Take some action for the Lombok Asylum Seekers... 5 years and counting...
Hi guys, this is from Felicia di Stefano, Rural Australians for Refugees... I will paste the text of the letter she mentions below, so that you can copy and paste it into your own document. If you want a copy of the petition, EMAIL ME!! put the petition in your work kitchen, or pass it around your small group, anything!! jessie@thejusticeproject.com.au
J x
Dear All,
Thank you for your support in writing letters to politicians and returning signed petitions to help the asylum seekers
trapped on Lombok. With your help we sent in almost 3,000 signatures in support of the Lombok asylum seekers to
Amanda Vanstone via Senator Bartlett. "Pease say thank you very much to all those people who are helping us poor refugees".
writes Mohammad, our friend from Lombok.
Now we have a similar petition, this time addressed to the House of Representatives to enable it to be tabled in Parliament.
We also have a new form letter. Please find them attached. We desperately need your help again. Thank you to the
people who have already sent singed petitions. We have about 500 signatures so far.
October 2006 marks the fifth anniversary of the time the Lombok asylum seekers were towed from Ashmore Reef
to Indonesian waters by our navy. The 45 or so Afghan women men and children have been living in the Lombok
camp without basic human rights, on charity provided by Australia, for five years. The years of detention have taken
their toll. The people feel frustrated and often depressed.
The married men have been denied the means to provide for their families, the single men feel stranded.
All feel powerless as their fate is decided by others. They do not know from day to day what will happen to them.
Yet their lives are in grave danger if they return to Afghanistan. Please help us make our government realise the
inhumanity of keeping these people imprisoned on Lombok. Send in signed petitions, send off form letters, or write your own.
Thank you,
Felicia Di Stefano, member South Gippsland RAR, 125 Bateson Road, Glen Forbes, Victoria, 3990, (03) 5678 3294
Print name:
Print address
Date:
Senator Amanda Vanstone
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Senator Vanstone,
I write to you in the hope that, in view of the recent increase of violence in Afghanistan, you will reconsider your policy towards the Afghan asylum seekers on Lombok. That you will allow them to return to Australia to live, work and study in our community while they are assessed for refugee status.
The 45 or so Afghan women, men and children remaining on Lombok, came to Australia to escape persecution and to save their and their children’s lives. October 2006 is the fifth anniversary of the time the Australian navy towed them back to Indonesian waters.
The five years the Afghan asylum seekers have lived in the Lombok compound on scant charity paid for by our government, without basic human rights of work, travel, family reunion or study, have taken their toll and the people are frustrated and often depressed. The married men have been denied the means to provide for their families, the single men feel stranded. All feel powerless as their fate is decided by others. They do not know from day to day what will happen to them.
I plead for compassion on behalf of the Afghan people trapped on Lombok. Their lives continue to be in grave danger if they return to Afghanistan, yet we cannot force these people to live in their present state of lack and uncertainty any longer. Please allow the Afghan asylum seekers to share their culture and work skills with the Australian society as they are assessed for refugee status and become valuable, contributing members of our community.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
POSTCARD FROM LOMBOK, August 2006
by Val Campbell, Melbourne, Australia
Also posted at http://www.safecom.org.au/lombok-campbell.htm
When writing about the Afghan Asylum Seekers stranded in Lombok, Indonesia, I am not referring to the past or providing detailed information about how they came to be there. This has all been covered in documents which are all available on the Internet (Search Engine + Lombok Refugees), especially the transcript of the Four Corners program and other progress reports on Australia s and IOM supervision of these people. Particularly graphic are the reports, which outline the failed attempts of these desperate people to reach asylum in Australia and their subsequent five-year detention in a camp/compound in Lombok. Whilst these people are not locked behind bars and razor wire, they are effectively economically imprisoned by their inability to leave the island and not being permitted to work. These background documents make fascinating and heart-rending reading and explain in detail the horrifying experiences that these people have survived. I write this as a refugee support activist and a volunteer at the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre in Melbourne where I teach English to people new to Australia who are on temporary protection visas and thus denied government funded English lessons. There are 55 Afghan, 43 Iraqi and 21 Vietnamese in Lombok at the time of writing. Of the 54 Afghans, are 15 children aged from 1 14 years. There are many more Afghan and Iraqi asylum seekers in Jakarta, plus 107 from Sri Lanka, 14 from Burma.
