Human Rights & Justice

New deaths show why safer pathways needed for asylum seekers

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 1st November 2011, 6:44pm
in

The Australian Greens have expressed their condolences after at least seven asylum seekers drowned off the Indonesian island of Java earlier today.

Govt must establish 24-hr medical services for fragile detainees

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Friday 28th October 2011, 2:30pm
in

Reports today that the ambulance called to Villawood to attend the suicide of a detainee on Tuesday night was phoned by a member of the public outside the facility is another reason why there must be 24-hour medical care at all detention centres, the Greens said today.

Audio from Sarah's doorstop on Villawood suicide

Greencast | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 26th October 2011, 3:36pm
in

Audio from Sarah's door stop in Adelaide about the suicide overnight of a 27-year-old Sri Lankan man at the Villawood immigration detention centre.

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Ten Years On and Still No Answers

Blog Post | Blog of Christine Milne
Tuesday 25th October 2011, 11:45am
by JeffDonne in

On 19th October 2001, at the height of the Howard government's election campaign based on the mantra, "We will decide who comes to this country.." the SIEV X sank on its way to Australia with the shocking loss of 353 lives including 142 women and 146 children. 41 adults and three children survived. The truth about what happened to the SIEV X has never been told as no judicial inquiry or coroner's inquiry was ever held because the ship apparently did not sink in Australian waters. Huge questions remain:
Why were the asylum seekers on the SIEV X transported to the boat in buses with blacked out windows and forced to board by Indonesian police carrying guns?
What did Australian authorities know about the SIEV X before it departed given that Australia was involved in or knew about "disruption" activities in Indonesian ports at that time?
Did the Shoal Bay tracking station know where the SIEV X was and where it was sinking? Was a tracking device on the ship?

With SIEV X survivor, Faris Shohani

Time limits would stop illegal detentions

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Monday 24th October 2011, 2:55pm
in

The Australian Greens say putting time limits on detention would prevent a repeat of incidents such the unlawful detention of Indian student, Prashant Cherkupalli, who was inside Villawood for 18 months.

Tibet tragedies Australia's business

Media Release
Saturday 22nd October 2011, 10:45am
in

Greens Leader Bob Brown says the self-immolation of nine Tibetan monks and nuns this year, requires a response from Australia and other nations doing business with China.


"The silence of the world on the repression of Tibetan Buddhism and vilification of the Dalai Lama by Beijing are a daily reminder of the way corporate greed overrides human rights in global affairs. This cruel repossession leading to a tragic string of self immolations, demands condemnation and action from democracies and those who believe China is obliged to uphold the International Covenant on Human Rights. If these monks and nuns were throwing bombs, everyone would be condemning them, but, as it is, they are being largely ignored in their desperate call to the world for help.


"Both Australia's major parties have leaders who want a free trade agreement with Beijing. Both should say how they will tackle the Tibetan people's agony. Greens spokesperson on Tibet, Sarah Hanson-Young, will move a motion calling on the Australian Government to tackle China over Tibet when the Senate sittings resume," Senator Brown said in Hobart this morning.


 

Brown pays tribute to people of Libya

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Friday 21st October 2011, 12:43pm
in

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown today paid tribute to the people of Libya who have brought an end to Muammar Gaddafi's cruel dictatorship.


"Brave Libyans died standing up for the rights that we in Australia take for granted," Senator Brown said in Canberra.


"Libya now needs to heal as a nation, and Australia should extend a helping hand as it begins to craft its own democracy. Australian aid can help Libya to address human rights concerns, including violence against women, and provide skills to assist the process of reconciliation and reconstruction," Senator Brown said.


"As the European Green foreign policy spokesperson Franziska Brantner said today, the new Libyan authorities need to show they are serious about the rule of law and human rights, and ensure that Gaddafi loyalists are judged in fair and transparent trials, in cooperation with the International Criminal Court if necessary, and that the human rights of citizens belonging to minorities are guaranteed."


 

Marzieh Vefamehr

Motion | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 12th October 2011, 12:00am
in

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia) (15:41): I move:
That the Senate expresses its deep concern for the welfare of Iranian actress Ms Marzieh Vefamehr who has been sentenced in Iran to one year in jail and 90 lashings for her role in the South Australian produced film My Tehran For Sale.


Question agreed to.


 

SIEV X Tragedy

Motion | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 12th October 2011, 12:00am
in

Senator MILNE: I, and also on behalf of Senator Hansen-Young, move the motion as amended:


That the Senate- (a) recalls, with regret, that on 19 October 2001, the SIEV X carrying approximately 400 asylum seekers sank on its way to Australia, resulting in the drowning of 146 children, 142 women and 65 men and only 41 people survived; and (b) notes that: (i) in interviews with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, survivors told of the involvement of the Indonesian military in the boarding and organising of the voyage, (ii) survivors reported that they saw two military vessels appear, shine lights on the water and sail away, (iii) HMAS Arunta stood 4 hours away, (iv) Australia maintained a People Smuggling Disruption Program in the region at the time, (v) the Australian listening station at Shoal Bay was operational at the time, and (vi) many outstanding serious questions remain about the failure to rescue desperate people in the water and must be answered in the interest of justice and humanity; and (c) calls on the Government to establish a judicial inquiry into the SIEV X, subsequent investigations in the SIEV X tragedy and all circumstances pertaining to its voyage, loss and rescue of survivors.
Question put.


The Senate divided. [15:49]
(The Deputy President-Senator Parry)
Ayes ...................... 10
Noes ...................... 36
Majority ................ 26


 

Greens call on government to take urgent action to protect sex-trafficked women

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 11th October 2011, 9:57am
in

The Australian Greens say the Four Corners investigation into sex trafficking shows the government must act immediately to protect vulnerable women who risk deportation.


"I will be writing to the Immigration Minister and Home Affairs Minister  today requesting that this matter be given urgent consideration to these women so they can get out of sexual slavery," Greens' immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said today.


"Women tricked into becoming sexual slaves need assistance such as temporary visas and support services to help them work through their ordeal and achieve justice.


"All the constant noise over border protection and asylum seekers should be put into the proper context, because while these enslaved women are trafficked here under the radar, their plight is not given the attention it deserves."