Show refugees compassion and understanding
Human Rights Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski has repeated the call on World Refugee Day (20 June) for the release of all asylum seeker children remaining in immigration detention and urged the federal Parliament to examine the other recommendations in the recently released report A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, which details numerous and repeated breaches of the human rights of children in our detention centres.
“I gave the government until June 10 to release all children, but that day has passed and there are still children in detention. However, last week the Prime Minister publicly stated that the government is working on releasing all children so that “the numbers dwindle to zero,” said Dr Ozdowski.
“This is encouraging and definitely a step in the right direction, but releasing the children who are in detention now only solves the immediate problem. We need to make sure that asylum seekers who arrive in the future don’t end up suffering under this same system again.”
This year’s theme for World Refugee Day is ‘A place to call home: Rebuilding lives in safety and dignity’, which focuses on the difficulties, challenges and successes of refugees searching for new homes through voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement.
“Australia is one of those lucky countries that does not produce refugees, rather, we are a place that refugees come to so they can find shelter from violent and dictatorial regimes,” Commissioner Dr Ozdowski said.
“Although Australia has a quota of 13,000 humanitarian visas, we are not too kind to those people who come to our shores by boat. In particular, we have not been kind to the 2,184 children who have arrived in Australia since 1999 - 93 percent who have been found to be refugees.
“I encourage people to support World Refugee Day events, rallies and activities, many of which are being held to show support for asylum seekers in detention, most who will one day be found to be refugees and be able to live amongst us in safety and with dignity.”
Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen, who was appointed in 1921 by the UN's predecessor,
the League of Nations, to be the very first High Commissioner for Refugees,
said “We are just as little desirous of inflicting humiliation as we are
of suffering it”.
“These words carry a message that I hope resonates throughout Australia – refugees should not be demonised or punished, but should be saluted for their indomitable spirit and courage and treated with compassion and understanding,” Dr Ozdowski said.
“I say to people, imagine yourself in the shoes of a refugee, simply wanting the chance to rebuild your life in a new place. How would you wish to be treated?”
For information on 'A last resort?' go to the Commission’s website at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/children_detention_report/
Media Contact:
Paul Oliver 0408 469 347 or Janine MacDonald on 0407 660 235
