Refugees
1. DEFINITION
According to the United Nations a refugee is a person who has a “well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it” . (1)
2. BIBLE REFERENCE
Jeremiah 22:3
“This is what the LORD says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows”.
Leviticus 19:34
‘The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God”.
3. FACTS
·The global number of refugees at the end of 2005 was 8.4 million . (2)
·Pakistan is the main asylum country according to 2005 statistics . (3)
·Refugees account for 1 in every 115 people on this earth . (4)
·A new refugee is created every 26 seconds . (5)
·In Australia, the ratio of refugees to Australian people is 1:1583 . (6)
·On August 11, 2006, the number of people in immigration detention centres in Australia was 784 . (7)
·According to a new offshore strategy for unauthorised boat arrivals in Australia introduced 2001, new arrivals will be taken to offshore processing centres outside the migration zone . (8)
·In Australia during 2004 – 2005 there were 1, 519 removals of boat people . (9)
4. AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL LEGISLATION
a) Migration Act 1958 (10)
·According to Section 4 the object of the Migration Act 1958 is to “regulate, in the national interest, the coming into, and presence in, Australia of non citizens”.
·Through this Act non-citizens can obtain visas to enter or remain in Australia
·Through this Act, any non-citizens can be deported
·According to Section 4AA, a minor can only be detained as a last resort.
·According to Section 14 an “unlawful non citizen” is someone who is in the migration zone and does not possess a visa
·A protection visa maybe offered to an unlawful non citizen who is classed as a refugee, however according to section 48A if they are refused a protection visa the first time, they may not reapply a second time.
·According to Section 189, a person who is an unlawful non-citizen must be detained immediately by an officer.
·According to Section 196 an unlawful non-citizen must be held in immigration detention until they are removed from Australia, deported or granted a visa.
·According to Section 198A an offshore entry person from Australia may be taken to another declared country.
5. HOW YOU CAN ACT
a) To help refugees in Australia:
·Learn about the refugee issues at hand in Australia and overseas and inform others.
·Write to a refugee who is presently in an Australian detention centre, to find out how to do this visit:
www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org
·Donate material items to the Refugee Claimant Centre.
·Offer free accommodation to a refugee or family.
·Sponsor a refugee or family.
·For more information on the above three suggestions and more ways to help refugees visit:
http://www.refugees.org.au/help_out.html
·Join the Amnesty International campaign to defend the rights of refugees, visit:
http://www.amnesty.org.au/Act_now/campaigns/refugees
·Join the Campaign “We are all boat people”, aimed at informing people of the refugee plight in Australia, visit:
http://www.boat-people.org/1_who.htm
·Donate money to any genuine charity or organisation that endeavours to help refugees.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READING
Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2006) Immigration Detention Statistics,
http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/detention_statistics.htm
Accessed: 28 August 2006
Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2005) Managing the Border – Immigration Compliance 2004-05 Edition.
Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education & The School of Education, Australian Catholic University (2001) Debunking the Myths about Asylum Seekers, Just Comment, September.
Commonwealth of Australia Consolidated Acts (1958), Migration Act 1958, Act No. 62.
United Nations (1951) Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2006) 2005 Global Refugee Trends, Field Information and Coordination Support Section, Division of Operational Services, UNHCR Geneva
(1) United Nations (1951) Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
(2) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2006) 2005 Global Refugee Trends, Field Information and Coordination Support Section, Division of Operational Services,
UNHCR Geneva, pp. 3
(3) Ibid. pp. 4
(4) Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education & The School of Education, Australian Catholic University (2001) Debunking the Myths about Asylum Seekers, Just Comment, September, pp. 1
(5) Ibid. pp. 1
(6) Ibid. pp. 1
(7) Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2006) Immigration Detention Statistics,
http://www.immi.gov.au/managing-australias-borders/detention/detention_statistics.htm
(8) Australian Government, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2005) Managing the Border – Immigration Compliance 2004-05 Edition, pp. 29
(9) Ibid. pp. 79
(10) Commonwealth of Australia Consolidated Acts (1958), Migration Act 1958, Act No. 62.
