January 29th, 2002

A policy on asylum seekers must be based on human dignity

The combined churches' social justice bodies in Perth today called for the federal government to fundamentally alter its policy on asylum seekers.
"The core of any policy dealing with people - any people - must be a determination to protect human dignity," spokesperson Theo Mackaay said.
"The current policies of locking up men, women and children or diverting them to neighbouring countries fails this fundamental test. It treats people who have committed no offence as if they are criminals and places them at risk of further trauma on top of the circumstances which caused them to flee their own country."
"Recent statements by the Prime Minister to the effect that the aim of Australia's current asylum seeker policy is 'to stop people from trying to come here' demonstrates a disturbing trend in government thinking. It indicates a willingness to use the harsh treatment of those who arrive on our shores as a means of sending a message to others. This makes scapegoats of the detainees. Any use of people, as a means to an end in this way is repugnant to any civilised thinking."
"The very existence of remote detention centres indicates that something brutal and mean spirited is being done in our name. The policy is breeding increasing violence. Australians can offer something better than this. There are many people of good will in the Government and the community who can cooperate to take more generous and effective actions in handling this crisis. The return of the Government was not a mandate for more of the same."
"We understand that the government now finds itself unwilling, perhaps politically unable, to change tack in its dealing with asylum seekers, because a change may be portrayed as a back down. We urge the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration to view a change to their policy settings as an opportunity to assert our nation's commitment to dignity and humanity instead," Mr Mackaay said.
"Sometimes it is necessary, in national life, to acknowledge that leadership demands a change of heart - we use the term deliberately - and embark on a new direction, a gesture of statesmanship."
"There have been calls for improvements in the running of the detention centres, and for some individuals to be allowed to live in the community. We reject such calls and urge the government to close the detention centres and to replace them with more intensive community involvement especially in assisting those in the detention centres who will eventually be found to be genuine refugees," Mr Mackaay concluded.