Letters
Open letter from Iranian detainees at Port Hedland to Minister Ruddock
[The text of this letter has been lightly edited, without, it is hoped, falsifying the authors' intentions]
Honorable Mr Philip Ruddock
Minister for Immigration and Multiculural Affairs
This application has been prepared by some Iranian asylum seekers located at the Port Hedland dention center concerning the consideration of our situation. Consequently it is being presented to you, Hon. Mr. Philip Ruddock, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.
As you know, the precedure for the assessment of protection visa applications by Iranian asylum seekers is regrettable [inadequate?], since 95% of the applications are to be rejected in different phases, either the DIMA interview or at the Refugee Review Tribunal. According to your regulation and procedure these applications are not acceptable.
This happens in a situation where the Australian government, international organisations and the United Nations are perfectly aware of the disturbed state in Iran, where people are persectued and discriminated against due to racial, political, religious and social reasons. However it seems you are not likely to believe and accept the fact.
Taking the above into consideration and according to your speech which was made untruthfully, published in Iranian newspapers eventually we
[ask the following:]
- is your "desirable situation for illegal immigrants" some building located far away from cities with multilayered barbed wires? are the "people who are not worthy to enter the Australian community" [that is] criminals, are they those chldren, behind barbed wires, waiting for a playmate?
- are the criminals, those men and women who have been suffering persecution due to the dictatorship and fascism in their country?
- do you mean that the "facilities which even the Australian taxpayers do not have" applies to the present situation in detention centers?
- does "suicide in various ways, hunger-strike, mental diseases and severe emotional disturbance" show the desirable environment in your detention centers?
Since we, who have signed below, can not return to Iran and have suffered the disappointing and frustrating conditions which have caused mental fatigue and [made us unable to stand] the pressure, therefore we request you to reconsider the present situation applied to Iranians and inform us about the result whether through the Australian officials, different countries or relevant international organisations. Please take [the] necessary [measures].
Yours faithfully,
[signed 57 detainees at Port Hedland]
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Text of a letter to Kim Beazley from detainees at Port Hedland
IRPC Port Hedland
P.O.Box 377
Port Hedland 6721
21st March 2001
Fax - (08)9173 2825
The Hon. Kim Beazley, (Leader of the Opposition)
Dear Mr Beazley,
Many a time we have asked ourselves why so many questions have no answer. This letter will give you a clear picture of the den of frustration we find ourselves in.
The decision-making bodies of Australia are engaging a lexicon of demeaning rhetoric when they make reference to us. We left our various homes in search of freedom and here we are in the claws of bitterness, human rights abuses and the significant mysteries that surround our stay here.
What have we done wrong to deserve this kind of inhumane punishment - keeping people away from reality for a very long time. You call your country the 'lucky country'. Lucky for some ... the Government spend millions upon millions trying to keep us in this concentration camp in the name of immigration policy and allow (if not encourage) right-wing citizens to make political capital out of our misery.
The rhetoric used by the Immigration Department is intimidating and many of their procedures are almost impossisble to understand and extremely difficult to follow. Is this a policy to make Australia unattractive to illegal immigrants who don't have a million dollars in their back pockets? Why are we forced to watch our wives and children suffer with us in this renewed holocaust? No Australian would tolerate such a deplorable situation.
We have experienced a lot of heart-breaking events on this very soil where we have come to seek refuge. We have seen out friends and relations slash themsleves amid the agony of their situation. We are treated like children - our lives are controlled as to when we sleep, eat and we are pushed around like a herd of domestic goats. When we are ill we are given two tablets of Panadol regardless of our condition. Seriously ill patients have been prescribed six cups of water as a remedy.
Out anger is flowing with tears of blood. And all we have to tell the Autralian Government [is] that enough is enough. There are some academic professionals in this God-forsaken camp who will be of great benefit to the Australian community, yet we are all treated like animals. The Government should be ashamed of themselves - ignoring our plight whilst the Immigration Department smears itself with a level of corruption and racism beyond human redemption.
