BY
SARAH STEPHEN
At the end of March, Baxter detainees wrote an open letter to the Australian people. It said, in part, “The government policy is so hard, so tough — they don't want to grant us protection, even on humanitarian grounds. At the same time they are threatening to deport us to our countries of origin.
“If we return to our countries, it will put our lives in great danger. But after death, we cannot talk to any social organisations such as Amnesty International or the Red Cross. Only our dead bodies can prove that we have been persecuted.
“We are humbly requesting the Australian people: Please help us. Consider us as human beings ... It is our desperate desire, by any means, to be released from this detention.”
Pleas for help such as this are spurring more people to join the Easter convergence at Baxter detention centre, being organised by pro-refugee groups across the country to bring the spotlight onto Australia's newest and most brutal detention centre.
Support, however, is not unanimous. Some 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ of the refugee-rights movement have concerns that protesters' presence at Baxter this Easter will result in increased repression of detained asylum seekers.
An article in the April 2 Australian reported that a number of refugee groups are cautioning against the planned protest. The article listed groups such as Justice for Refugees, Australians for a Just Refugee Program and some branches of Rural Australians for Refugees as some of those arguing the protests would do more harm than good. John Wishart from Justice for Refugees told the Australian: “We think it is likely to be detrimental to those unfortunate people who are still in Baxter detention centre.”
Yet protest organisers have sought the views of asylum seekers detained in Baxter. They have spoken to people in the single men's compounds at Baxter, as well as asylum seekers in the family compounds, and argue that — fully aware of the crackdown that is likely to follow — a majority of the detainees are looking forward to the protests.
Tanya McConville from the Canberra Refugee Action Collective and 2XX community radio believes that refugee supporters must be spurred on by the determined protests of the refugees, which recently won the right for most detainees in separate compounds at Baxter to meet together.
In early March, McConville spoke on the phone to two asylum seekers at Baxter. One told her: “Those who want to help us, to free us, we will welcome you every time. Our wings have already been cut by this government, so we cannot fly. If you come here we will kiss your feet — it will be honour for us. We are happy that the demonstration is here.”
The second refugee told McConville: “There is no problem. The people should come to put the attention of the media on Baxter.[Australasian Correctional Management and the immigration department] can do what they want anyway, any time they want. They can cut telephones, visits, use the gas and the baton, any time they want. Look what they did since New Year's Eve!”
There is considerable support for the Baxter protest. Federal Labor MP Carmen Lawrence wrote to the Perth Baxter group: “Mandatory detention and the oppressive penal environment in which people are placed, inevitably foster fear and resentment, not only in those looking out through the razor wire but for many of those looking in. ... Thank you for your work in drawing attention to the plight of the many people held in detention in Australia and my best wishes for your Easter campaign at Baxter.”
Those who will come to Baxter include university students as well as a doctor from Queensland, a TAFE lecturer from NSW, a former mayor from Victoria, and possibly an international contingent.
While activities during the Easter weekend at Baxter remain uncoordinated, many things are planned, including a rock against racism concert. The Newcastle-based HOPE caravan will fly giant kites showing the word “freedom”, and an Adelaide group plans to catapult hundred of tennis balls filled with presents and goodwill messages across the fences.
The convergence will take place from Friday April 18 until Sunday April 20. Baxter detention centre is 12km from Port Augusta in South Australia. Contact organisers in your nearest city for transport details, or to get involved in organising the protest.
Adelaide: Phone Elicia 0428 847 532 or Nat 0410 158 596.
Brisbane: Baxter convergence collective, phone Gillian 0409 267 040 or Justin 0408 066 496.
Canberra: Phone Cathy (02) 6249 1020 or email Melbourne: Baxter Network meets Tuesdays, 7pm, Trades Hall, cnr Lygon
and Victoria sts, Carlton. Phone RAC (03) 9659 3505, Simon 0402 413 914,
Jody on 0438 191 768 or email Newcastle: Baxter organising group meets every second Thurs, 5.30pm.
401 Hunter St, Newcastle. Phone Peter 0408 702 996 or Vanessa (02) 4968
1281.
Perth: Baxter network meets Saturdays, 1pm. Upstairs, Cinema Paradiso,
164 James St, Northbridge. Phone Bec Schumack 0401 390 179 or Grant 0418
012 957.
Sydney: Baxter organising committee meets Wednesdays, 6pm. University
of Technology Sydney. Phone Mark 0422 078 376 or Ashleigh 0402 008 408.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, April 9, 2003.
Visit the