Lombok
I write this sitting outside my hotel room at Sengiggi, Lombok. Today I will go on a motorbike as a passenger to visit the Afghan Asylum Seekers at Mataram, which is around 20 k. from where I am staying. I go to meet Mohammad who is my contact. I have been emailing with him for a few months, and received an invitation to visit. I am hoping to talk with the Afghan people in the camp, to deliver a bag of toys and games for the children, to take photographs, and perhaps to bring messages from them back to their relatives in Australia. At least fifteen of the 55 Afghan asylum seekers have close family members who are already living in Australia, most who have received permanent residency.
Motorbike taxi is the cheapest way to get around Lombok, or most of South East Asia for that matter. Arriving at the address provided - I had been warned by the motorcycle driver that it was a "poor people's area", I was grateful to have the driver with me to translate, and to find the section of the compound when the Afghan people are housed. It didn't take long, and I found Mohammad easily. We talked in general terms about me and my two travelling companions (2 Melbourne women) making a longer visit the next day. I gave Mohammad a bag of toys for the children, and messages of goodwill and cash donations from two organizations in Melbourne. We made an arrangement that I would return with my party, my tape recorder and camera, and spend time in the camp in the afternoon, and to visit the Iraqi camp, a short distance away.
Next afternoon we hired a bemo (a cheap form of transport, like a covered ute with seats along each side) and were dropped at the camp. Mohammad took us to an empty room - no seats - but red carpet on the floor, so we all sat around on the red carpet. This room is the meeting room and learning room at the camp. Around twenty Afghan men came in to meet me, and my two companions. We started the pleasantries, and were joined by little Ali, 5 years old, and other small children came in and out to receive cuddles from their dads and to see what was going on.
These men told us that most of them had relatives in Australia - Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney. That is the major reason they want to seek asylum in Australia, to re-connect with family, and to life in a safe, stable place. All the time we were talking, little Ali was moving from man to man receiving cuddles and attention; it was not possible to work out who was his father all of these men were so loving towards him. These men said that their relatives in Australia are also working to get these Afghan refugees to Australia, and that they have regular communication by email. (Internet use is very cheap in Mataram, it is only expensive in tourist areas like Sengiggi). I asked them "what place would you like to go to" - and they replied Afghanistan, but they know that they cannot return there it is because it is too dangerous, and may be too precarious to re-enter for a long time for them. These asylum seekers are mostly Hazara ethnic group. It is now known that the few Afghans who were misled into taking the $2000 and returning there have been killed or never been heard of again. The Taliban is on the rise again, and these people would be immediately exterminated or incarcerated for becoming asylum seekers if they were forcibly returned or returned voluntarily. These men did indicate that they would go to any country that would have them, and had heard good reports about New Zealand, but expressed their ultimate goal as Australia because of the family reunion aspect.
Regarding life in Mataram, I was advised that the first year there was pretty awful, as the Lombokians although Muslim were quite hostile as they feared the asylum seekers, particularly I guess because of the shortage of work in Lombok. But over time they have come to recognize that these are good living, non-violent people, who cannot attempt to take jobs, the locals are pleasant and quite supportive of the camp people. Also the Afghans have learned the Indonesian language, and people in Lombok appreciate it if you converse with them in Indonesian. The camp is not far from the large Mataram market where the daily food is obtained, so there is some social interaction with locals in the market situation. People in the camp live mostly on rice, a little vegetable, and occasionally a little fish, chicken or meat. Some families make their own Afghan-type bread. Most families have a little gas cooker, some have an old refrigerator, and a little furniture, but mostly people sit and sleep on the floor.
After lengthy and detailed questions and answers and further discussion it became resoundingly clear that the major objective of these people IS TO OBTAIN WORK. Their work ethic is strong, as they want to obtain work and earn money so that they can give their families, especially their young children, adequate food, clothing and education. They are not particularly complaining about their living conditions in Mataram (although their conditions and food are very low level); they told us that they are becoming psychologically affected by the thwarted efforts to reach Australian shores in boats - being turned back 3 times - and having their cases decided. They are going stir-crazy not having work to do.
These people have skills to offer. Amongst them are cabinet maker, TV mechanic, drivers, shoe-maker, electro-mechanic, painter, body builder, pilot, computer operator, and most of the men seem to have cooking and child-care experience.