There is clear evidence of the racist sentiment that is thriving in Australia. The treatment of your indigenous people has been and continues to be appalling. Canberra has given strong support to Britain in regard to sending a fact-finding mission to Harare to look at land reform and the political situation. Is it because it involves the former white oppressors over there? People conveniently forget that Australia has an exact replica of 'land-grabbing'in your backyard: the double standards are breathtaking.
We wish to make it perfectly clear to the people of Austalia that we are not [the] criminals or terrorists that your policy-makers have painted us - rather we are refugees filled with amputated spirits. We have been dehumanised.
We are desperately asking for the Australian Government to review its policy in terms of refugees. We are human beings full of potential - yet untapped by the Australian cocmmunity. We have fled from oppression and misery only to be subjected to more oppression and misery. Deliver us from confinement. Save our dignity and set us free.
We anxiously await your reponse to this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely
Prisoners of Port Hedland IRPC
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Message from Asem Judeh
Please find attached a letter to the Minister for Immigration, Mr Ruddock, demanding the release the video of the heavy-handed police raid at Port Hedland on 26th May 2001.
We received two faxes, statements signed by the detainees at Port Hedland.
The first statement signed by 44 detainees, confirming that they are forced to stop their prayer and pushed around ... etc.
The second statement which signed by 118 detainees, reject DIMA's serious allegations against Palestinians detainees that they forced other detainees to join hunger strike.
We have been told that other detainees who agree with the statement did not sign it because their fearing from DIMA's harsh treatment.
You can find the exact text of the two statements at the bottom of this message.
We call upon your fairness to pressure the Government and Parliament to open a full inquiry to the riots and the police raid; releasing the police raid. At the same time releasing the 22 detainees from prison.
Also, force Mr Ruddock and other DIMA's senior staff to stop their stereotype against Palestinians and stop denying the Palestinian refugees' catastrophe and their long 53-years suffering.
For more information and comments please contact Asem Judeh on mobile 0415 802 780
In peace,
Asem Judeh
Please note that according to the information given to us that Palestinian detainees DID NOT force any detainee to sign the statements.
A copy of the original faxes with the names sent to the Minister for Immigration, Mr Philip Ruddock. He cannot say I did not know.
STATEMENT #1 - The Pray
We Palestinians and the other colegorically [categorically] state that we are totally and absolutely unhappy with the police operation held on 26th of May 2001 due to the violation of our fundamental human rights [and freedom of religion]. We were obliged to stop our prayer, pushed around, go to toilet with eyes on you and even beaten up. Humiliation barbary and intimidation was part of our diary. Lets speak out against the Australian government inhumane treatment over asylum seekers.
The very operation through the all process was externally induced and infected. Even the so-called weapons were purely and simply fabricated of Australian security forces, we are quite appalling. Some of the officers take pleasure humiliate some of our friends, all think penked on when batons were pushed into our ass just to make fun of misery.
Signed by 44 detainees.
STATEMENT #2 - Accusing Palestinians for others to join the Hunger Strike
As Palestinians, we are stateless, have no right to citizenship in any other country, besides asking for asylum and recognise as a refugee. The definition of asylum seekers in our case is fully fulfilled. Refugees and asylum seekers are people who have been forced to flee their various beloved home due to persecution. They have came to Australia to seek for protection which Australia is obliged to provide as signatory to the UN Refugee Convection.
However, instead of protection, the Australian Government is failing to treat the issue as humanitarian one as it is. Refugees are being victims of more of more human rights abuses.
Starting by unlawful detention which contravenes international policies, undescriptable conditions of definition and repression and interdiction to visit of human rights organisations. Although we still fight with peaceful protest which was clear against their policy. They then push us to violence.
On 26th of May the Australian Federal Police, WA Police and ACM Officers undertook a violent crackdown in detention centre to arrest the "presumed" trouble makers and find the "presumed" weapons that we all know for fact they were purely fabricated just to disgrace the public image of the asylum seekers, but specially the Palestinians.
We were purposely beaten up without warning. Verbally assaulted. Some officers even happen to push their batons into the anus of our friends. Our prayer were stopped, the barbary [barbaric] and humiliation upon us was so painful that we though to enter in hunger strike to express our injures.
The barbary [barbaric] treatment was too painful and the mainstream media ignores the reality, said that Palestinians had obliged other detainees to participate to the hunger strike. No one was forced to take part to hunger strike.
