|
Feature Articles |
Create or login to a User account? |
| Local News and Commentary |
|
|
News :: Civil Liberties & Human Rights : Law & Justice : Politics & Elections : Trade & International Relations : War & Peace |
|
The pursuit of justice for David Hicks |
|
by ke |
14 Apr 2006
Modified: 12:19:21 PM |
 Adelaide-born David Hicks has been incarcerated in the United States' notorious military prison at Guantanamo Bay for over 4 years. Unlike other countries such as Britain which have successfully negotiated the return of their nationals, the Australian Government has consistently refused to negotiate for a fair deal for Hicks, who now faces trial under the controversial military commision system. Hicks, who has a claim to British citizenship, achieved a victory on 12 April 2006 when the British Court of Appeals dismissed the UK Government's attempt to overturn his citizen's rights. In Adelaide on the same day a public meeting was organised by Fair Go for David, bringing together Hicks' legal counsels and his father to update the large audience on the progress of the campaign to bring him home.
Read the legal updates at the public meeting
Fair Go For David |
|
|
|
News :: Civil Liberties & Human Rights : Law & Justice : Police & Thieves |
|
Willful neglect by DFAT of Australian imprisoned in Argentina |
by karin eliot
Email: karineliot (nospam) gmail.com |
03 Nov 2005
|
 On 4 February 2003 Australian man Stephen Sutton was arrested in a joint Australian Federal Police/Argentine police operation in Buenos Aires.
After being held for two an a half years without charge, he was finally convicted of drug trafficking, and sentenced to 11 years in an Argentine prison. This conviction was despite ANY drugs being found on Stephen or in his hotel at the time of the raid.
Moreover, when Stephen was 15 he had a rare type of scalp tumour removed, and according to his family 'was never the same ... and seemed to stay in this age bracket'. This fact alone suggests it is more likely that, if indeed there is ANY connection between Stephen Sutton and the drug trade, Stephen was exploited by unscrupulous others, tricked into being an unwitting drug mule in what has been described as a 'transnational organised crime syndicate'.
Now Stephen Sutton is seriously ill in prison with tuberculosis, and being denied basic health care. His concerned family have been consistently fobbed off by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and even threatened with imprisonment themselves under the Privacy Act for discussing their own frustrations with the system.
Stephen's older sister Ann Cluse, from Salisbury Downs discusses her experiences dealing with government bureaucracies that appear completely uninterested in offering basic protection to an Australian citizen abroad in dire trouble.
Does being in prison mean you have lost all human rights?
Are there are other Australians imprisoned overseas enduring similar neglect from Australian Consular agencies?
Is this a systemic problem?
Read more....
background to Stephen Sutton's situation
Interview with Stephen Sutton's sister
Stephen Sutton support website
Letter from Stephen Sutton
Photo caption: Stephen Sutton with his niece Dee, in Australia |
|
|
|
News :: Nuclear issues |
|
Green-Black Alliance reborn in Quorn |
by Rig
Email: sievx01 (nospam) yahoo.com.au |
28 Sep 2005
|
|
As Australia’s uranium industry looks to expansion and the nuclear power debate ricochets around parliaments across the nation, Indigenous groups and environmental organisations concerned about the nuclear industry’s destructive impacts met in Quorn, in South Australia’s southern Flinders Ranges . |
|
Read the full article... (22 comments) |
|
Everything is Not Fine and Dandy in Port Augusta |
by Rig
Email: sievx01 (nospam) yahoo.com.au |
09 Jun 2005
|
The Baxter immigration detention centre is an obvious blight on the image of this town, however there is a more deep-seated conflict. This is the intensification of policing operations aimed at the town’s Aboriginal population and the underlying racist sentiment that drives it.
