Australian Politics Forum - Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year

mothra

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Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:10pm

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER & OPPOSITION LEADER

FROM FORMER AUSTRALIANS OF THE YEAR

Dear Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten,

We, as former Australians of the Year, representing the hearts and minds of the nation, are deeply concerned about the health and human disaster that is unfolding on Manus Island.

In the coming days, it is inevitable that people will become sick and even die through the lack of basic sanitation, food, water, and medical care.

Australians from all walks of life, from all sides of the political spectrum, are hoping that the Australian Government, with support from the Opposition, will now move to prevent these consequences of neglect. We believe that it is time to stop the unacceptable and internationally criticised treatment of the refugees on Manus Island, who, though innocent of any crime, have been incarcerated and now abandoned there.

This treatment does not represent who we are as Australians, or indeed as human beings.

We should not withhold water from people, nor withhold food; we should not leave seriously ill people to die without medication and treatment.

We are also concerned about Australia’s international reputation in human rights. It seems that both our major political parties have failed to meet their most basic obligations under the United Nations Refugee Convention, one that our country helped to negotiate and which we signed in 1951.

The irony of Australia’s recent appointment to the UN Council for Human Rights is palpable. Do we now condemn our own actions?

We plead with you to immediately restore all essential services to the men on Manus Island. Please allow the Australian Medical Association to provide medical and preventive care, as they have recently offered, as soon as possible. At the same time please find safe haven for the acknowledged genuine refugees without any further delay.

We cannot see any good for Australia to pursue this policy in connection with Manus Island. We believe that the Australian Government is the one that needs to act in this matter and not the government of Papua New Guinea.

Yours sincerely,

Australians of the Year

2015 Rosie Batty

2013 Ita Buttrose

2011 Simon McKeon

2010 Patrick McGorry

2009 Mick Dodson

2007 Tim Flannery

2005 Fiona Wood

2003 Fiona Stanley

2000 Gustav Nossal

1997 Peter Doherty

1996 John Yu

1983 Robert de Castella

http://www.medianet.com.au/releases/148889/

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aquascoot Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36748 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #1 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:13pm when you have fallen out of the limelight, a bit of virtue signalling might get you that attention your pathetic ego craves
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mothra Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36239 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #2 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:14pm
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aquascoot Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36748 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #3 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:15pm did Rudd and Gillard sign as well ?
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Sprintcyclist

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Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Reply #4 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:19pm

mothra wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:10pm:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER & OPPOSITION LEADER

FROM FORMER AUSTRALIANS OF THE YEAR

Dear Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten,

We, as former Australians of the Year, representing the hearts and minds of the nation, are deeply concerned about the health and human disaster that is unfolding on Manus Island.

In the coming days, it is inevitable that people will become sick and even die through the lack of basic sanitation, food, water, and medical care.

Australians from all walks of life, from all sides of the political spectrum, are hoping that the Australian Government, with support from the Opposition, will now move to prevent these consequences of neglect. We believe that it is time to stop the unacceptable and internationally criticised treatment of the refugees on Manus Island, who, though innocent of any crime, have been incarcerated and now abandoned there.

This treatment does not represent who we are as Australians, or indeed as human beings.

We should not withhold water from people, nor withhold food; we should not leave seriously ill people to die without medication and treatment.

We are also concerned about Australia’s international reputation in human rights. It seems that both our major political parties have failed to meet their most basic obligations under the United Nations Refugee Convention, one that our country helped to negotiate and which we signed in 1951.

The irony of Australia’s recent appointment to the UN Council for Human Rights is palpable. Do we now condemn our own actions?

We plead with you to immediately restore all essential services to the men on Manus Island. Please allow the Australian Medical Association to provide medical and preventive care, as they have recently offered, as soon as possible. At the same time please find safe haven for the acknowledged genuine refugees without any further delay.

We cannot see any good for Australia to pursue this policy in connection with Manus Island. We believe that the Australian Government is the one that needs to act in this matter and not the government of Papua New Guinea.

Yours sincerely,

Australians of the Year

2015 Rosie Batty

2013 Ita Buttrose

2011 Simon McKeon

2010 Patrick McGorry

2009 Mick Dodson

2007 Tim Flannery

2005 Fiona Wood

2003 Fiona Stanley

2000 Gustav Nossal

1997 Peter Doherty

1996 John Yu

1983 Robert de Castella

http://www.medianet.com.au/releases/148889/

2015 Rosie Batty

2013 Ita Buttrose

2011 Simon McKeon

2010 Patrick McGorry

2009 Mick Dodson

2007 Tim Flannery

2005 Fiona Wood

2003 Fiona Stanley

2000 Gustav Nossal

1997 Peter Doherty

1996 John Yu and 1983 Robert de Castella

can pay for what they want

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Modern Classic Right Wing

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mothra Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36239 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #5 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:24pm BREAKING: The Manus Island detention centre is currently attack by PNG police and the Australian Federal Police. The AFP's involvement confirms that Dutton and Turnbull are in charge. Call them now and demand they stop. Dutton - (02) 6277 7860 Turnbull - (02) 6277 7700
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mothra Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36239 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #6 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:27pm
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mothra Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36239 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #7 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:29pm
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mothra

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Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Reply #8 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:34pm

Sign an open letter in solidarity:

https://www.asrc.org.au/openletter/

I have never met you – but we, the Australian public see you and we hear you.