Contrary all the other nationalities went on starvation just by compassion for other detainees barbaric arrests and intimidation.
Signed by 118 detainees.
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Letter to Philip Ruddock June 4th 2001
Dear Mr Ruddock,
RE: Human Rights Abuses occurred at Port Hedland 26th May Raid
PREA received two statements, faxes, two days ago from the detainees at Port Hedland, describing in some details the heavy handed raid carried out by Federal Police, WA Police and ACM. The two statements signed by the detainees. Our understanding that the heavy-handed raid got the green light from your office.
The first statement signed by 44 detainees, states that "We were obliged to stop our prayer, pushed around, go to toilet with eyes on you and even beaten up."
The second statement signed by 118 detainees, reject DIMA�s serious allegations that Palestinian detainees forced other detainees to join the hunger strike on 28th May. The Detainees said in their statement that "Our prayer were stopped, the barbary [barbaric] and humiliation upon us was so painful that we though to enter in hunger strike to express our injures. The barbary [barbaric] treatment was too painful and the mainstream media ignores the reality, said that Palestinians obliged other detainees to participate to the hunger strike. No one was forced to take part to hunger strike.
Contrary all the other nationalities went on starvation just by compassion for other detainees barbaric arrest and intimidation."
Can you release the video of police raid at Port Hedland for the public interest? You cannot just the public the footages which support DIMA�s allegations against powerless refugees. Last month the way that the media handled the Port Hedland riots and Police raid proven to the public could not trust the Government position from Asylum Seekers under the existing restrictions and secrecy.
"This week at Port Hedland, 40 detainees, including seven children, went on a hunger strike in protest at the arrest of 22 of their fellow inmates during the police raid. An immigration Department spokesman said that some of the detainees had intimidated other into taking part in the hunger strike. That may be so, but under the existing restrictions the claim cannot easily be checked. If all is as it should be the detention centres, the department should not fear opening them to outside scrutiny." (The Age - May 30, 2001)
Australian public has the right to know; would you release the video of police raid at Port Hedland?
Please do not hesitate to contact me on mobile 0415 802 780.
Awaiting your reply,
Sincerely yours,
Asem Judeh
Chairperson
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An ALP member writes to Con Sciacca, Kim Beazley
We need to ensure they get a lot more letters of this kind ...
10 May 2001
The Hon Con Sciacca MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration & Multicultural Affairs
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Dear Mr. Sciacca :
As a long-term member of the ALP, I must write to inform you that I disassociate myself from your proposed policies on illegal immigrants and refugees and totally endorse the resolutions of the Refugee Action Collective Victoria to :-
close all detention centres in Australia
abolish mandatory detention of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia
abolish temporary protection visas
I regard the detention centres at Woomera and elsewhere to be concentration camps more akin to a Nazi or totalitarian regime than an open democratic society.
I enclose for your information the Refugee Action Collective Victoria "Open Letter to ALP Supporters about Refugees" and endorse fully its claims.
Yours Sincerely,
Steven J. Staats
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12 May 2001.
The Hon Kim C. Beazley MP.
Leader of the Federal Opposition
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Dear Mr. Beazley
I refer to your remarks on ABC Television News of today's date regarding the civil disobedience at the Port Hedland Detention Centre.
You say that it is ALP policy to have compulsory detention of refugees and to have a judicial enquiry into the 'detention' centres.
As an ALP member, I must strongly object to ALP policy of compulsory detention of refugees fleeing persecution by some of the most brutal regimes in the world in remote and inhospitable detention centres surrounded by razor wire fences and with few facilities--what the Bishop of Perth has rightly called 'concentration camps'.
I believe that these concentration camps are more akin to a Nazi state or a totalitarian one rather than an open democracy.
I call upon you to close these detention centre concentration camps with the three year protection visas to be scrapped in favour of permanent protection for all those given refugee status and an end to the racism and the vilification of refugees by the government and Minister Ruddock and the other political parties.
Yours Sincerely,
Steven J. Staats
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A letter from Kim Beazley
You might like to compare this with a letter from Con Sciacca, Shadow Minister for Immigration, posted below.
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