Time to release all children and their families from detention
Recommendation 1 of the HREOC Inquiry is that:
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"Children in immigration detention centres and residential housing projects as at the date of the tabling of this report should be released with their parents, as soon as possible, but no later than four weeks after tabling."
We are now counting the days since the report was tabled on Thursday, 13 May 2004. The deadline is 10 June 2004.
This date has passed now, the children were not released. Read how we marked its passing...
Thursday 10 June at Midday 162 pairs of Children's and Babies' shoes
Thursday 10 June at 4pm Join us and Andrew Denton as Master of Ceremonies
Thursday 10 June at 4pm Port Macquarie "Time's Up" vigil
Thursday 10 June at 4pm Bega Tolls the Bells
Sing along to 'Unchain the children!'
Media releases
Chilout Media Release - FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - 8 June 2004
Download: PR12-2004.doc
Media Release - Alliance of Health Professionals
Download: Media Release - Alliance of Health Professionals.doc
Amnesty International Australia Open Letter to the PM - 9 June 2004
Open Letter to the Australian Prime Minister For the Release of Child Asylum Seekers in Immigration Detention.
Dr. Carmen Lawrence MP - GOVERNMENT IGNORES HREOC REPORT - 9 June 2004
"It is shameful that the Government has taken no notice of this report. They are ignoring the recommendations and pretending that the children are not suffering or being harmed. They are also contravening the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Australia is a signatory," Dr Lawrence said.
Uniting Church Media Release - 10 June 2004
Download: UnitingChurchMediaRelease100604.doc
"This is a Government which claims to be supportive of families and children yet its policies are destroying children's lives. There is absolutely no excuse for robbing children of their innocence."
"The HREOC report painted a terrible picture of life for children who are held in Australia's detention centres, but the Government has refused to acknowledge that the detention of children is wrong.
"The Minister, Amanda Vanstone, has said that releasing these children would send a message to people smugglers that we are a soft target if they bring children.
"It is horrendous to place children in an abusive situation to make a point to criminals. People smugglers don't care what happens to the vulnerable people they take advantage of," Rev. Poulos said.
On 4 June, the NSW Secondary Principals' Council State Assembly passed the following motion:
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"The Secondary Principals' Council condemns the Federal Government's detention of school age children in immigration centres throughout Australia and calls for their immediate release".
On June 10, the whole refugee movement is mobilising to make the strongest, most visible protest we can - AND WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
If you have any commitment to human rights, if you are at all affronted by what is happening to innocent children, if you want to send the right message to our children, don't leave taking action to someone else. Please make the effort to register your opposition to an inhumane policy that institutionalises child abuse.
Below are some of the ways you can participate in the lead up to and on Thursday 10 June.
Thursday 10 June Sydney 4pm - 5pm
with Andrew Denton as MC
In Sydney, ChilOut, Amnesty and many other groups are gathering at Sydney Square (between the Town Hall and St Andrews Cathedral) from 4.00 pm on June 10.
We will be addressed at 4.30pm by such eminent Australians as Dr Louise Newman (Child Psychiatrist and Director of the NSW Institute of Psychiatry), Mr John Valder (former President of the Liberal Party), Sister Susan Connolly, leading politicians and religious dignatories of all major faiths. Some Afghan refugee children will talk about what detention was like.
We need as many children as possible to attend for a special ceremony and bell ringing from 4:30 - 5.00 p.m.
Put off homework for a couple of hours. If your child has an after-school activity, think about the 162 children who have no freedom for after school clubs or anything else. Get together with other parents and come in a group. Teachers, start getting permission slips ready� Boarding schools, get the school bus booked and come down in force. Everybody, make arrangements to leave work/college/uni early that day.
The more people we have, the more we highlight the ongoing detention of 164 children. Every time someone rings a bell, it is a reminder of the human rights of children in detention.
The bells at Town Hall, St Andrew's Church and St Mary's Cathedral will all ring out at 5pm. Church bells across Australia will do the same. 162 children will be symbolically "caged" and then released when the bells toll.
Get you and your kids there - with bells on!!!.
Download: June10Flier.doc June10Flier.pdf
Schools may download and adapt the parental consent form for children attending the Sydney Town Hall. Parents are welcome too.
Download: ParentalConsentForm.doc
Thursday 10 June Melbourne at 12 midday
162 Pairs of children's and babies' shoes
Lined up outside the doors of DIMIA to remind them of the 162 children living behind razor wire in Australia on this 10th day of JUNE 2004.
Bring your babies shoes to line up at 12 midday at DIMIA, Casselden Place , corner Spring and Lonsdale streets Melbourne.
