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Children Out Of Detention (ChilOut) is a group of parents and citizens opposed to the mandatory detention of children in Australian immigration detention centres (IDCs). We are appalled that Australias treatment of asylum seekers breaches several UN Conventions to which we are a signatory, in particular the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC).
We cannot stand by and witness the mistreatment of children carried out in our name and on our behalf.
301 Children in Detention: Australian mainland 101, Christmas Island 10, Manus Island PNG 38, Nauru 152
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Coming Events
End of Ramadan and the Spirit of Christmas Picnic Centennial Park, Sydney, Sunday 8th December
Flyer: PICNIC8DEC2002.pdf
Latest News and Web Site Updates
Lawrence risks job on asylum debate 5 December
Crean gives refugee detention policy an early release 4 December
PM changes tune on asylum seekers 4 December
ALP pressures Crean on refugees 4 December
Ruddock rehouses women, children 4 December
ALP plan to counsel asylum seekers 3 December
Asylum seeker revamp splits ALP 3 December
Parents to sue Ruddock for $750,000 3 December
Steel town, soft heart 3 December
The steel town of Whyalla has offered a haven to women and children from the Baxter immigration detention centre who could be released into guarded accommodation.
Govt, Opposition unveil new asylum policies 3 December
Detention company accused of inflating education figures 3 December
The Immigration Department has been questioned about whether the company running detention centres, Australasian Correctional Management, has exaggerated the level of education provided.
Health of detained children an 'emergency': psychologist 3 December
The health of children in immigration detention has been called a medical and psychiatric emergency. The claim was made in a letter by a registered psychologist working at the Woomera detention centre and was sent to the South Australian Family and Youth Services Department in November.
About-face on detention centres policy 2 December
The Federal Government appears set to drop the controversial detention of women, children and unaccompanied minors, a significant reversal of its asylum seeker policy. It is believed that Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock will outline the change in a major statement on immigration issues to parliament this week, possibly as early as tomorrow.
Purchase the CD Mohsen - Lyrics by Mohsen Soltani Zand - Asylum Seeker
Read this recent poem by Mohsen - a Detainee at Villawood in Sydney
Read other recent news items
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ChilOuts Mission
1. We are campaigning to get all children, together with their primary carers and accompanying families, out of IDCs and into existing community support structures. This includes all unaccompanied children in IDCs. Our motivation is humanitarian and non-political.
2. We are opposed to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers and are particularly concerned about conditions under which children are detained, denied access to basic education and opportunities to play and develop. Physical, emotional and developmental damage caused by continued detention is well documented. Some children are on anti-depressants, others are or have been on hunger strikes. One has sewn his lips together in protest at his treatment. Many suffer from Immigration Detention Stress Syndrome as documented in Lancet, the prestigious British medical journal. Release from detention is our primary aim. Our secondary aim is to make lives in detention more tolerable through outside contact, learning, play and entertainment.
3. We also seek to correct inaccurate media coverage of asylum seekers and counter widespread misinformation. Pejorative terms such as illegal immigrants and queue jumpers are used in the media and help justify harsh Government policies. In our view, once acquainted with the facts of detention Australians of good conscience will react as we do - with indignation, compassion and action.
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