The PNG authorities have advised detainees in Manus of thir options.
In short, it comes to this: If you are refused refugee status, you will be sent back to your country of origin. If you cannot return to your country of origin, you will stay in detention in PNG. You will not be allowed to go to Australia.
Be clear about this: people who have committed no offence will be jailed, potentially for life, if they are stateless or if they are unwilling to return to their country of origin to be persecuted.
This, coupled with processing designed to exclude as many refugees as possible, will involve forcing people badk to face persecution. Already the system on Manus is operated with a view to breaking the spirit of the people held there, so that they will abandon their claim for protection.
Australia has disgraced itself by creating and running a system like this.
Disgusting and despicable.
When is the ICC going lay charges?
This is criminal. How far along is the ICC process? How can anyone think that it is okay to indefinitely detain people in a local prison who are stateless or cannot return to their country? I find it so difficult to come to terms with the fact that Australian politicians devise such soul breaking heart breaking policies to inflict on fellow human beings who are already suffering in filthy, unsafe, unjust conditions. OMG this is just plain evil. We are paying millions of dollars to inflict this torture.
Mr. Burnside, I just want you to know there are a lot more of the silent majority/minority who appreciate the lead your taking in this. Keep up the good work. Sooner or later we will return to more humanitarian values.
I’m so ashamed to be an Australian with these disgraceful practices supported by both sides of politics these days.
Shame, shame, shame.
The sheer inhumanity of this government is beyond belief! We need rid of them, the sad thing is that the majority of Australians agree with it all because they have been virtually brainwashed to fear refugees!
Thank you, Julian, for giving your voice to the refugees and. We are a newly-formed group in Denmark, WA, “Denmark Rural Australians for Refugees”. We are working toward creating a “Welcome Zone for Refugees” in our town. You are an inspiration for many people and groups like ours and believe, that Australians will welcome refugees if there is an open discussion and protests at the cruel, inhumane treatment of this most vulnerable group. As Brad Chilcott said: “I’ve never experienced injustice that has robbed me of my dignity, freedom or human rights. I simply know that I want to be part of calling out the best in Australians and do what I can to build a welcoming, diverse and generous Australia.” The overwhelming support given to Adam Goodes right across our country who had to endure the most racist treatment is evidence that we no longer will be silenced, when we witness racism or any kind of demonisation of
peoples.