refugee

Senator slams Rudd's PNG dump plan calling it radical, right-wing and hard-line.

Prime Minister Rudd’s refugee announcement is Australia's day of refugee shame, Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said.

“A rich country like Australia paying off a poor country to take our desperate refugees is passing the buck and an abrogation of our responsibilities to people and the international community,” Senator Milne said.
 
“It’s not a regional solution, but a radical, right-wing, hard-line response. Manus Island will be Australia’s gulag in PNG.

Three men being held in Pontville detention centre in Tasmania have been on hunger strike for 11 days now, at the lack of progress of their refugee assessments. Around 150, more than half of the Afghan asylum seekers at Pontville detention centre in Tasmania were involved in a hunger strike, with most suspending their fast on January 25 to continue talks with immigration officials.

Related: Afghan mass hunger strike at Pointville

Refugee Action Coalition media release detailing immediate concerns with MALAYSIAN SOLUTION.

Also on this issue.

Julia Gillard's announcement of a deal to send asylum seekers attempting to arrive in Australia by boat to Malaysia is just the latest chapter in Australia's attempts to dodge its international obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees, according to the Refugee Action Coalition.

Hundreds of asylum seekers largely from Afghanistan are currently on a hunger strike at Curtin Detention Centre. Many fearing deportation back to war torn Afghanistan after the Australian Government this week struck a deal with the corrupt Karzai government on returning "failed" asylum seekers. One asylum seeker also attempted suicide. Despite attempts by Serco and the Immigration Department to play down the protest, messages form the asylum seekers have started to reach the outside world.
Related: Perth Indymedia -- Project Safe.com press release -- R.I.S.E. Press Release> -- Perth Now coverage -- Sydney Morning Herald coverage