The women have skills also - dressmaker, cook, handicraft, hairdresser. Ironically Australia has just been reported as importing guest workers from the Philippines for hairdressing and restaurant work. All of the Afghan women of course have childcare and cooking experience, and have the capacity to manage on very small income to keep their families fed and clothed. Here are people wanting to enter Australia as permanent new citizens, who possess the skills Australia needs and they are denied asylum for who knows what reason. Many of these people speak a little English, and a few speak fluent English. Particularly poignant was meeting an older woman with the most beautiful expressive face who implored me to help her to get to Australia to be reunited with her son and her grandchildren who live in an outer suburb of Melbourne. "I want to see my son and my grandchildren before I die" she explained, and the tears welled in her eyes. She has not seen her son for over five years. In my view these people would make fantastic immigrants to Australia, with the added enhancement of family reunion possibilities.
How do these people live? International Organization of Migration (IOM) who is paid by the Australian Government provides the basic accommodation. The Afghan people receive a few large bottles of water per family each week (in Lombok purified water must be used). They receive a few $USD a week for food. However since it costs money for the children to go to school, this money is cut by those who make it a priority to send the kids to school; therefore the family budget suffers, and the diet is meagre and meat perhaps once per month, eggs one per week. They have two meals per day, mostly rice and a bit of vegetable, sometimes a little dried fish. They make their own roti bread, and drink weak black tea. They are not locked in, they can go to the local Mataram market for food, and it is very cheap but still their payment does not cover expenses. There is no money for new clothes for the adults. Some of the families have a rented TVs as their families in Australia send a little money to help with the children, or will send money to buy them an old TV, so that they have something to do. Their living conditions are one family to a large room, with no furniture and a bathroom behind the room with a squat toilet and mandi (bath) no hot water (no flush toilet). Some families have obtained mattresses - on the floor - a few had obtained beds with mattresses - and a few had a table and a few chairs, but mostly eating and family life means sitting in circles on the floor or the fence outside the compound. Most of the rooms are built around a square concrete area, and the families live next to each other. Mohammad - after arriving in Lombok at age 17, has taught himself to speak Indonesian and English. He runs English classes for the other Afghan refugees, two hours per day.
I asked to spend time with the women alone, to chat about their problems in raising children in the camp, and their day-to-day routines and experiences in the camp. They came to the room bringing tea for our refreshment. The atmosphere in the room changed, and the room was suddenly full of very gentle and friendly faces, very beautiful female faces framed by headscarves and soft folds of material.
We talked about life as an asylum seeker. They talked about their experiences on the failed freedom boat trips from Indonesia to Ashmore Reef, and the awful rejection and treatment they received at the hands of the Australian Navy personnel. They talked about their five years in detention, mothers of children dealing with everyday problems of illness, traumatized children and husbands, too little money to make appealing meals, no resources to make clothing or craft items, their despair about the worsening psychological being of their menfolk as they become increasingly affected by not being permitted to work. They talked about the kids crying to go out to walk and play; they can't afford to go on outings. The kids are scared to be out in the streets because of fear of the police, or any person in uniform.
These women think that Australia is full of optimism, wealth and human kindness. They know however that although there are many Afghan people in Australia, they mostly are not wealthy and cannot send much money. Their hope is to be admitted as asylum seekers awaiting family reunion. I kept seeing images of Minister Vanstone's face, and had to restrain myself from conveying any semblance of hope. Ashamedly, I had to tell these people that even if they were admitted to Australia, they could possibly be sent to detention centers, which would be worse than living in Mataram as they would not be free to go in and out. They said this would be worth it if eventually they would be given permanency and be allowed to work, and be reunited with family in Australia. These people wanted me to say to Australians "please help us". They pleaded: "please do not forget us". How could I, was my thought. These people and their warmth, poignant expressions on their faces, expressive eyes, their hope despite their circumstances, will be unforgettable.
