Another opportunity to act on the conditions of refugee detention centres
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REFUGEE CONTACT LIST
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UNAA PEOPLES COMMISSION of INQUIRY INTO AUSTRALIAN DETENTION PRACTICES
The United Nations Association of Australia has embarked on an
information gathering exercise to collate knowledge about Australian
Detention Practices in response to ongoing community disquiet about the
treatment of asylum seekers.
The UNAAs Peoples Commission of Inquiry will enable its members and
associates to contribute to a central data base so that the experience
of detainess can be recorded and forwarded to appropriate authorities
including, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights and Australian based government and
parliamentary enquiries.
Over the past twelve months there have been repeated calls for
independent assessment of conditions within detention centres and for
judicial review or a Royal Commission to open up scrutiny of detention
policy. In the absence of these official mechanisms the Peoples
Commission will rely on those people living, working or visiting
detention centres to provide important insight into the need for policy
reform.
Anecdotal reporting of major disturbances, deaths and attempted suicide,
child abuse and the overall punitive environment of Australias detention
centres indicates that efforts must be made to compile a comprehensive
account of life within detention. Clearly without an offical inquiry
this will not be an easy task,but the Peoples Commission is an interim
measure to try to collect personal stories which reflect individual
experience. UNAA will continue its advocacy for a Royal Commission.
It is hoped that the Peoples Commission will encourage detainees,former
detainees and families,detention staff,official visitors,legal advisers
and media to be involved in recording information which could be used to
develop an alternative approach to mandatory detention of all asylum
seekers.
The Peoples Commission will invite comment on Living Conditions,
Privacy, Psychological Impact, Medical Facilities, Education and
Recreation Facilities, Counselling, Management Practices, Staff
Training, Cultural Awareness, Access to Information Access to Legal
Advice, Appeals Process, Special Needs of Children, Special Needs of
Women ,Depression, Violence, Punishment, Suicide, Release into the
Community, Work Rights, Temporary Protection Visas, Deportation Procedures
For further information:
Margaret Reynolds, National President <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
David Purnell, National Administrator <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
UNity<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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