Thursday, July 29, 2004

Baxter detainee continues hunger strike


A detainee at the Baxter detention centre near Port Augusta in South Australia has been on a hunger strike for a week. Sri Lankan Zeldon Daggie, 23, says he has been detained since arriving in Australia four years ago.

He says he was transferred to Baxter in May after the Port Hedland detention centre in Western Australia's north-west was closed down.

Mr Daggie says he is refusing to eat until the Department of Immigration decides on his future.

"I came to protect my life here, three or four years ago, but these people never gave me the chance of a protection visa or anything," he said.

By Just Us 29 July 04

Forum on refugee and indigenous human rights
The long-term mandatory detention of asylum seekers not only breaches multiple UN treaties to which Australia is a signatory, it goes against the principals of any decent and humane society.

Senior cleric damns Baxter as 'disgraceful'
A senior world religious figure has called on the Federal Government to scrap its mandatory detention policy after visiting the Baxter detention, centre in South Australia's north.

Australia's "GITMO" System
Australia's "GITMO" System In June 2002, [war criminal], Philip Ruddock, is quoted as saying: "Well, let me just say, detention centres are not prisons. They are administrative detention.

Greens call on Mark Latham to commit to ending Howard's abusive policies Greens Senator Kerry Nettle has called on Mark Latham to commit to abolishing the human rights abusing policies of the, [war criminal], Howard government if they win the next election.

Report recommends freeing child detainees
The Human Rights Commission has found that some children held in Australia's immigration detention centres have been exposed to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

Child detention breaches UN convention: human rights report
A leaked, [?rubbish], final draft report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is calling for urgent changes to Australia's immigration detention laws.

Detention centre media ban criticised
The Howard Government has been criticised in a report by media freedom advocate Reporters Without Borders for stopping journalists covering the conditions in refugee detention centres.

Compo claims could follow child detention, group warns
A refugee group has predicted a string of compensation claims, after the Human Rights Commission found numerous and repeated breaches of the UN convention on the rights of the child in immigration detention.

No more children for Baxter, pleads SA
The South Australian Government is urging the Commonwealth not to shift any more children into the Baxter detention centre in the state's north.

Refugee protests expected to move to Sydney
Refugee advocates look set to protest in Sydney this Easter instead of the Baxter detention centre near Port Augusta in South Australia's north.

Baxter detainees' drug use 'not monitored'
The Australian Democrats say detainees at the Baxter detention centre in South Australia are being given high levels of psychotropic medication without adequate monitoring.

Legal action considered to return asylum seeker
The Australian lawyer for an asylum seeker stranded in an airport transit lounge in South Africa says she is looking at court proceedings to bring him back to Australia.

Santa Clause is coming to Baxter
On the 1st day of Christmas 'We give you the gift of peace'.
On the 2nd day of Christmas 'We give you the gift of Joy'.
On the 3rd day of Christmas 'We give you the gift of love'.
On the 4th day of Christmas 'We give you the gift of hope'.
On the 5th day of Christmas 'We give you the gift of faith'.

Ombudsman launches Port Hedland riot inquiry
The investigation comes at the request of the incoming Labor party president, Carmen Lawrence. Soon after the riot at the Western Australian detention centre about two weeks ago, Dr Lawrence released a statement alleging guards had beaten a 14-year-old boy and used a cattle prod on another.

Nauru staff 'fear children are next'?
The group representing the asylum seekers on Nauru has denied women and children have joined the strike and says they have not been asked to take part. [In other words "A" typical fear-mongering by Vanstone like kids overboard to gain some political leveraged!]

More asylum seekers join hunger strike
More asylum seekers in mandatory detention on the island of Nauru have joined a hunger strike to protest against the Federal Government refusing them refugee status. There are concerns that some of the hunger strikers may suffer serious injury or death from dehydration.

Australian Govt human rights record 'worsening'
Community groups have given the Federal Government five out of ten for its record on human rights this year. A national review conducted by groups including the Australian Council of Trade Unions and churches has concluded Australia's record on human rights has deteriorated.

Downer out of touch: Archbishop Carnley
Anglican Archbishop Peter Carnley has called on Alexander Downer to lift his game, saying the Foreign Minister has put Australia into a "difficult position internationally".

JUSTICE KIRBY: JUDICIAL ACTIVISM
Kirby's insight is decent, last week Justice Kirby threw at the Federal Government's barrister, the Solicitor-General David Bennett QC, in a ground-breaking case heard in the High Court, testing for the first time Australia's Mandatory Immigration Detention Scheme.

Howard Govt: Absolute vacuum on Compassion, Reality and Justice
The Northern Territory's Labor Senator, Trish Crossin, says the Federal Government showed no compassion for asylum seekers when it excised Melville Island from Australia's migration zone earlier this month.

Here is a new project
1. Do you believe it is right to imprison innocent children?
2. Do you believe it is right to imprison innocent women?
3. Do you believe it is right to imprison innocent people?

New A-G Ruddock has no regard for the independence of courts
As immigration Minister Ruddock's respect fell short of human rights when he tried to stop appeals introducing the Pacific Solution which means if an illegal immigrant is picked up in Australian waters by our navey they are sent elsewhere for processing. If their application for asylum is rejected they can be deported without legal appeal in Australia.

Judge renews child detainee release call
A Family Court judge, for a second time, has appealed to Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock to address the issue of children in detention.

Ruddock to challenge Family Court ruling
Ruddock said it is unfortunate the Full Court of the Family Court made the decision. He said a successful High Court challenge could see the children returned to detention.

Children in Baxter Detention Centre: Tell me a fable...
Opponents vow to fight yesterday's Family Court ruling against the release of five children from South Australia's Baxter detention centre has strengthened the resolve of groups fighting the Federal Government's policy of detaining child asylum seekers.

Where did you say you reside Mr Carr?
New South Wales Premier Bob Carr says a protest outside Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock's Sydney home should have been called off for moral reasons. Mr Carr says people who want to protest against the Federal Government's immigration policies should do it in Sydney's CBD, not outside Mr Ruddock's home.

Three protesters tricked outside Ruddock's house
Protest organisers have been critical of police actions at a pro-refugee rally near Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock's Sydney home.

Australia: Child detention, tell me a fable...
Democrat's leader Andrew Bartlett wants all children in immigration detention centres released, in the wake of the Family Court refusal to put a stay on one of its landmark rulings.

Amnesty calls for release of children from detention centres
Human rights group Amnesty International is pressuring the Federal Government to immediately release children from detention centres in the wake of the latest report on detainee children.

Child detainees 'living in a nightmare', report finds
A report being released today documents disturbing evidence about mental health for children in detention centres. The report is a joint work by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, NSW University and NSW psychiatrists.

Demonstrators prepared for Baxter protest
Thousands of demonstrators will converged at Port Augusta in preparation for this weekend's expected protest at the Baxter detention centre.