary.

A simple question to the most racist, the most hardline, the Wilson Tuckeys or Philip Ruddock’s….if you and your loved ones were in a Tamil concentration camp; had seen other family killed; knew the monsoon season and horrific illness and death were coming…..if you had a chance to get out by a people smuggler, would you take it?

Kevin Rudd calls them “'scum of the earth' who should 'rot in jail and rot in hell'. But should Oskar Schindler was a “people smuggler”; a poor fisherman who tries to ferry a bunch of his community and himself to safety is a “people smuggler”. I have heard a brave Afghan Chaman Shah here in Brisbane say openly “without a people smuggler I would be dead”.

There is a humane way to undermine people smuggling….and that is, for well resourced governments like Australia to massively boost its refugee intake, and to facilitate refugees coming here. If those facing war and persecution knew that Australia – and other first-world countries – would let them in and help them get to countries like Australia, they wouldn’t have to risk their lives seeking refuge.

The navy ships that try to keep refugees out, that monitor leaky boats, that even – in the horrific case of the SIEV-X – appear to stand by while desperate refugee boats sink and hundreds drown….these navy ships instead could be used to bring people safely to Australia and settle them quickly into the community.

MYTH: Won’t a humane policy ‘open the floodgates’ and we will be ‘swamped’ by refugees?

Firstly, its worth noting that pre 1992 mandatory detention didn’t exist. There were no floods then, no swamping – just an ebb and flow of asylum seekers depending on the global situation, with applicants in hostels, who then went into the community once they had their refugee status.

This is the otherside of the argument that harsh policies will stop refugees coming. The reality is, regardless of the policies, refugees will flee when they need to. Yet – much as it crushes the inflated nationalism of Australians - refugees don’t want to be here! Given a choice, the vast majority would rather be in the places they and their families grew up in, where the language is familiar, where they are connected to the culture – as long as their lives were not at risk. The Tamils would rather be in Tamil Eelam – if there wasn’t genocide occurring. The Iraqis want to be in Iraq, the Afghanis in Afghanistan, where it not being bombed and occupied. A good eg is East Timor – despite being one of the poorest countries on earth, the vast majority of East Timorese who had sought refuge actually returned to this poor country when it finally won independence.

So, sorry, but there isn’t hordes ready to swarm Australia – they actually prefer a bit of culture to this redneck enclave!

Want to get rid of refugees? Then stop creating them!

The irony of the Australian govt formulating such anti-refugee policy, is that Australia has played an active role in creating refugees.

Australia eagerly was part of the coalition of the killing in the invasions and occupations of both iraq and Afghanistan – both creating tens or hundreds of thousands of refugees (along with killing over 1mill people in the case of Iraq).

In the case of Sri Lanka, Australia has been a close ally of Sri Lankas brutal govt, never whispering a word of caution as Sri Lanka engages in genocidal policies. [Joint military training?]

Another area where Australia is helping create refugees is the daily growing crisis of climate refugees, displaced from low-lying countries that are going under water, having their crop land poisoned by salt water, and facing ever worsening climate disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes and floods – which can’t be directly attributed to climate change, but are certainly happening more frequently and with greater impact due to climate change. In the face of this, Australia remains the greatest per capita emitter of CO2 in the world.

Role of racism under capitalism

So if refugees account for only 10% of Australias migrant intake; and refugees by boat more like 1%; and Australia takes such a small proportion of refugees….then why is this manufactured into such a huge political crisis, with daily frontpage coverage, with major parties competing to be “tough”, even with elections fought on the issue of a few hundred people seeking safety????

That last example – the Tampa – gives us the answer, and its none too secret. Anti-refugee hysteria is useful for the system, a useful political tool, to find a scapegoat for societies problems. Think back to the Tampa – 2001, there was considerable anger at the Howard govt for selling Telstra, for attacks on unions, and esp for the GST -> these issues prob would have seen Howard lose the election…..but along came Tampa. Howard, with a willing media, and a “me-too” ALP “opposition”, skillfully turned the election away from those real issue that effected millions of the population, and on to a scapegoat….the Tampa refugees. “We decide who comes to this country and the ciurcumstances in which they come” Howard infamously bellowed in adverts draped in the flag, not too different to Pauline Hanson’s overt racism of the preceeding years.

