| Monday, 25 August 2003 | NSWCCL media release: 18/2003 | ||||||
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NSWCCL, Amnesty International and representatives from almost 30 church, legal and refugee organisations today sent a letter to Prime Minister calling for nine women and 14 children currently detained on Nauru to be reunited with their husbands and fathers in Australia. The women and children from Iraq and Afghanistan have been detained on Nauru since the 'Tampa incident' two years ago tomorrow. They are among the 402 asylum seekers, including 108 children still detained on the island. NSWCCL President Mr Cameron Murphy today said:-- "This is an important issue, it is about reuniting families an upholding our international obligations." A copy of the letter is attached below. Background information on the Tampa incident is available at http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/ref-fact07.html For further information contact: Cameron Murphy, President NSWCCL, 0411 769 769 Gary Highland, Amnesty International, 02 9217 7620 or 0422 869 43 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Long Years Mr Howard, Please Reunite Tampa Refugee Families The Hon. John Howard Prime Minister Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Prime Minister On the second anniversary of the 'Tampa incident', we the undersigned call on the Australian Government to reunite the nine women and their 14 children who are in immigration detention on Nauru with their husbands and fathers in Australia. These men are on Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and we request that the Government permit the women and children to reside in Australia under the same visa conditions. These women and children should have been accepted as refugees because of the status of their husbands and fathers. As Australia does not recognise 'derivative refugee status' under TPV legislation, their claims have been denied and they have been held in detention on Nauru for 2 years now. Coming from Iraq and Afghanistan they now face either indefinite detention or the possibility of returning to a dangerous and uncertain future. Family unity is recognised as a principle of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law. The family is acknowledged universally to be a fundamental unit of society. Significantly, the Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that family reunification shall be dealt with by States Parties in a positive, humane and expeditious manner. What can be regarded as more important and compelling than guaranteeing a child the right to live freely with both his or her parents in a secure environment? We believe that the Australian Government's denial of the possibility of family reunion under TPV legislation does not give effect to Australia's international obligations and we once again call on the Australian Government to reunite these families. Yours sincerely, Katrin Robinson, Acting National President Amnesty International Australia Howard Glenn, National Director A Just Australia Asylum Seekers Centre The Australian National Committee on Refugee Women Kevin Liston, Director Australian Refugee Association Joe Collins, Secretary Australia West Papua Association Fr. Frank Brennan SJ AO Julian Burnside QC Marc Purcell, Executive Officer Catholic Commission for Justice, Development and Peace Dianne Hiles ChilOut (Children Out of Detention) Ethnic Communities' Council of NSW Hassan Ghulam, President Hazara Ethnic Society in Australia Inc. Chris Sidoti Human Rights Council of Australia Elizabeth Biok International Commission of Jurists Gillian Deakin, President, New South Wales Medical Association for the Prevention of War Brenda Hubber Melbourne Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office Mercy Foundation Mercy Refugee Service Missionary Sisters of Service James D Thomson National Education and Advocacy Officer, National Program on Refugees and Displaced People Christian World Service National Council of Churches in Australia Cameron Murphy, President NSW Council for Civil Liberties Inc. Dr Mohammed Alsalami, Chairman Organisation of Human Rights in Iraq Public Interest Advocacy Service Margaret Piper Refugee Council of Australia Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre Inc. Celestine Pooley Sisters of Mercy, North Sydney Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau Elenie Poulos Uniting Church in Australia Patty Fawkner, Director Uniya Jesuit Social Justice Centre Jane Brock, President, New South Wales Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Arnold Zable |
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