Edmund Rice Justice Bulletin

There are thirty eight Edmund Rice schools in Australia. Most have well over a thousand students, some more than fifteen hundred students. When one considers members of staff, the parents of those students, their brothers, sisters, grandparents etc there could be a community of upwards of four thousand people associated with each of those schools, or more than 150,000 people around the nation. Imagine the potential power of those people speaking together for justice!

One of the people we met in Baxter was Peter Qasim. Peter sought refuge in Australia in 1998. He says he is from Kashmir on the India/Pakistan border and that his parents are now dead. He claims to have been detained and tortured in Kashmir as a result of his father’s involvement in political activity in Kashmir. He has committed no crime. His problem is that he cannot prove his story to the satisfaction of Australian authorities. He now wants to return to Kashmir or be sent anywhere to escape the existence he currently endures, but he cannot prove who he is to the satisfaction of the Indian government who therefore refuse to accept him back. The result is that he continues to be imprisoned at Baxter and has now entered his seventh year of detention with no end in sight. His story can be found in more detail here

The Australian High Court has recently ruled that he can be held in detention indefinitely – an absurd situation if it wasn’t so tragic in its consequences - especially for Peter. Why? What is the point of keeping Peter and others like him locked up indefinitely? What can possibly justify innocent children and teenagers spending four or more of their formative years in such a place? There has to be a better way. Surely Baxter demonstrates the utter failure of the current policy of the Australian Government in regard to the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

Peter's case is well publicised as he is the longest serving detainee and because it highlights the absurdity of the situation that has been created, but everyone's story is different and deserves a compassionate response.

While ever we remain silent about the treatment of Peter and others like him we are complicit in their treatment.

Perhaps you might like to support the campaign of Polmin for a complete overhaul of Australia's Migration Act.

Perhaps you might like to urge your parliamentary representative to support the alternative model of dealing with asylum seekers and refugees proposed by a range of church and welfare groups - "A Better Way" which can be found at the website of the Archdiocese of Melbourne Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace

At the very least you might care to send an email to the minister for Immigration Senator Vanstone urging the immediate release of all long term detainees as an act of simple humanity and compassion.

Imagine if everyone associated with the Edmund Rice Network did that.