In February of this year a STAR force team was used against Aboriginal people congregating on an area of foreshore. The STAR force team was deployed at the request of the Local Council and police. The Council cited serious public order issues as the reason for this aggressive action, however in the context of Port Augusta’s history of white settlement and Aboriginal dispossession, this seemed like yet another act in a long line of racially motivated abuses by the white land-owning establishment |
|
Read the full article... (18 comments) |
|
News :: Civil Liberties & Human Rights : Refugees & Asylum seekers |
|
Notorious isolation unit re-opened at Baxter |
|
by adele indy |
25 May 2005
Modified: 04:19:15 AM |
 Just in case you were thinking that the release last night of 3 year old Naomi Leong from the Villawood immigration prison marks a change for the better in Australia's brutal and unyielding treatment of refugees, think again. The ghosts of Tampa and SIEV-X are not so easily dispelled. The notorious 'Red 1' isolation compound in Baxter Detention Centre is being used again, after being closed since the February release of Australian Cornelia Rau who had been wrongfully held there for over two months. Ask any asylum seeker who has been locked up in "Management" at Baxter about their individual experience and you will hear reports of humiliation, physical and mental cruelty, and deprivation of basic human rights. An African asylum seeker was forcibly taken to Red 1 compound last Saturday (21 May). He has not been able to make any phone calls since being placed in the compound. Baxter refugees staged a protest on May 23 to highlight the situation of the man placed in Red 1. Mira Wroblewski, National Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) spokesperson, said her organisation is extremely concerned about this development. "Detainees who are psychologically fragile after years of detention, are again being punished by being placed in isolation units." RAR is concerned that detainees who are put into Red 1 compound have no right of appeal, and their placement in this compound is under the control of individual employees of GSL, the company contracted by the Australian Government to run detention centres. "GSL is able to operate with secrecy and its actions lack accountability", said Ms Wroblewski.
Meanwhile Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has used the controversial and illegal deportation of Australian citizen Vivian Alvarez to the Philippines 4 years ago to again push the barrow of the necessity of a universal identification system, claiming that its lack made it difficult to identify people who did not provide correct information to authorities. This is a highly spurious argument given the existence of extensive inter-linked government databases such as the Movements and Reporting System that contains details of ALL individuals' movements in and out of Australia, holding data from 1980.
LINKS:
Notorious isolation unit re-opened at Baxter
freed from life in detention
Cornelia Rau's first press conference (video)
more Rau digest from mainstream wires
Ruddock 'in dark' on Alvarez
Personal Information Digest-Border Control and Compliance Division |
|
|
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page |
| Regional features from Oceania |
| oceania :: features | :: perth |
| WILL 'SORRY' JUST BE AN EMPTY TOKENISTIC WORD? |
| | 12 Feb 2008 |
| From the newswire: Indigenous Co-Chair of the National Sorry Day Committee, Helen Moran has said "the refusal by the Rudd Government toward awarding Monetary Compensation to the Stolen Generations as recommended by the Bringing them home report, indicates that the pending apology has the potential to be nothing more than a "tokenistic five letter word"...Moran said "Such a premature announcement before appropriate and extensive consultation has even commenced, reveals the lack of commitment by the government to upholding the Prime Minister's pre-election promise that a Labor Government would: |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| NZ State Provides Communications Equipment to Burma’s Junta |
| by Nick Henry
|
10 Feb 2008 |
New Zealand State-Owned communications company Kordia has announced a contract to build cellphone towers for Burma’s ruling military junta.
Use of cellphones in Burma is restricted to members of the ruling elite. To buy a cellphone, a Burmese citizen must obtain a recommendation from a military official and pay a fee of NZ$1500, in a country where average incomes are less than NZ$2 a day. In announcing plans to extend the cellphone network, the Junta has said that licenses will be granted to members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association, a pro-Junta militia that was |
more...
