press release 22/09/01
Refugee rights hunger
strikers attacked
A three day hunger strike against racism and in defence of refugee rights
was attacked today and forced to postpone for fear of supporters facing
further violent attacks through the evening.
Socialist Alliance candidate for the seat of Gellibrand, Jorge Joquera,
planned the hunger strike with supporters to highlight the conditions of
asylum seekers inside Maribynong detention centre in Melbourne's west. The
protest had proceeded well with many supporters visiting through Friday and
Saturday morning until a man driving a car used his vehicle as a weapon to
threaten the protesters.
A 27 year old woman supporting the hunger strike and her six month old baby
son were verbally threatened by the man who shouted, "I will kill you". He
then reversed his car at high speed towards them stopping within only one
metre of the pram. When the woman yelled out that he almost hit the pram
(with the baby sleeping inside it), the man yelled "I=92ll kill your baby".
The man also made comments indicating that his attack was directly linked
to opposition to the political aims of the protest.
The man continued to drive in circles around the hunger strike site and
several times threatened to smash his car into the hunger strikers. It was
only the presence of some passers-by waved-down by the protesters, which
prevented a violent attack.
The attacker finally drove his car into the Maribyrnong Detention Centre.
The police established that according to the Detention Centre
administration he was a visitor and had been told by the administration to
"pull his head in" once notified by the police of the attack. Protesters
identified the attacker's car and will be pressing charges.
For more information contact Jorge Jorquera on 0417 537 388
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Jorges' statement read out at the rally on Saturday
Last week thousands of people were slaughtered in New York and Washington
State. Likewise, next week one million people will die, just like every
week, not at the hand of natural disaster, but by human hands. Next week
there will not be 15 terrorists but G8 or so. They too will not take
responsibility. They too will hide, not in mountains, but in boardrooms and
parliaments worldwide. They don't need planes and knives, because they have
armies and dollars.
Those of us at this hunger strike outside the Maribyrnong Detention Centre
are here because we shed tears for all those who die, every week. We do not
reserve our minutes of silence for some. We do not think that God just
blessed America. Whatever our colour or country of origin, people deserve
the same right to peace and wellbeing.
But the everyday terrorism of the rich nations and corporations is well
marketed by their TVs and newspapers, so billions of people are forgotten.
There's no black armbands or ecumenical services for them.
Then a few of the forgotten knock on our door and ask for help.
Do not believe these are the lucky ones. There is nothing fortunate about
having to abandon your family and friends, and the streets and mountains
that define you. These are the unlucky ones. The people who have to live
the rest of their lives feeling guilty about leaving loved ones and
abandoning their war torn countries.
When they arrive, the Howard-Beazley coalition government puts them in
jail. The "lucky ones" that is, the others are thrown to the ocean.
Those of us at this hunger strike are here because we think this terrorism
of the Australian government can be stopped.
We think that with resolute action we can break the consensus that Liberal,
Labor and One Nation have woven. Everyday it is more obvious. There is
nothing foreign about those who take our jobs or destroy our livelihoods.
They spoke English at Ansett, HIH and OneTel.
We on hunger strike would like to urge all campaigners for refugee rights,
against corporate tyranny, and unionists for wage justice to unite, and to
take whatever actions are necessary to break the consensus and mobilise the
majority.
We congratulate those on the trip to Woomera and at the refugee rights
rally on your actions! We invite anyone not on the bus trip to visit the
hunger strike this weekend. Thanks.
Jorge Jorquera
Socialist Alliance
Candidate for seat of Gellibrand
--
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