Re the Iraqi and Vietnamese asylum seekers, and three Iranian refugees originally on Lombok. These three Iranians were moved to Lombok from Sitibonda (Java) by IOM. And the Iraqis apparently are soon to be moved to Jakarta, but the detention in Sitibonda is closed now, so their destination is not know. We were just about to visit the Iraqi camp in Mataram, a short distance away, when a huge 4Wdrive vehicle pulled up at the entrance of the school room where we were standing. There was one uniformed man, who stated he was from the (Lombok) Immigration Police, accompanied by two (Javanese) women officers from IOM who proceeded to interrogate me about our purpose in visiting the camp. This was an extraordinary experience, and quite intimidating for the women and children who had just been chatting with us. "Give me your passport" was the policeman's greeting. "Actually I don't have it with me", I replied, "it is at the hotel, but I'm more than happy to show it to you if you wish to accompany me to there". The women took over and explained that we had to have permission to visit the camp. "How would I know that" I replied, there is no notice at the entrance to the compound, and I had never been advised that permission is necessary. "What are you doing here" they asked, "we have had reports that you are holding meetings and giving lectures". (A spy in or near the camp?) I replied that I was simply a social visitor visiting a friend of a friend from Melbourne. They wanted to know what I was talking about with the Afghan people. I replied that we had been chatting with the women about caring for their children and food and recipes. One of my companions piped up and said "what is all the fuss about, we are just three grandmothers from Melbourne, visiting to deliver toys.". After some time the cross examination petered out and I think they concluded that we were pretty harmless. We were then offered a lift back to our hotel (a firm offer to leave immediately), which we gracefully accepted (me thinking, how pleased I was to "escape" without my backpack with notes, tape recorder, digital camera and etc. being searched).
On the drive back to our hotel in the huge vehicle, the two IOM officers talked in negative claims about how psychologically damaged, depressed and troublesome these refugees are, and how their job is to "look after them" and how they don't want visitors to come and raise expectations and hopes. Yes, yes I agreed, I fully understand. They even stated that my contact, M. was a troublemaker, and in fact had led a hunger strike two years previously. (My, my, I thought, good onya M. I'm sure you had good cause.) This is the organization paid by the Australian people to provide shelter and care to these refugees under the UN conventions. Cripes, I thought, with friends like these...! They were (I'm sure) pleased to ascertain that we were leaving the next morning to get the ferry back to Bali, and we were dropped inside the hotel gates with best wishes for a safe journey, and without bothering to look at my passport.
That evening, we just happened (!) to meet up with two of our Afghan friends, M & one of his mates, in the main street of Sengiggi. (We had previously agreed to take a parcel back to Australia - a gift from one of the families to his brother and family in Melbourne.) They had borrowed a motorbike and come across to Sengiggi. This was good as we were able to de-brief the afternoon's incident, and we found the IOM officers had not been completely honest. They had told us that they are at the camp every day to check on the welfare of the residents. In fact, they only visit there about once a month, and are generally not available at other times (unless a "spy" reports unauthorized visitors to the camp, of course). It was great to have a chat with these two guys away from the camp, and we said our farewells in good spirits.
Melbourne - Australia's most livable city?
A few weeks after returning from Indonesia, I phoned and made arrangements to visit the brother whose contact details I had been given. I wanted to deliver the parcel (which apparently didn't contain any sort of bomb, as it passed customs at both Denpasar and Melbourne).
Off I went to South Narre Warren, about outer, outer suburb of Melbourne, to search for M's brother's house. Down the Princes Highway, turning right at Hallam, miles and miles south, then winding roads, finally finding the street. Not been there before, couldn't believe the thousands of little houses on small blocks miles from anywhere. No place to survive without a car, unless you are a long distance walker, I thought. Narre Warren is Kath & Kim country isn't it? but these houses are definitely smaller than that shown in their TV show, and the blocks of land are so tiny. These were definitely low-income housing. Knocking on the door of a new-ish, house with an immaculate garden, I was immediately ushered in and was seated. I was in a small, spotless house, with a little furniture and a colourful carpet. The family said they were very happy to be living there. The man worked in a factory near Dandenong, and the children were doing well at their schools. Social activities were possible, as there are quite a few Afghan people living around the area. They were delighted to receive the parcel and looked at my photos. It transpired that this man at Narre Warren was the son of the older lady I mentioned before, and when seeing the photos the emotion on his face and the face of his lovely wife was very moving. I met all of their five children, and thought what wonderful Afghan-Australians they will be. So well mannered and pleasant, and beautiful faces. I also met the best friend of the brother at Lombok, who had come around to meet me and see the photos. On leaving, the wife gave me a little hand made tablemat as a gesture of appreciation of my visit, and I left them copies of the photographs I had taken in Lombok.
