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Global Solidarity - Actions Around the World Border Crossing / Border Camping No, Really. South Australian Police Aren't Racist An Engagement With the Real - A Dialogue |
Global SolidaritySolidarity actions took place around the world over Easter - in Port Hedland, Marybyrnong and Villawood Detention Centres, Melbourne, Wellington, Berlin, Brisbane, Sydney, Wellington, New York and Edinburgh. Voice report: solidarity message I'm speaking from Port Hedland Detention Centre on behalf of the 201 detainees. We have a peaceful demonstration in the centre today, and we also have a peaceful demonstration yesterday. We would like to show our solidarity with the Australian peaceful community and residents who are having demonstration against the government policy, especially about the treatment of asylum seekers in Woomera, South Australia. So regarding this we detainees are highly appreciating the help. We are highly appreciating your solidarity that's why we would like to show our solidarity to the Australian peaceful community and also we invite and also we call up the whole Australian people to rise up against the Australian government policy because we are not criminal people and we are not other sorts of guilty people. We are also skilful and professional people, doctors, and engineers. If we released from the detention centres we will promise to give and significant cooperation in contribution to the Australian peaceful community. So regarding this message we hope that there are 1400 people demonstrating against the government policy in the Woomera detention centre. Regarding this message we had a peaceful demonstration in the camp and we would like to have solidarity, like to announce our solidarity with those people. From Port Hedland Detention centre, there are 201 detainees, men, women, children, all of them are living here for a long time, some of them for 3 years, some of them for 3 and a half years, some of them are one and a half years without any guiltiness, without any being criminal action. So now we would like to show our solidarity with the people who are having demonstration at Woomera, South Australia. [I'm a] spokesman from the Port Hedland Detention Centre, thank you... " Letter faxed to the Free the Refugees Campaign by Villawood Detainees Dear Sir/Madam, Re: Highest salute and gratitude. We, residents of the Villawood Detention Centre, very much appreciate and thank you for the demonstration held outside the Centre on March 31 instant. Even though we (stage III residents) are isolated and couldn't see you, but we could hear thousands of people yelling for our freedom, bravo!!! In response to your support we spontaneously pulled down couple of fences. Unfortunately we're forced back and they made short video of what we're doing. With this evidence, we heard that some of our brothers in stage III will be soon transferred to stage I (stage I is most restricted stage). Now, many of us are more devastated and worried waiting for what next ACM mentally punishment. Though we can't welcome you at the front gate, we spontaneously responded by pulling down many fences. Though we're desperately waiting for our freedom, with your support and by telling the world of our appalling circumstances, we have faith that the day will come very soon. In the meanwhile we desperately need our living conditions in this detention centre to be improved. We've requested many times with the management but no avail. By signing this petition, probably this is the last chance for us to tell the ACM, and the world, that we're mentally terrorised. We need HELP but many of us even don't know how to say HELP. Dear brothers and sisters, we don't know the best words to express our gratitude. From the bottom of our heart, please kindly accept our simple but meaningful way of thanking you in our language by saying: Shie-shie (Chinese), Shokran Lakom (Arabic), Terima kasih (Indonesian), Cam on (Vietnamese), Askarek (Iraqi), Kelimamnun (Iranian), Kamsahamida (Korean), Dhanwyad (Indian), Dhanwobad (Bangladesh), Obrigado (Portuguese), Gracias (Spanish), Malo 'Aupito (Tongan), Vinaka Vakalevu (Fijian), Shay Zu Tin Bada (Burmese), Ese Gan (Nigerian), Kuseh (Sierra Leone), Salamat (Philippine), The William Wallace "Freedom" (Scottish), and many other languages which we don't have room to write down all. These languages are collected from the residents of stage III. Tomorrow we will start collecting more signatures from other stages too. Yours faithfully, New York Justice for Detainees Action in Solidarity with Woomera Outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York City today, we spent a few moments talking about the links between the wonderful actions in Woomera, Australia this weekend, and our ongoing campaign to release all the immigrant detainees here in the US. Like Australia, immigrants sans papier are systematically detained. Here too, we have had over a thousand immigrants taken into custody since the September 11th attacks. Mostly of South Asian, Arab and other Muslim communities, these detainees are held without access to lawyers, their families and often, appropriate food and medical care. This week we had