So portraying refugees as “illegals” and stirring up racism toward migrants in general creates a convenient scapegoat for the government's failures. The government habitually appeals to racist and nationalist attitudes to draw support for, or distract from, unpopular actions.

Media’s role in racism 

The corporate media has been a driving force behind the racist fear mongering

Use of false, racist language that promotes fear - “boatpeople”; “illegals”; “flood”;

The media played up every slur Liberal and Labour came up with. Then Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey told media the asylum boats were “a terrorist threat”.

The media has failed, and continues to fail, to bring accurate reporting on the horrors facing the Tamil people. If the community in Australia had knowledge over the oppression the Tamils faced for decades, the slaughter that has taken place, if ppl saw that reality – then we would see much more sympathy

Important we recognize the systemic racism – that the fault lies not with bigoted individuals, as offensive as they can be – but the media and politicians that fan this racism are the ones that should be held to account

Another reason for the racism – to break solidarity between the poor and oppressed.

Conclusion

Perhaps Labor is even more despicable than the previous government, given the hypocrisy. At least Howard was rather boldly bigoted – yet Rudd and his govt parade as supporters of human rights and “civilised values”….yet when a few hundred poor, desperate, persecuted refugees approach Australian, any humanity is “thrown overboard”.

Refugees are cast as a dark force threatening Australia. But a two-party political system that willfully breaks international law; engages in wars and supports genocidal governments; abuses people fleeing war and persecution; and whips up racism for political gain – this is the real danger.

In a just world, it’s the cynical politicians and their helpers, from Wilson Tuckey to Kevin Rudd – that would be the ones locked up, rather than desperate asylum seekers.

SATIRE Kevin Ruddock

 

Refugee Man

From Ben Courtice.

Geelong Trades Hall Council backs AWU secretary Howes on refugees

"Geelong Trades Hall Council backs Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes 100% in his call for Australia to roll out the red carpet for refugees", Tim Gooden, the GTHC secretary said today. (Pictured right).

"It's a relief that a union movement figure of Howes' importance stands up and rejects the miserable competition between the Rudd government and the Coalition on who can be 'toughest' on people smugglers", Gooden added. "Howes is completely right when he says that the issue 'brings out the worst in our politicians'."

"How ironic that the Rudd government's refusal to let a few boatfuls of people fleeing death and persecution in Sri Lanka enter Australia coincides with the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Snowy River Scheme," Gooden said. "The Chifley Labor government helped build this country by welcoming people fleeing war and persecution, but Rudd Labor increasingly resembles Howard's, one of the most racist in Australian history."

"It's even reached the point where it is sending demountables from the Baxter detention centre--suspected of dangerously high formaldehyde content--to Christmas Island to house asylum-seekers there."

"The Geelong Trades Hall Council calls on the entire trade union movement to follow the lead given by the AWU national secretary, and for it to mobilise public opinion against Canberra's bi-partisan bullies of refugees."


Gooden concluded: "The Australian Council of Trade Unions must stand up against the inhumanity of the politicians. Geelong Trades Hall Council will be doing all

Comment: Tim Gooden (0438 088 112)

Shame, Labor, shame!

A wave of deep moral revulsion swept through anyone in this country with social conscience when Labor PM Kevin Rudd uttered that ugly sentence: “This government makes no apology for a hard-line approach to people smuggling and border security.”

We are back to Tampa. An “Indonesian solution” is being prepared to replace the “Pacific solution”, as a Labor government leads both major parties in competitive mining of still deep-seated racism and xenophobia. Shame, Labor Shame.

These politician are total hypocrites. They parade as champions of human rights as the guardians of civilised values but when a small boatload of poor and persecuted refugees approach Australian waters that posture thrown out of the window.

These people are fleeing war and devastation that Western governments and corporations have supported or even caused. And they are driven, by the hundreds of millions, across many borders. In a single day more refugees cross into the territory of some of the world's poorest countries than all those desperate people who have ever hazarded a small boat journey into Australia. Imagine the outrage of these “civilised” Australian politicians if the nations bordering the world's war zones were to turn refugees away at gunpoint. But that's what the Australian navy is being forced to do by a Labor government.

So much hope, by so many people, was placed in the Rudd Labor government that it would turn its back on the ugly politics of the Howard era. Any moral credit earned by the much-celebrated apology to the Stolen Generation of Aborigines has well and truly been canceled with Rudd's recent “no apology”.

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