...Australia has a legal obligation towards asylum seekers and refugees. Australia has a legal obligation towards Asylum Seekers and Refugees as it is a signatory to the UN Human Rights and Refugee Conventions. Furthermore, Australia has a moral obligation based on its membership of the world community. “Australia is one of the 146 signatory countries to the United Nations 1951 Convention and or/ 1967 Protocol relating to the status of refugees”. (Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, 2009) According to Australian Human Rights Commission an asylum seeker is someone who has fled their country and applies to the government of another country for protection as a refugee, (Australian Human Rights Commision, 2012) whereas a person is a refugee the moment he or she fulfils the criteria of the convention. As part of signatory countries to the United Nations 1951 Convention they are “obliged to act according to their efforts to allow everyone to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case persecutions genuinely arising from non- political crimes or acts of contrary to the purposes and Principles on the United Nations”. (United Nations, 2011) This means that Australia has committed to respect the rights of refugees and to uphold the obligations set out in the treaty. This is in contradiction to the Migration Act 1958, which states, “Australian law requires that asylum seekers who have not been successful in their claims for refugee...
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...ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND LEGAL AID FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS; WHAT CAN THE JUDICIARY DO? Introduction Asylum seekers, regardless of their immigration status, are human beings, with fundamental and basic rights, needs and aspirations. Refugees and asylum seekers are a diverse group with one thing in common; they are subject to forced migration, and are fleeing from persecution in their countries of origin. A refugee is defined as any person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality or political opinion, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable or owing to such fear for reasons other than personal convenience is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country. Refugee status is therefore adopted for those who, having applied for asylum, have been recognized and given refugee status. It also usually encompasses those who have received ‘exceptional leave to remain’ or ‘indefinite leave to remain’. Recognition of refugee status is also a pre-requisite for other basic rights guaranteed to refugees by international law, such as the right to seek employment, to move freely and to obtain education and healthcare on the same terms as citizens. The status of an Asylum Seeker is reserved for those who have applied for asylum and are awaiting a decision on their applications and those whose applications have been refused. Refugees therefore need legal assistance as soon as they arrive in...
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...A Baptist policy on immigration and asylum seekers The world currently faces a global refugee crisis with up to 40 million displaced people (the majority of whom are women and children). Australia currently accepts around 13,750 refugees each year as part of total planned annual immigration of around 182,000 people. This paper identifies social and political problems relating to asylum seekers and refugees. It examines the biblical teaching on a responsible Christian approach to asylum seekers and refugees, and discusses some of the ways in which Australian Baptists have responded to the challenges of immigration and asylum seekers. It concludes with a new policy proposal for the consideration of Australian Baptist Ministries, the various State and Territory Baptist Unions, and local churches. There is also a guide to further information. The situation facing Australia today Immigration policy is one of the two most bitterly contested issues in Australian politics, and has been for more than ten years. People who seek asylum by boat, and various policy instruments designed to deter both asylum seekers and people smugglers, have been at the heart of an increasingly contentious public and political discussion in Australia for more than a decade. The debate has polarised large sections of the Australian community and prevented many politicians from engaging in a constructive policy dialogue. With little to differentiate their product, especially on economic and employment...
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...ASYLUMS SEEKERS AND REFUGEES “Like many members of the Hazara minority in Afghanistan, Chaman Sha Nasiri fled his homeland to escape persecution. At the time, the Taliban had been hunting for young men to either recruit or kill. Chaman then spent three years in the Nauru processing centre. It was a time of uncertainty, and as with many other asylum seekers, he became increasingly anxious and desperate” 1 Chama’s Story is just one of many for asylum seekers who seek refuge here in Australia. They come to our country expecting safety and freedom alongside the most basic human right. Yet when they arrive they are imprisoned and treated as criminals. It is clear that the laws surrounding this issue are in dire need of change. Australia is a country well known for its diversity of beliefs and religions, it is said to be accepting of others, however, when the topic of asylum seekers is brought forth, the government and media portrays the need for border protection, and “stopping the boats”. This type of hostile political enforcement and negative media coverage only furthers the portrayal of refugees as something fear, in the mind of most Australians. However, although it is not widely broadcasted by the Government or media, Australia has a legal obligation to help asylum seekers under the United Nations Refugee Convention 1951, to which Australia is signatory. According to the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, amended by the 1967 Protocol (the...
