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Weekly Refugee Post
Oct. 11th, 2013 10:03 amVale Evelyn Kaitz (1917-2013), aka Bubby, whose funeral and Shiva services Jon and I attended last week (delaying this posting).
Despite conditions on Nauru, and warnings from doctors, pregnant women will not be removed from the island in order to give birth. (A letter to the SMH grimly joked that the government considers expectant mothers "the most nefarious people smugglers of all".) ETA: An asylum seeker six months pregnant with twins is being held on Nauru. Although the government claims hospital facilities are adequate, advocates fear for the health of mother and babies in communal tents where temperatures can reach 50°C (122°F) and running water is not available.
The government has set a target of 48 hours for asylum seekers to be transferred to Manus Island or Nauru. However, this time is not adequate for health screening for conditions such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, typhoid, and syphilis. Asylum seekers are arriving on Nauru effectively unscreened. However, Papua New Guinea has stated that it won't break its own laws regarding health checks to meet the 48-hour target.
Allegations that Australia delayed rescuing the boat which sank off Java last week have prompted a denial from the government (and a frankly bizarre opinion piece from Amanda Vanstone, who seems to think calling for help from a sinking ship is just a trick to make us feel sorry). Unfortunately, successive Australian governments have considerable form on both mishandling rescues and lying about them afterwards, so it's hard to know what to believe. The total number of asylum seekers who have drowned trying to reach Australia has now passed 1500. (ETA: Journalist Bianca Hall ponders the effects of the government's gag order on the rumours surrounding the sinking.)
The government is now revoking the bridging visas of asylum seekers who are charged with a crime while in living in the community. This will directly affect only a few people (28 so far out of 21,300), but all asylum seekers will have to comply with "mandatory behavioural protocols", and police will be provided with their addresses.
Negotiations between Australia and Indonesia continue, with Indonesia agreeing to make deals directly and not solely through the Bali Process, and Australian PM Tony Abbott apparently indicating some elements of the Libs' anti-refugee election platform, such as turning boats back, may be dropped.
ETA: The government reported that one boat arrived this week.
Despite conditions on Nauru, and warnings from doctors, pregnant women will not be removed from the island in order to give birth. (A letter to the SMH grimly joked that the government considers expectant mothers "the most nefarious people smugglers of all".) ETA: An asylum seeker six months pregnant with twins is being held on Nauru. Although the government claims hospital facilities are adequate, advocates fear for the health of mother and babies in communal tents where temperatures can reach 50°C (122°F) and running water is not available.
The government has set a target of 48 hours for asylum seekers to be transferred to Manus Island or Nauru. However, this time is not adequate for health screening for conditions such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, typhoid, and syphilis. Asylum seekers are arriving on Nauru effectively unscreened. However, Papua New Guinea has stated that it won't break its own laws regarding health checks to meet the 48-hour target.
Allegations that Australia delayed rescuing the boat which sank off Java last week have prompted a denial from the government (and a frankly bizarre opinion piece from Amanda Vanstone, who seems to think calling for help from a sinking ship is just a trick to make us feel sorry). Unfortunately, successive Australian governments have considerable form on both mishandling rescues and lying about them afterwards, so it's hard to know what to believe. The total number of asylum seekers who have drowned trying to reach Australia has now passed 1500. (ETA: Journalist Bianca Hall ponders the effects of the government's gag order on the rumours surrounding the sinking.)
The government is now revoking the bridging visas of asylum seekers who are charged with a crime while in living in the community. This will directly affect only a few people (28 so far out of 21,300), but all asylum seekers will have to comply with "mandatory behavioural protocols", and police will be provided with their addresses.
Negotiations between Australia and Indonesia continue, with Indonesia agreeing to make deals directly and not solely through the Bali Process, and Australian PM Tony Abbott apparently indicating some elements of the Libs' anti-refugee election platform, such as turning boats back, may be dropped.
ETA: The government reported that one boat arrived this week.