|
| oceania :: features | :: perth |
| Rise and Rise of the controversial taser stun gun |
| | 9 Feb 2008 |
| From the newswire - February 8, 2008: Despite global concerns about the safety of the debilitating Taser shock guns, the Western Australian Police Union say tasers are a vital tool for officers quelling violent disturbances. The "non-lethal" Tasers are designed to cause severe pain and immobilise muscle contractions by shooting two darts - delivering violent and debilitating electrical pulses. Yet there are more than 200 deaths as a result of the use of Taser guns currently under inquiry. Late last year, a report by the UN Committee Against Torture found Tasers could provoke extreme pain, |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Waitangi Day protests across Aotearoa |
| by Anonymous
|
7 Feb 2008 |
| Waitangi Day saw protests in several places across Aotearoa, with Tangata Whenua and Tau Iwi standing together to demand Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake. In Waitangi itself, "thousands of tangata whenua, pakeha and tau iwi marched together in the hikoi to the treaty grounds with Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake flags flying behind the Kotahitanga flag. A large contingent from Tuhoe was leading the hikoi, including some of the Urewera 17 activists. Key issues raised during this year’s Waitangi Day were the Resource Management Act, the Foreshore and Seabed legislation and the |
more...
|
| oceania :: features | :: perth |
| Perth Indymedia Radical Radio - wednesday podding weekly |
| | 7 Feb 2008 |
| RADICAL RADIO - every Wednesday night - 7-8PM - Activist media...Hey radicalistas! Are you listening? The geeks at rtrfm have weaved a bit of magic and are now re-streaming lots of content. Including the perth indymedia radio show. Get your WEEKLY DOSE of Perth Indy Radio Podcasts at: rtrfm.com.au/shows/indymedia Activist Feedback Mechanism: News/Interviews/Discussion/Events/Info from the open publishing wires of perth.indymedia.org - "You be the Media" LISTEN LIVE: RTRFM 92.1 PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA When? Every Wednesday from 7pm to 8pm (WST) Go here for the RESTREAM Get in touch: Send us |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| The Politics of Rage |
| by Anonymous
|
1 Feb 2008 |
| Workers Party Forum: The politics of Rage Against the Machine Tuesday February 5, 6pm @ Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland Rage Against the Machine, the world’s most popular anti-capitalist band, recently headlined the Big Day Out. At this concert the Workers Party signed up 109 new members. This presentation will explore the politics of Rage by assessing the band’s lyrics and also tracing the progressive causes and revolutionary organisations that the band has supported both financially and through other means such as inclusion on album covers, press releases, |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Aksi serentak organisasi rakyat dan LSM di 94 negara |
| by Jakarta IMC
|
29 Jan 2008 |
| World Social Forum 2008: Global Day of Action  Organisasi rakyat dan LSM yang tergabung dalam World Social Forum menggelar aksi di 94 negara.
Menurut catatan Forum sosial Dunia (WSF), tahun ini ada 691 aksi yang dilakukan serentak. Aksi tesebut merupakan protes WSF terhadap pertemuan Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) yang dihadiri pebisnis-pebisnis dan pemerintah di Davos, Swiss.
Link: Foto Rangkaian "Globay Day Action WSF 2008" | WSF 2008 Jutaan rakyat dan organisasi mengadakan aksi untuk menunjukkan bahwa masih ada jalan lain, yakni dunia yang berkeadilan sangat mungkin diwujudkan. |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Kantor LBH Buruh Migran IWORK disantroni maling aneh |
| by Jakarta IMC
|
19 Jan 2008 |
| Data kami dicuri.. "Yang dicuri cuma dua buah CPU (Computer Prossesing Unit) dan satu handycam? " tanya polisi dengan wajah kebingungan kepada salah seorang staf pada saat melakukan oleh tempat kejadian perkara (TKP) pencurian di kantor LBH Buruh Migran IWORK. Kebingungan karena yang diambil hanya barang-barang tersebut di atas, sedangkan televisi dan dua buah motor tidak ikut digondol maling. Kamis 10 januri 2008, menjadi hari apes karena sekitar pukul 15.00 WIB kantor LBH Buruh Migran IWORK di santroni para maling aneh.
