5 November 2013
Dear Prime Minister,
On behalf of the many Australians who believe in the importance of protecting people fleeing persecution, we write to voice our objection to the Australian Government’s recent decision to refer to asylum seekers who enter Australia by boat as “illegal maritime arrivals”.
You and members of your Cabinet are well aware that seeking asylum is not illegal under Australian or international law. Article 31 of the Refugee Convention makes it clear that contracting states, including Australia, must not impose penalties on people who arrive without authorisation to seek refugee protection. This Article recognises that very few of the world’s refugees get the opportunity to cross borders with prior permission and that rules which regulate normal migration flows must be suspended where those crossing the border believe they have a well-founded fear of persecution.
The Refugee Convention was drafted in the aftermath of World War II as the world reflected in horror on the fate of people who had their paths blocked as they attempted to flee Nazi persecution in Europe. The fundamental principles of the Refugee Convention are as important today as they were when drafted in 1951. Nations which value freedom must ensure that those fearing persecution have the opportunity to get to a place of safety and have their cases for protection considered fairly.
When you were sworn in as Prime Minister, it was pleasing to hear you speak about your plans to govern for all Australians, to work for the good of the nation and to do your best not to leave anyone behind. You would be well aware, from your previous experience as a Minister, that the Australian community’s expectations of a Government are far higher than its expectations of an Opposition. A Government’s leadership – whether positive or negative –has a profound impact on the nation.
While some people may believe there is political value in engaging in negative rhetoric about asylum seekers arriving without valid visas, the long-term implications of this approach must be considered very carefully. We cannot see how the Government’s use of harsher rhetoric against people seeking asylum will assist Australia to remain a cohesive and diverse nation.
Like many Australians, we have grave concerns that legitimising the use of “illegal” in this context may incite fear and hatred in the community. Already aware of a disturbing number of acts of violence against asylum seekers this year, we are worried by the prospect of intolerant elements of Australian society being emboldened to increase their bullying of vulnerable new arrivals.
We are particularly concerned to hear that the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection instructed his Department to tell staff and contractors to use the term “illegal maritime arrivals” when referring to asylum seekers who arrived by boat. It is deeply disturbing that people of good conscience should be required, for political purposes, to use such dehumanising language.
While your Government continues to take a tougher line against asylum seekers, we note a shift in sentiment in Europe towards people fleeing by boat, illustrated by the decision of the Italian Government to declare a national day of mourning after the recent tragic loss of 366 lives at sea. We hope this small shift grows, reversing the strong trend over the past decade of wealthier nations pushing responsibility for the protection of refugees back to poorer nations. Pope Francis succinctly described this phenomenon when he visited Lampedusa in July and warned of a culture of comfort in which we become deaf to the cries of the suffering and part of a “globalisation of indifference”.
The Australian Government does have a choice. It can listen to the most strident voices in Australian society and implement its policies in a harsh and punitive manner or it can work towards its objectives in ways that place a much higher value on cooperation, diplomacy, respect and honesty. We ask you, for the sake of highly vulnerable people and for the good of our nation, to take the better path.
This letter is supported by the following organisations:
Refugee Council of Australia (letter coordinator)
ACT Council of Social Service Inc
ActionAid Australia
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Australia Ltd
Anglicare NT
ANGLICARE Sydney
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS)
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Asylum Seekers Centre of NSW
Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
Australian Catholic Social Justice Council
Australian Council of Social Service
Australian Jewish Democratic Society
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
Australian Lutheran World Service
Australian National Committee on Refugee Women
Australian Refugee Association Inc
Australia-Tamil Solidarity
Ballarat A.R.A. Circle of Friends
Ballarat Catholic Diocesan Social Justice Commission
Ballarat Community Health
Balmain for Refugees
Baptcare
Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group
B'nai B'rith Australia / New Zealand
Border Crossing Observatory
Bridge for Asylum Seekers Foundation
Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project
Brisbane Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Network
Buddies Refugee Support Group, Sunshine Coast
Burmese Rohingya Community in Australia
Canberra Refugee Support
CASE for Refugees
Castlemaine Rural Australians for Refugees
Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Office of Justice and Peace
Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, Justice and Peace Office
Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, Social Justice Council
Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, Social Justice Office
Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba, Social Justice Commission
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Archdiocese of Brisbane
Catholic Religious Australia
Catholic Social Services Australia
Centacare Catholic Family Services, Adelaide
Central Victorian Refugee Support Network
Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University
Centre for Refugee Research, University of NSW
Christian Brothers Tasmania
Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees (CARAD)
Communify Queensland
Companion House Assisting Survivors of Torture and Trauma
Darwin Asylum Seekers' Support and Advocacy Network
Diversitat
Doctors for Refugees
Edmund Rice Centre, Sydney
Edmund Rice Network Tasmania
Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Faithful Companions of Jesus Sisters, Province of Asia-Australia
Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia
Footscray Community Legal Centre
Friends of the Earth Australia
Geelong Refugee Action and Information Network
God's Dwelling Place Bethany City Church Inc
Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand
Horn of Africa Relief and Development Agency
House of Welcome Ballarat
Humanitarian Crisis Hub
Humanitarian Research Partners
Indo-China Refugee Association
Indooroopilly Uniting Church
Institute of Sisters of Mercy, Australia and Papua New Guinea
International Commission of Jurists Australia
International Society For Human Rights Australia Inc
Islamic Council of Victoria
Jesuit Refugee Service Australia
Jesuit Social Services
Jewish Aid Australia
Kommonground Inc
Lentara UnitingCare Asylum Seeker Program
Liverpool Women's Health Centre
Lutheran Church of Australia
Lutheran Community Care SA & NT
Marist Sisters
Melaleuca Refugee Centre Torture and Trauma Survivors Service of the NT
Melbourne Zen Group
Mercy Refugee Services (Mercy Works Ltd)
Migrant Resource Centre of South Australia (MRCSA)
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
NSW Council for Civil Liberties
NSW Council of Social Service
NSW Teachers Federation
NT Council of Social Service
Oxfam Australia
Pax Christi Australia
Pax Christi Australia (NSW Branch)
Pax Christi Queensland
Pax Christi Victoria
Peace and Social Justice Network, Victoria Regional Meeting, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Presentation People for Justice, Ballina
Presentation Sisters in Western Australia
Presentation Sisters Lismore
Presentation Sisters Queensland
Queenscliff Rural Australians for Refugees
Refugee Advice and Casework Service
Refugee Advocacy Network
Rural Australians for Refugees, Bendigo
Rural Australians for Refugees, Daylesford and District
Sanctuary Australia Foundation
SCALES Community Legal Centre
Settlement Council of Australia
Sisters of Charity of Australia
Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane Congregation
Sisters of the Good Samaritan
Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Sophia's Spring, Uniting Church, East Brunswick
South Australian Council of Social Service
South Australian Refugee Health Network (SARHN)
St Anthony's Family Care
St Vincent de Paul Society, National Council of Australia
Surf Coast Rural Australians for Refugees
Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS)
Sydney Multicultural Community Services Ltd
Tasmanian Asylum Seeker Support
Tasmanian Catholic Justice and Peace Commission
Tasmanian Council of Social Service
Townsville Multicultural Support Group
Union of Australian Women Victoria
Uniting Church in Australia, Northern Synod
Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod
Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Western Australia
Uniting Church SA
Uniting Justice Australia
Vietnamese Overseas Initiative for Conscience Empowerment (VOICE)
Welcome to Australia
Western Australian Council of Social Service
Western Sydney Community Forum
Wyndham Community and Education Centre
Wyndham Legal Service
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