It's time for an answer for the Burmese 7

13 October 2007

Monday 15th October marks the one-year anniversary of the Burmese asylum seekers on Nauru lodging applications for protection visas with the Department of Immigration.

In 2005 the current Government made a pledge to the Australian people that asylum applications would be processed within 90 days. If they can process mainland applications in that time, there is no clear reason why these Burmese cases have now taken one year to finalise.

"The Government has wasted time and money on keeping these Burmese men in limbo. To continue to keep them waiting is not only cruel, but it's a waste of taxpayer dollars and raises questions about the competence of the Department's decision-making processes. The simple fact is, it's high time they had an answer on their cases." Kate Gauthier, National Coordinator said.

The damaging effects of prolonged detention have been well documented. "Every new day spent in forced exile on Nauru is another day of damage being inflicted by the very country they fled to for protection." Ms Gauthier said.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has made strong statements on the current situation in Burma: "The military leadership of Burma has proved to be spectacularly stubborn - I mean they really have - they are unbelievably stubborn...so the best thing we can do as an international community is continue to work together and apply still more pressure, if possible, for proper negotiated solutions to Burma's political problems and allow the country to move into a freer and more democratic era."

"Given the strong statements the Government has made about the deplorable human rights abuses occurring right now in Burma, it is hypocritical of them to keep these Burmese men locked up any longer. We are asking for one small act of compassion for these seven men who have been through some pretty horrible experiences."

The Government often discusses Australian values - the Federal Government program "Values for Australian Schooling" promotes values such as "care and compassion."

"The Government is happy to preach about values, but not so happy to put them into practice. We'd like to know how this situation meets the values of 'doing your best or a fair-go' which the Government is promoting in schools."

A Just Australia and Oxfam Australia recently released a joint report on the use of offshore processing - "A Price Too High: The cost of Australia's approach to Asylum Seekers." This report found that over $1 billion dollars has been spent on all offshore processing and detention programs. It has cost the Australian taxpayer more than $500,000 per person to process fewer than 1,700 asylum seekers in Nauru, Manus and Christmas Island.


A Just Australia and the Refugee Council of Australia have released a joint statement on this issue, attached below to this release.


For media comment:
Kate Gauthier 0414 876 139
National Coordinator

------------------------------
Joint Statement - A Just Australia and Refugee Council of Australia.

Be Refugee Receptive: Free the Burmese 7 - "I Can Do That"

The Australian Government is shirking its responsibilities on the region's refugees by leaving seven Burmese asylum seekers in limbo on Nauru for more than a year. These seven men lodged applications for refugee status one year ago as of Monday 15th October. It's time for the Australian Government to decide their cases and grant them visas to Australia.

With the situation in Burma remaining unstable, potentially sending thousands more Burmese refugees into neighbouring Thailand, Australia has an opportunity to demonstrate its compassion by starting with these seven people.

Instead, the Minister has blamed the Burmese asylum seekers for the year-long delay because they refused to return to Malaysia to have their claims processed. Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees and has a record of mistreatment of Burmese asylum seekers.

And even if the Burmese asylum seekers are found to be refugees, under the "Pacific Solution" they will not be allowed to resettle in Australia, as is the case with all of those people now processed on Nauru. Instead, Mr Andrews will ask some other country to take them.

One of the Burmese asylum seekers told AAP that the military's violent crackdown in his homeland should convince Australia his claim was genuine.

Speaking from Australia's offshore processing centre on Nauru, where he has been held since September 2006, Amin Sawyed, said the Burma junta's deadly crackdown meant he could not go home, and he was desperate to get off Nauru.

"I don't want to go to Burma. It is very difficult now. If I go, they will kill me," he said. "The Burmese government can do anything. In Burma's situation you must understand, normal people there are getting arrested. They haven't done anything.

"I left because many people were being arrested in Rangoon ... If I was arrested I could be in jail a very long time, 15 years or 50 years."

He said his lengthy detention on Nauru had taken its toll. "It is very bad situation here. I cannot stay here. I am going crazy after being here for such a long time," he said.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said: "The military leadership of Burma has proved to be spectacularly stubborn - I mean they really have - they are unbelievably stubborn...so the best thing we can do as an international community is continue to work together and apply still more pressure, if possible, for proper negotiated solutions to Burma's political problems and allow the country to move into a freer and more democratic era."

Given the Foreign Minister's strong statements on the situation in Burma these men have fled, it is time for an act of compassion towards these men by immediately granting them protection. Every day in detention is a day that inflicts uneccesary damage on these men, by the very country they fled to for help.

Australia must do its part to work together as an international community on refugees and asylum seekers.