Barang-barang yang raib diambil pencuri seperti CPU bukanlah
|
more...
|
| oceania :: features | :: manila |
| Indigenous Action Against Mining Hold Australian Firm At Bay |
| | 17 Jan 2008 |
| NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines- Tribal villagers up north Luzon blockaded the Australian mining company from further exploring minerals in their community, Friday noon, and forced the mining firm to leave the village. According to reports, hundred dozens of indigenous residents in Kasibu town ,"pushed away employees of a foreign mining firm and their earth-moving equipment that were supposed to start exploration in their community", said Inq.Net. The action held by local people has lead to an indefinite operation shut down of OceanaGold Philippines Inc.- an Australian company. Indigenous residents |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Climate Change Road map Agreement Reached in Bali Meeting |
| by Jakarta IMC
|
20 Dec 2007 |
 Climate Talks concluded in Bali with the United States caving in under pressure of the European Union and the developing world and agreeing to a compromise text in the preamble of "Deep cuts in global emissions will be required" to avoid dangerous climate change. The guideline that rich countries should cut emissions by 25-40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 as recommended by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was moved to a footnote at the US delegation's insistence.
Photos: Transnational Institute | Oxfam | Greenpeace - Link: Bali Media Center | Indonesia CIvil
|
more...
|
| oceania :: features | :: manila |
| Letter to the Manila Indymedia Editor |
| | 4 Dec 2007 |
| To us members of the Progresibong Alyansa ng mga Mangingisda sa Pilipinas (PANGISDA), the curfew imposed by Malacanang last Friday was a stark reminder of Martial Law. In Central and Southern Luzon, the curfew prevented fishermen living in interior villages from going to the sea to fish and thus violated their constitutional right to travel freely. [ Read More ] Related Stories: [ Rise Up And Be Counted | Condemn Detention of Journalists | Workers Vow To Continue The Struggle ] |
more...
|
| oceania :: features | :: manila |
| Nine Filipinos Staged Mutiny In the High Seas |
| | 14 Nov 2007 |
| Roderick Sumang, Delter Algay, Edwin Lee, Jesus Manaqued, Sherilo Moraleja, Socrates Silan Jr., Dennis Tolentino, Noel Cusi and Jose Menpin -- all undocumented workers -- flew to Mauritius a month ago to work as crew members on the fishing vessel Ruei Thih Fa. With their Taiwanese captain Jui-yin Huang and nine other Chinese crewmen, they set sail from Mauritius' capital, Port Louis, on Oct. 31 and began work on Nov. 2, unaware that they were to fill 22-hour work days. On Nov. 5, their fourth day at work, they took action. Jolted awake by the captain's buzzer after only two hours of sleep, |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Melbourne Indymedia Suspends Publishing |
| by Melbourne Indymedia
|
9 Oct 2007 |
 Open publishing has been suspended on Melbourne Indymedia as numbers in our editorial collective are insufficient to manage the site effectively and responsibly. We realise that MIM has played a vital role in reporting activist news from Melbourne, around Australia and internationally. To this end the present collective will be assessing options for how best to provide an activist news service in the future. If you wish to get involved, please contact us, or subscribe to our mailing list. |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Thousands Blockade G8 |
| by Melbourne Indymedia
|
14 Jul 2007 |
 "The global social justice movement is alive and kicking and giving hell to the assembled criminals of the G8. In an atmosphere reminiscent of the our S11 demonstration ten thousand peaceful protestors have used non-violent civil disobedience to blockade the G8 in Germany." said Davey. |
more...
|
| oceania :: features |
| Indigenous Elder wins Environment Award |
| by Melbourne Indymedia
|
10 Jun 2007 |
 The Australian Conservation Foundation's (ACF) Peter Rawlinson Award was given to 'Uncle' Kevin Buzzacott, an Arabunna elder, on World Environment Day in 2007 for two decades of work highlighting the impacts of uranium mining and promoting a nuclear free Australia. Uncle Kev has been a tireless campaigner for indigenous rights including reclaiming the kangaroo and emu sacred totems from the Coat of Arms from Parliament House in Canberra and accusing the Federal Government of genocide. [Full Story] |
more...
|
|
|
|