You deserve safety and freedom. But I know today will be another day you are incarcerated and indefinitely detained merely for seeking protection.

I cannot begin to imagine the personal toll detention has had on you. You’ve already endured so much, just to be safe.

No family deserves to be torn apart – no child or parent to be separated from their loved ones.

Our government continues to abuse you, degrade your dignity and deprive you of hope. This is not fair and I do not accept this. Like all of us, you deserve certainty of your future.

You are not forgotten.

I sign this letter today to say……

I continue to be a voice for you, to fight for your freedom, safety and the end of indefinite mandatory detention.

I apologise for the pain and suffering inflicted on you by the Australian Government.

I demand that you be allowed to be reunited with your family and live in safety.

I stand with you in solidarity.

Yours sincerely,
Kon Karapanagiotidis
CEO, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Signatories:

Missy Higgins

Tamie Fraser
John Butler

The Cat Empire

Mark Seymour
Courtney Barnett

Arnold Zable

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mothra

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Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Reply #9 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:39pm

ASRC, Behrouz Boochani statement on violent forced removal at Manus RPC

The ASRC is deeply disturbed at the violent forced removal of men inside Manus RPC this morning by PNG police and Australian Federal Police.

The violent forced removal of peaceful refugees demonstrates that refugees and people seeking asylum are unsafe and at grave risk of harm in PNG and must be evacuated now to Australia to protect their human rights.

Statement from Behrouz Boochani:

Around 6:30 this morning many police mobile squad and immigration officers came inside the prison camp.

They started shouting at us to leave. Hundreds of the refugees gathered in Delta compound and some climbed on the roof. An Australian Federal Police officer was guiding more than 50 PNG police, who shouted at people over a microphone “Move, move”.

Immigration threatened the refugees who were on the roof to come down and hand over their phones. They were very angry and shouting at the refugees to deliver their phones.

The refugees were extremely scared and some were crying, but sitting peacefully and otherwise completely silent.

Immigration and police kept ramping up the tension, shouting and searching the rooms and saying “Move, move, you only have an hour to move.”

Police and immigration were very aggressive and some of them were swearing at the refugees. More police spread through the prison camp and around the prison, with Navy officers outside.

Those inside started to break the shelters and water tanks shouting “move, move”, taking people’s phones and searching rooms, taking the refugees there out by force.

They destroyed everything. Shelters, tanks, beds and all of our belongings.
They are still here and very aggressive. They’ve put our belongings in the rubbish bins. The refugees are so scared and have remained peaceful but begun chanting ‘Freedom! Freedom’.

https://www.asrc.org.au/2017/11/23/asrc-behrouz-boochani-statement/

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Sprintcyclist

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Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Reply #10 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:43pm

mothra wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:24pm:

BREAKING: The Manus Island detention centre is currently attack by PNG police and the Australian Federal Police. The AFP's involvement confirms that Dutton and Turnbull are in charge. Call them now and demand they stop.

Dutton - (02) 6277 7860
Turnbull - (02) 6277 7700

good, get the criminals out of there.

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Modern Classic Right Wing

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Sprintcyclist

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Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year
Reply #11 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:44pm

mothra wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:34pm:

Sign an open letter in solidarity:

https://www.asrc.org.au/openletter/

I have never met you – but we, the Australian public see you and we hear you.

You deserve safety and freedom. But I know today will be another day you are incarcerated and indefinitely detained merely for seeking protection.

I cannot begin to imagine the personal toll detention has had on you. You’ve already endured so much, just to be safe.

No family deserves to be torn apart – no child or parent to be separated from their loved ones.

Our government continues to abuse you, degrade your dignity and deprive you of hope. This is not fair and I do not accept this. Like all of us, you deserve certainty of your future.

You are not forgotten.

I sign this letter today to say……

I continue to be a voice for you, to fight for your freedom, safety and the end of indefinite mandatory detention.

I apologise for the pain and suffering inflicted on you by the Australian Government.

I demand that you be allowed to be reunited with your family and live in safety.

I stand with you in solidarity.

Yours sincerely,
Kon Karapanagiotidis
CEO, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Signatories:

Missy Higgins

Tamie Fraser
John Butler

The Cat Empire

Mark Seymour
Courtney Barnett

Arnold Zable

Kon Karapanagiotidis
CEO, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Signatories:

Missy Higgins

Tamie Fraser
John Butler

The Cat Empire

Mark Seymour
Courtney Barnett

Arnold Zable

can pay for these criminals

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Modern Classic Right Wing

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mothra Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 36239 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #12 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:51pm The truth about Manus.
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Sprintcyclist Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 41068 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #13 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:55pm criminals are squatting there. chuck them out
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crocodile Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 6683 Gender:	Re: Open letter from 12 former Aust. of the Year Reply #14 - Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 4:17pm aquascoot wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2017 at 3:15pm: did Rudd and Gillard sign as well ? As far as I know, they were never Australians of the Year.
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