approximately 200 community members representing groups as diverse as the Arab American Family Support Centre, the Coalition on American Islamic Relations, the Direct Action Network, local churches, the Green Party, the International Action Centre, the Anti-Capitalist Convergence, peace groups etc. This demonstration has been taking place every Saturday for the past 10 weeks. We celebrate the strength and passion of your demonstrations in Woomera. May there be no more Woomeras! Berlin Solidarity Action with Woomera Protest "Don't go to Australia" Early this morning in Berlin a small band of activists made a symbolic hit on an STA travel agency. The window of the shop was plastered with posters advising punters not to travel to Australia. (The smallest of the activists was seen to be laughing and egging her parents on from her vantage point in her pram.) The text of the poster read, "Australien besuchen ist doch nicht so cool . . . because in Australia asylum seekers are imprisoned behind razor wire in camps in the desert. For years." Posters are going up all around Berlin today, and German newspapers have had their attention drawn to the brave effort to break down borders in Woomera. One of the members of the Berlin branch of No-one is Illegal commented on how shocked Germans have been to hear about the conditions in which asylum seekers are held in Australia. "The concentration camps and the Tampa incident have consistently made front page news in European newspapers, and the reports are extremely critical of Australia's stance. People can't believe that a country the size of Australia, with a relatively small population would turn away or lock up asylum seekers. They are especially shocked given that the number that reach Australia are a minute proportion of the number of people that seek asylum in every European country." It is believed that last year alone around 80,000 asylum seekers arrived on British soil. Another member of the group said, "I feel so proud of all the activists at Woomera - both inside and outside the camp. It's hard to imagine how desolate it must feel to be locked up in the desert, after making a courageous journey all the way from the Middle East. To have 2,000 people come from hundreds of kilometres away must restore some of their faith in humanity." Well done on getting inside the fence!!!! We're keeping our eyes locked on the Indymedia site for more news. Yours in solidarity Small Woomera solidarity action in Scotland A very small, symbolic, solidarity action with all those heading out to Woomera took place in Edinburgh, Scotland this morning... A very small, symbolic action in solidarity with everyone heading out
to Woomera took place in Edinburgh earlier this morning. I would have
waited a few days but I thought a pre-emptive strike was called for, and,
well, I've got holiday plans. So, a highly organised underground cell
of one took to the streets in the wee small hours and visited the Australian
consulate. Unfortunately, the Australian consulate in Edinburgh is a bit
shit; it's just a door. But quite a big expensive looking wooden door,
so it got sprayed with "Woomera", "no borders", a
circled A, and an, admittedly pretty poor, attempt at the aboriginal flag.
An Australian travel agent also got a new window display; posters were
affixed to the windows encouraging prospective tourists to: Experience a warm Aussie welcome at the Woomera detention centre, so good you might end up staying...woomera2002 So, not much I know but the thought was there. The following letter has been sent to the Australian consulate by way of an explanation: "The small symbolic act of property damage against your premises was part of a global opposition to the abhorrent practices of the Australian government in the Woomera region. The action was in solidarity with aboriginal peoples still fighting dispossession and in opposition to a society founded on genocide and sustained by violence. In its latest incarnation this violence takes the form of a concentration camp, built in the desert in the hope that nobody would notice its depravity. People around the world HAVE noticed and this week we act in solidarity with all those trying to tear down the fence - whether from the inside or the outside. The action was in solidarity with all those who oppose militarism and with all the victims, past, present and future, of military technologies developed in Woomera. A testing ground for weapons frequently turned against the world's poor and a concentration camp built to imprison those fleeing violence and poverty sit side by side - a perverse joke at the expense of humanity. And all this against a background of violence against the planet, of proposed toxic dumping and uranium mining. Finally, it must be made clear that if for one week people all over the world focus on the crimes of the Australian government, this in no way excuses other governments. I recognise fully, and oppose vigorously, the similar practices of the British state. For an end to all environmental destruction, Anyway, love, solidarity and the very best of luck to everyone heading out to Woomera, Yours for the glorification of (very) petty crime, |
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