PORT MACQUARIE "TIME'S UP VIGIL" at 4pm
Port Macquarie supporters are staging a "Time's up Vigil" on 10 June on the Town Green, Port Macquarie, to ensure that this report is not ignored by the government, the media and the Australian Public.
Date: Thursday 10 June
When: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: Town Green, Port Macquarie
Details: RAR Noticeboard
Bega Tolls the Bells at 4pm
Bega Valley RAR have organised a gathering in the town centre JUNE 10th at 4.00pm. The Church bells in Bega will be ringing and ringing.
Display a Countdown Clock
Download and print copies of the Countdown clock: MS Word Doc or PDF
Put these up in your windows, on notice boards. When people ask, explain to them about the children. Suggest that they visit our web site and get involved.
Put up a Poster
Print a copy of these posters to display. These are A3, but will scale down to print at a smaller size. If printing at A4, reduce size to at least 66% to avoid any cropping, and if printing to A3 scale down to 97% or under, again to avoid any cropping. Alternately, use the "Scale to fit" option in your computer's print driver, if available.
All children out of detention
Download: ChildrenOut.pdf
Human Rights Commissioner says "All children out of detention" by June 10.
Mr Howard, we didn't elect you to lock up little children.
Download: ItsPolicy.pdf
- Exposed to sun without protection.
Allowed to go hungry.
Provided with dirty, unhygenic toilets/bathrooms. - Terrified by verbal and physical abuse.
Exposed to horrific violence.
Locked up for years, sometimes in isolation.
Made suicidal through despair.
If a parent treats a child like this, it's criminal.
When the government treats a child like this, it's policy.
Mr Howard, we didn't elect you to lock up little children.
Children in detention is our national shame
Download: ShamePoster.pdf
CHILDREN IN DETENTION
IS OUR NATIONAL
SHAME
HELP STOP THIS CRUELTY
CHILDREN�S HUMAN
RIGHTS DO MATTER
Sing along to 'Unchain the children!' They've waited too long.
Sister Susan Connelly has penned the lyrics to 'Unchain the children!', sung to the tune of 'Waltzing Matilda'.
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Chorus:
Unchain the children! Unchain the children!
Why do we harm those who've done us no wrong?
They've been used, and abused, and accused, despite their innocence;
Unchain the children! They've waited too long.
Download and print out the full song: MS Word Doc or PDF
Toll the bells on 10 June and each month the children remain locked up
For whom the bells toll�
Ring out your bells in support of asylum seekers in detention
Thursday, 10 June 2004 5.15 pm for 5 - 10 minutes
Read and share this appeal originating from the Archdiocese of Melbourne: MS Word Doc or PDF.
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"As a sign that we have not forgotten these children and their families, we are asking every church to ring their bells for 5-10 minutes from 5.15 pm and to continue to do so on the 10th of each month until every man, woman and child have been released from mandatory detention and a better, more compassionate system has been instituted to handle the arrival of asylum seekers in the future."
Can't attend in person?
If you can't make it to any of the June 10 activities and demonstrations, then write a letter to your local newspaper. Letters to the editor published on June 10 will help make an impact and support demonstrations. Even if you do not have time to write a long letter, please write something quickly. Your letter may assist the publication of someone else's. Letters editor contact details for some newspapers:
The Age -
SMH -
The Australian - http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/ (click on 'letters')
The Advertiser - http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/letters/letters.html
The Examiner (Tasmania) -
The Courier (Ballarat) -
All letters and email (no attachments) must carry the sender's home address and day and evening phone numbers for verification.
There are also other steps you can take to support the recommendations of the HREOC Inquiry.
Information Sheets
A one page introduction to the issues:
ChilOut-ChildrenOutNow.doc ChilOut-ChildrenOutNow.pdf
Statistics on children in detention:
ChildrenTheNumbers.doc ChildrenTheNumbers.pdf
Remember
Remember, this is how we are breaching our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which we signed in 1990. We are failing a child's right to:-
- Be detained as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time
- Be protected from physical and mental violence
- Have their mental health and development promoted and protected
- Not be subject to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment
- Enjoy the highest attainable standard of healthcare
- An appropriate education on the basis of equal opportunity
- A "full and decent life" for children with disabilities
- Receive special protection and assistance if unaccompanied
Minister Vanstone dismissed the report as "disappointing, unbalanced, backwards looking". Conditions have improved for detainees over the last three years. They no longer get called by numbers or are subject to headcounts during the night. Some children are allowed to attend external schools.
BUT the system that permitted such systemic child abuse is still in place�.
IT HAS TO GO!!!