[Peace-discuss] Urgent request for help- refugees

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Dear Friends,

You may have heard that under the Australian national governments refugee
policy Australia has become an inhumane place for those seeking asylum
from political repression and war.

At the moment 45 refugees on the island of Nauru are staging a hunger
strike as they have been told to return to Afghanistan. Under the resurgent
Taliban, these men and the families are certain to face further deliberate
violence if not death. After 3 years of incarceration many of them have
lost hope and would prefer to perish. Despite this hopelessness, and the
very real threat in a deteriorating Afghanistan, the Australian government
has shown no compassion or willingness to soften their stand, despite calls
for a review of their cases from the UNHCR. As a result many of the women
on Nauru are saying that they too will starve themselves.

Clearly this is above politics and is now an issue of international
ethics and compassion. While not wanting to sound melodramatic, it is fair
to say that the hunger strikers are already in extremis after over
20 days without food and only sporadic IV infusions. Medical assistance
is of poor quality and the Australian government is not allowing independent
assessments by medical teams or qualified others. It is also an issue of
which many Australians feel ashamed. We are hoping that you as caring world
citizens will come forward to declare your revulsion for this expedient
use of peoples lives for political opportunity.

Attached below are two versions of the Statement
of Concern and Support. This is not a petition. It is simply what
it is called: A Statement of Concern. In view of the short time frame and
urgency, we ask you to
<ul>
<li>
complete the form, return it to -  shakti at magma.ca.
We will print and compile your responses and take them to the Government
later next week. or.</li>

<li>
Send it back to us and fax it directly to
the Minister of Immigration Senator Amanda Vanstone at +61 2 6273 4144</li>

<li>
Alternatively, you (and your group) could collect
signed statements (hard copies) and express mail them to the address below
when you have a bundle ready. It is vital for credibility we ensure that
endorsements are genuine, in case there is media follow-up.</li>

<li>
</li>


E Mail: Shakti at magma.ca
Mailing address:
16 Dilkera St
Balmoral, Brisbane. 4171.
Qld.  Australia</ul>

We call on all of our friends to help cast a ray of international scrutiny on 
what is an appalliing breach of peoplesrights for safety and security.
This statement has been prepared by a group of people in close contact with 
the asylum seekers in the Immigration Detention Camps and the 45 Hunger 
Strikers on Nauru. We are seeking to have this statement signed by as manypeople as 
possible, both in Australia and overseas. 
    There are two slightly different statements - one for use in the 
Australian (domestic) context and one for use in an international context. Please make 
sure you use the correct one. If you personally know internationally 
prominent people who might be willing to endorse the statement please email them the 
International version and an explanation, and ask them to respond to the email 
address (above and below or to the fax numberof the Ministers office).
The names of people who are willing to endorse the statement will be made 
public, and it important that this is clearly understood.
Frequently updated information on the Nauru situation and related 
asylumseeker issues can be found on the Nauru Wire website: www.nauruwire.org- and from 
the links on that site.
Time is of the essence, so the more quickly you can make contact with people 
willing to sign the statement the better. If necessary, please follow-up with 
people who have said they are willing to endorse the statement but who may 
have overlooked signing or sending it.
We hope you give support to this fight for refugee rights. May all ofus live 
in peace and understanding.
Thanks and cheers,
Melody Kemp
-----

International statement

We are deeply concerned at the policy decisions that have led to the impasse 
between the 45 Hunger Strikers in the Nauru Immigration DetentionCentre and 
the Australian Government.
The Hunger Strikers have entered the fourth week of their protest, and it is 
clear their health and strength is rapidly fading. News about their condition 
is fragmentary, because access to the island and camp has been severely 
restricted by the Governments of Nauru and Australia. This lack of information and 
almost non-existent visitor access is itself a matterfor concern in a democratic
country.
We appeal to the Hunger Strikers to end their protest before one of them dies 
or before they suffer irreparable damage to their bodies and faculties. We 
are appalled that this is the only means remaining to draw attention to the 
plight of them and their families. Further, we acknowledge that their situation is 
made more desperate by there being no resolution of their status in sight. 
However, we respect their right to continue the protest if this is their 
decision.
We appeal to the Australian Government, in particular the Prime Minister,to 
immediately dispatch an independent medical support team to assess the 
condition of the Hunger Strikers and provide necessary medical care. The facilities 
available at the Nauru Hospital and from IOM (who operate the camp) are reported 
to be  inadequate to deal with the current crisis, in terms of
the number of cases and the specialist knowledge and skills 
required.Australia has a clear duty of care for the Hunger Strikers, and the Prime Minister has 
the authority and responsibility to ensure that it is fullymet.
We call on the Prime Minister to instruct the responsible Minister tomake 
every effort to facilitate the asylum seekers on Nauru having their cases 
promptly reviewed. This review should take into account changed circumstances in the 
country of origin. The review should be conducted with a view to finding a 
durable solution for all 284 asylum seekers and for them to be either granted 
refugee or humanitarian status and bought to the Australianmainland, or for them 
to be
taken in by another country sympathetic to their plight. The Australian 
Government's 'Pacific Solution' agreement with Nauru must be terminated.