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...~Task 2~ …Refugees Coming To Australia… Refugees are people who fled from their homes in the face of persecution, or threats to their lives. But there is no reason why the Australian government should be obliged to welcome asylum seekers who use illegal methods to come here. We have the responsibility to protect our borders and way of life against what could amount to a huge arrival of immigrants whose backgrounds and possible criminal status are unknown.Australia shouldn’t accept the refugees as they are over populating the country and if we do more and more will come. People believe that asylum seekers deserve a fair go just like everyone else, but why should they if they are receiving everything off tax payers money. With the ever increasing number of refugees entering our country, many Australians are struggling to sustain what they once had. Many Australians were already struggling before the arrival of the refugees, and are only suffering more. Most Australians don’t earn or own substantial amounts of money and with the arrival of the asylum seekers it just puts more strain on them. Many people are now loosing their jobs and houses as they can no longer pay their mortgages, bills and purchase everyday needs as the government believes it is better to support the arrival of asylum seekers. Many Australians are in need of public housing and extra cash and the government seems to be failing its own people and giving it all away to the asylum seekers awaiting processing...
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...reported that global refugee figures, caused by the war in Syria and other instabilities in the Middle East and Africa, cross 50 million people—the highest since World War I. It’s not surprising then, that there has been a comparable rise in people attempting to enter the European Union to seek for refuge, many embarking on life threatening voyages across the Mediterranean to find themselves a safer place. Who are refugees? According to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Under Article 1(A)2, the term “refugee” shall apply to any person who: “...owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,...
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...The theme I choose is about australia housing asylum seeker. An asylum seeker is someone who left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum, or safety, in another country. I choose this theme as I found it to be interesting seeing as I personally don't think about immigration outside of the united states. To become a refugee in another country you must first become an asylum seeker or someone whose refugee status has not been determined. People seeking asylum in australia typically arrive by boat or plane. Most of the refugees come from afghanistan. Many afghan men and women and people from other places all over the world come to these australian community detentions to escape the conditions of their home land. In the...
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...The fact that children are being detained, Refugees are not given the right to oppose their detention, bridging visas Refugees are granted do not entitle them to the rights they are eligible to and Refugees are held in detention for prolonged amounts of time which in turn leads to mental health issues and whilst living in detention centres, Refugees are not given mental health care breaches fundamental human rights . The entire notion of Australia’s mandatory detention system breaches two Human Rights as it is not time limited and people within the detention system are not able to challenge the need for their detention. According to the Australian Human Rights commission Asylum Seekers should have the right to challenge the need for their...
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...guarantee Syrian refugees safe entry to the EU and access to fair asylum procedures, says the Civil Liberties Committee in a resolution voted on Thursday. It calls on the EU to go on providing humanitarian aid and support and on Syria’s neighboring countries to keep their borders open. Over 2 million refugees, 76% of whom are women and children, have now fled Syria. MEPs stress “the importance at this stage of the situation to explore concretely whether, how and when member states could do more to reinforce their protection response to Syria”. Access to a safe entry and fair asylum procedures Member states should explore all existing EU laws and procedures for means to give Syrians fleeing their country safe entry and temporary admission to the EU, say MEPs. Syrians seeking international protection should have “access to fair and efficient asylum procedures”, say MEPs, reiterating the need for more solidarity with member states facing particular pressure to receive refugees. EU countries are encouraged to make full use of money to be made available from the Asylum and Migration Fund and the Preparatory Action to "Enable the resettlement of refugees during emergency situations". Resettlement to address “acute needs” The resolution encourages EU countries “to address acute needs through resettlement”, in addition to existing national quotas and through humanitarian admission. Temporary protection The possible influx of refugees into EU member states...
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...better opportunities and safe environments. The 21st century has seen the increased migration of citizens of one state to another, a period termed as the age of Diasporas (Helman, 2007). The research will focus on immigrants, mainly asylum seekers and refugees with particular emphasis on the 72 asylum seekers from Lebanon who perished off the coast of Indonesia while heading to Australia. The research will address the plight of asylum seekers as one the most vulnerable populations. Migration to another country may be voluntary or voluntary. The involuntary migrants include asylum seekers, refugees, returnees ad internally displaced persons (IDPs). The primary cause of this category of people changing their location could be political upheavals, wars, natural disasters and poor states of the economy. The voluntary migrants migrate to other countries in search of employment and new ventures for personal growth. However, the involuntary migrants have multiple psychological, physical and social vulnerabilities due to their experience with violence and oppression. These vulnerable populations are very sensitive to risk factors. They are therefore more likely to develop health problems to their exposure to risk. An increase in the number of Asylum Seekers calls for the allocation of more resources to support their wellbeing and this will straight the available scarce resources. While competing for these resources...
