I fully support the following Response to the “Malaysia Solution” from the Anglican Church’s Migrants and Refugees Network:
The Chairman of the Network and Archbishop of Adelaide, Jeffrey Driver, has described as appalling a decision by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen to send child asylum seekers to Malaysia as part of the “Malaysian solution”.
“The Minister is intent on breaking the people smuggling racket and especially discouraging families from sending minors on boats to Australia,” Archbishop Driver said.
“While the Minister has said he never wants to bury children again who have drowned in boat incidents on the Australian coast he is willing to send them to what is little better than a third world prison camp.”
“I welcome the softening of the Minister’s stance announced today, but continue to be appalled that the Minister could consider sending any unaccompanied minors to Malaysia,” Archbishop Driver said.
“Unaccompanied minors should not be turned away from our care. There actually is a blanket rule with regards to minors and it is called the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act. The Federal Court of Australia has ruled that the guardianship responsibilities under the Act include ensuring the fundamental human rights set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This includes acting in their best interests and ensuring they have access to legal advice and representation.”
“Australian law recognises that minors are more vulnerable than adults. Mr Bowen, please do not protect just some of the unaccompanied minors who come to our shores. In your formal capacity as their Guardian, protect them all.”
Archbishop Driver said that there was “no way” sending any asylum seeker children to Malaysia was in their best interests.
“There are very real reasons to believe that these children will be at risk in these camps. As Australians, do we want that responsibility on our hands?”
“Most of these children have already fled trauma. As Guardian of these children, and as a signatory to the UNHCR convention, the Minister cannot abrogate his responsibilities and send any children to suffer the risk of further persecution and possible trauma.
“If the Government is really serious about stopping the boat people why does the Minister not start processing refugee cases properly and fairly in countries of first asylum such as Pakistan, Iran and Syria.
“Of course, we do not condone people smugglers and the huge profits they make trafficking vulnerable people but why are we punishing the victims instead of the perpetrators?”
I have written elsewhere on this blog of discrimination and lack of fair process in Malaysia: Malaysia: ‘Allah’ Bibles released. How the Australian Government can entrust asylum seekers and especially the vulnerable to the care of the Malaysian Government defies belief. If the Christian community of Malaysia has to mount massive legal action against the Malaysian Government in order for the historic name for God, Allah, to continue to be used in the Bible; what hope has a refugee child or woman to gain fair and reasonable, let alone compassionate, treatment?
Shame, Australia, shame!
See, When it comes to boat people: whatever happened to ‘concern for the underdog’? and Political power & Leaky Boats
I recently sent this letter to Prime Minister Gillard and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Tony Abbott:
Dear Prime Minister,
Treatment of Refugees
I write on behalf of Tasmania’s Anglican community regarding the current issue of the treatment of refugees in Australia.
The Synod meeting in June requested the Bishop to write to both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Federal Opposition to communicate the following:
- that members of the Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania do nor minimise the complexity of issue surrounding the arrival on our shores of men, women and children; however
- that the Synod, affirming unambiguously the clear teaching of Scripture about the value of every person in the sight of God, urges that the Government take immediate and sufficient steps to ensure that all persons seeking asylum in Australia by whatever means, are treated with dignity, respect and in a way which does not impact adversely their physical or mental well-being.
I urge your government to respond positively to these decisions of the Synod of the Anglican Church of Tasmania.
Yours sincerely
John D Harrower OAM
Bishop of Tasmania
Reply: The Hon Tony Abbott (Leader of the Opposition)