I've been thinking about these people ever since, and often look at the photographs. Whilst it is fine that I can keep in touch with M. and be updated about what is happening, it is so frustrating to not be able to offer any hope. Why, why does it have to be like this. The contradiction of shortages of labour in Australia, and these people wanting to join family here and WORK, what is the problem?? I know my analysis of this situation may be judged as unsophisticated, but I do know that these asylum seekers cannot return to Afghanistan. It is simply too dangerous, and these people would be killed or persecuted. They deserve better. They are not queue jumpers, there was no queue to join. They are genuine asylum seekers who have risked their lives more than once to find a safe and better place for themselves and their children. It is simply absurd that Australia continues to pay the IOM to keep these people out of Australia and even more disgusting that they would offer money to encourage them return to unsafe home countries. The Lombok asylum seekers must be supported to come to Australia to be with their families and other people who have fled intolerable situations in their home country.
Val Campbell
(received 17 September 2006)
The Federal Government decided to withdraw its controversial new immigration laws because a coalition senator had vowed to cross the floor to oppose them, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
"It was made very clear to me this morning that a government senator would cross the floor and vote against the legislation," Mr Howard told reporters.
"The intention of that government senator was communicated directly to me in a one-on-one discussion that we had."
theage.com.au understands Mr Howard took the decision this morning when he realised insurrection within Government ranks would lead to the defeat of the bill and his authority being challenged.
Liberal senator Judith Troeth has led coalition dissent against the legislation, under which all boatpeople would have been processed in offshore detention centres even if they reached the Australian mainland.
Critics of the legislation said it was designed to appease Indonesia, which protested strongly when Australia granted asylum to a group of Papuan refugees who landed on Cape York earlier this year.
Family First senator Steve Fielding had said he would vote against the bill, while maverick Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce had threatened to follow suit.
Last week, Liberal MPs Petro Georgiou, Russell Broadbent and Judi Moylan crossed the floor of the House of Representatives to vote against the legislation, while fellow moderate Bruce Baird and Nationals MP John Forrest abstained from voting.
Mr Howard admitted today some Coalition members had reservations about the legislation.
"Plainly, this particular approach was not going to muster parliament's support," Mr Howard said
"Yet me make it clear that the existing law, in relation to people who do not make the Australian mainland, that involves offshore processing, that law will be maintained and utilised to the full.
"Those people who arrive on excised islands will still be processed in Nauru.
"None of those changes will go ahead because the whole bill has been withdrawn.
"The whole bill is out ... there were a number of changes that were intended but they're all out.
"I believe in this bill, I still do, but I don't believe there are the numbers to pass it in the Senate.
"I believe in it very strongly and I believe the community believed in it."
When asked how Indonesia would respond, Mr Howard said: "I don't know, and frankly that is a secondary consideration.
"This bill was not designed to get a tick in Jakarta."
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BLOODY FANTASTIC!!! WELL DONE EVERYONE!!! :)
GROWING up in a family of 16 children, one of the lessons my parents taught me was to always play by the rules. There is a right way of doing things, they said, and a wrong way.
Politics is no different. In the case of the Government's new border protection laws, it became clear to Family First that the Government wasn't playing by the rules.
That is wrong and that is something Family First could not support.
Family First supports a strong system of border protection, of who comes to this country and who doesn't. But it also has to be a fair system.
There are rules about the treatment of asylum seekers which are accepted by all countries. Yet suddenly Australia says "not us".
How can Australia expect India and Pakistan to accept Afghan boat people yet boot people who reach our country off to a foreign land? It's a case of one rule for Australia and another for everyone else. And that's not on.
If every country followed Australia's lead — made up their own rules and booted people off to foreign lands — there would be absolute chaos.
Australia has no control over what happens on Nauru so it would effectively be washing its hands of any boat people and adopting an attitude of "out of sight, out of mind". It's not fair and it's not right.
This issue has weighed heavily on Family First, and one of the questions I have asked is, why has the Government made these changes? What is the reason for them?
It became clear to me that the answer is Indonesia. The Government's policy is designed to appease Indonesia, and Family First strongly opposes that.
Australia should never allow itself to be pressured or bullied by any country. I don't care what country it is. Australia should decide who comes to this country and who doesn't — no one else.
Family First is proudly independent. The Family First Party is in nobody's pocket. We have said from day one that we will look at each issue on its merit.
The question we will always ask is "What is the right thing to do?"
Family First opposed the workplace changes and flogging off the rest of Telstra, but supported the welfare changes. It's all about doing the right thing.
Australia's political leaders should set the highest standards of behaviour. They should set a good example and they should lead by example. If we expect other people to play by the rules, we should play by the rules.