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...BAR 150 In this essay we will be examining the internal tension in the mainstream representation of people seeking asylum in Australia The issue of “truth” and it's representation in regards to the perception of “non (White) Australian” Australians has been a recurring motif through out Australian history. The majority of representations of Indigenous Australians, those the White Australia policy was designed to exclude and refugees who arrived since World War 2 have been deliberately manipulated to reinforce the perceived undesirability of these people. Since the Howard government's commitment to it's “hard-line” approach to refugees, the Australian public has been subjected to a non-stop campaign of negative media images around the issue of asylum seekers. Refugees are almost only represented by images of young men of “middle eastern” or “Islamic” appearance, usually behind bars, and if the image makers are lucky, engaging in acts of violence protesting their continued detention. When the asylum seeker in question is not a young, threatening male, then the “hapless pregnant female” is the next favoured image. She can be represented as “irresponsible” for putting her unborn child's life at risk by attempting a dangerous journey, and while not openly aggressive, her image supports the representation of refugees as a”burden” on the community as she is “obviously” not able to work and will require support. There is also the latent threat of her fertility and potential...
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...1. Introduction (1) Since 2015, Europe have been experiencing an unprecedented influx of refugees. On account of continuous political persecutions and terror attacks caused by Islamic State, an extremist religious organization, a large number of innocent people have become victims. In order to find a shelter and a better life, many of them are risking their life to cross into European countries such as Germany. According to Eurostat (2015), European Union(EU) member state have already received more than 1.2 million asylum applications in 2015, which is a number more than double of the previous year. This essay argues that European countries should keep sheltering the refugees from the areas affected by Islamic State. With a great number of migrants, European countries are suffering stress from both economic and social aspects. However, those negative impacts are short dated and can be eased by proper solutions. 2. Economic aspect (2)...
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...Can Kim's (2005) model explain how forced migrants (refugees难民 and asylum seekers避难者) can acculturate/adapt to a new culture/society 适应新文化 (see Witteborn, 2011 on forced migrants)? Why? Why not? To answer the question, Kim’s model can explain how forced migrants can adapt to a new culture. In Kim’s (2005) theory, cross-cultural adaptation refers to a dynamic process of human evolution that tend to struggle for an internal equilibrium in the face of often adversarial environmental conditions. In some cases, adaptive successes may entirely depend on the positivity of the stranger’s personality. According to Witteborn (2011), forced migrants (asylum seeks and refugees) are not only defined as excluders in “discursive spaces” in the society, but also people do not have the choices but constructs themselves in certain social environment. In her interviews, it is seems that some of refugees have presented how they tried to adapt to the society in a series actions and practices. However, they failed and they still enact and practice their communal identity through “prism of being a refugee”. Thus, it is difficult for them to overcome the problem sited on the severely unreceptive host environment. Kim’s (2005) theory also emphasized that the both of individual cultural background and the new condition of environment plays important role in facilitating of impeding adaption process. Asylum seeks and refugees, as a special group of people, are difficult to achieve a successful adaptation...
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...“…The right of persons to seek asylum from persecution” (UNHCR; 1967) is recognised by the United Nations Convention. Asylum seekers are known as persons who have fled their own country seeking protecting in fear for their life. Consequently, such persons often illegally arrive and enter countries such as Australia without valid visas. However, as part of the Human Rights signatory, Australia owes an international obligation towards all refugees and asylum seekers to “protect [their] human rights…” (Human Rights Commission (HRC)) as long as they are in Australian territory. Nevertheless, it has been continuously reported by the United Nations that Australia, through its detainment and treatment of refugees in detention centres, has penalised...
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...we have only heard politicians endlessly scare-mongering about the number of boat arrivals and how we can decrease these numbers, or deter asylum seekers altogether. Over time, the real human faces of the vulnerable have been turned into statistics about the number of boat arrivals. We have forgotten the devastating circumstances from which asylum seekers come. Afghanistan has been in a state of war for many decades, a war that has left little evidence of justice, humanity and peace for its people. Even now, villages are frequently attacked and there is continuous persecution of minorities. The Afghan Hazaras are not safe in Afghanistan, and are not even safe in neighbouring countries like Pakistan. These are people whose only choice is to seek refuge and security in any way possible. For my family and me, we could not wait for someone to come and rescue us because we could have been dead by then. Coming by boat was the only choice we had. Even though we knew we were at risk of drowning in the daunting waters of the Pacific, we preferred taking that risk over brutal killing at the hands of the Taliban. It hurts me to hear politicians claim that the best way to minimise boat arrivals is via offshore processing. The Malaysia solution is nothing short of Australia trying to escape from its obligations under the UN Convention on Refugees. Refugees are a global issue and under the convention, Australia must share its responsibility with other countries that are signatories to the convention...
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