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e-newsletter 18 February 2011
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- Category: News Archive
- Published on Friday, 18 February 2011 11:22
- Written by Jennifer
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UnitingJustice e-news 18 February 2011
UJA awarded grant for human rights education
Australia's human rights record on show at the UN
Concerns with Government's agreement to deport Afghan asylum seekers
Planning Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program
UCA leaders join the call for Aboriginal rights in the Northern Territory
World Council of Churches reports on visit to the Northern Territory
Petition the Foreign Minister for action on nuclear disarmament
A word from Elenie
It’s not always easy to remain hopeful about the pilgrimage to justice that we are called to by the God of peace. The last few months have seen ongoing expressions of despair from many Indigenous leaders about the continuing abuse of human rights that is occurring with the Northern Territory intervention. The political debate about asylum seekers has reached a new low over the last few days, with those who have suffered terribly as a result of the boat crash on Christmas Island being used to score cheap political points and talk back radio and comments on online blogs reflecting the worst of Australia’s racism and xenophobia. And through all of this, in the midst of the floods, fires and cyclones, we see more political games being played over money –based on the premise that a budget surplus is the most important goal of any government and the belief that tax can only be regarded as a burden.
While all this can lead us to despair, there are reasons to be encouraged. The public response to the Queensland floods shows there is a lot of heart left in us to do the right thing by people who suffer in tragic circumstances. There are thousands of Australians, many church members among them, who continue to give of their time and money to support asylum seekers in detention centres and in the community. This is the energy for justice and compassion I continue to draw in. It is this energy which will help us draw out the best in each other and strengthen us for that pilgrimage towards the justice of the reign of God.
Rev. Elenie Poulos, National Director
UJA awarded grant for human rights education
UnitingJustice was recently awarded a Federal Government grant to develop and roll-out a human rights education kit and program specifically for church members. The program will be framed around the theological and biblical foundations that support an active and positive Christian response to human rights.
The education kit will also be made available to Uniting Church service agencies and produced in such a way as to make it easily adaptable by churches and faith-based organisations in other countries.
This grant has been made available as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the understanding of human rights in the Australian community (a component of the Government's Human Rights Framework - its response to the findings of the National Human Rights Consultation).
Australia's human rights record on show at the UN
Australia’s human rights performance was recently put under scrutiny at a new United Nations Human Rights Council process known as the Universal Periodic Review.
145 recommendations were made by other countries to improve human rights protections in Australia, including addressing racism, the rights of Indigenous people, introducing a Human Rights Act and overturning the mandatory detention of asylum seekers.
Click here to find out more about the UPR process, the Government’s response and UnitingJustice’s work in this area.
UnitingJustice also recently made a submission to the Attorney-General's Department on the development of the National Human Rights Action Plan. This Action Plan is another plank of the Government's Human Rights Framework. You can find the submission here on our website, and we will keep you up to date with our involvement as the Action Plan is progressed.
Concerns over the Government's agreement to deport asylum seekers to Afghanistan
UnitingJustice recently signed on to a public statement from civil society organisations and individuals expressing grave concern over the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Australia and Afghanistan. The MoU will permit the involuntary repatriation from Australia of unsuccessful Afghan asylum seekers back to Afghanistan. As the statement explains, there is no reason to believe that violence against the Hazara ethnic minority in Afghanistan has lessened and there are real concerns about the ability of the Karzai Government to ensure the safety of returned asylum seekers.
Click here to read this statement.
Planning Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program
Each year, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship seeks the views of the community on the nature of Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program for the following year.
Our submission, which includes comments on the proposed Regional Protection Framework and promoting an informed debate in Australia on refugee and humanitarian issues, is available here on our website.
UCA leaders join the call for Aboriginal rights in the Northern Territory
Leaders from the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, Rev Ken Sumner and Rev Shayne Blackman, and the President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Alistair Macrae, have added their signature to a statement from prominent Australians urging an overhaul of the policies of the Northern Territory Intervention, so that they secure, rather than violate, the rights of Australia's Indigenous people.
This initiative was accompanied by a statement from Aboriginal elders, including members of the Uniting Church.
World Council of Churches reports on visit to the Northern Territory
In September 2010, the World Council of Churches' Living Letters team visited the Northern Territory, speaking with people in several communities.
Living Letters are small ecumenical teams which visit a country to learn about particular issues of violence and injustice. This Living Letters visit was in response to an invitation extended by the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) with the view to shed light on the human rights situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
You can read the report on the NATSIEC website.
Petition the Foreign Minister for action on nuclear disarmament
The Uniting Church and ICAN Australia (the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons) have joined forces to encourage our members and supporters to press the Foreign Minister on the importance of urgent and sustained action to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
By sending the Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, a Be part of the solution, not the problem: support a treaty to abolish nuclear weapons postcard, you can add your voice to this campaign.
If you would like copies of the postcard to distribute and send, please contact us.