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NETIPR SUBMISSION ON ASYLUMSEEKERS



POSTED 13 AUG 99 6:00AM

FOLLOWING IS NET-IPR SUBMISSION TO AUSTRALIAN JOINT STANDING COMMITTE ON
MIGRATION, CONTENT OF WHICH INCLUDE MATTERS CONCERNS ABOUT EAST
TIMORESE REFUGEES AND BOATPEOPLES IN AUSTRALIA,INFO FOR ALL OUR FRIENDS. 
--- REGARDS, U NE OO.
*******************************
Dated: 5 February 1999.

Hon Chris  Gallus
c/o-- Secretary
Joint Standing Committee on Migration
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600.

Dear Hon Chris  Gallus
re: Review of migration regulation 4.31B

As the secretary of NetIPR, I  like to express my concerns about the
Australian Government's introduction of a $1,000 post-decision fee at
the Refugee Review Tribunal to unsuccessful asylum-seekers. I believe
the introduction of such fees  intimidate the asylum-seekers from
pursuing their claim to refugee status at the Refugee Review Tribunal. 
The government's statistics indicate that  the Refugee Review Tribunal
approves a significant percentage of  the applicants, i.e.  70% of the
detained boat people for example, who were not recognised as refugee by 
the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.  
        
I do not share your government's view that all refugee applicants should
have the ability to judge their own claim to refugee status to be 'bona
fide' in Australian legal contexts and, thus, these asylum-seekers
should be penalised when their application is found unsuccessful. Many
of the refugee applicants are  from varying background including those
who cannot speak English.  The refugees, therefore, are in no position
to be able to judge  the Australian legal contexts. At this point, I
express my grave concerns about  your government restricting the
Non-Governmental Organisations, Lawyers and the Human Rights Committee 
contacting  the asylum-seekers, especially   the boat people. 
        
I also like to express my concern about the Australian Government's
treatment of the East Timorese asylum -seekers. The previous Labour
government has  refused  to grant asylum to  approximately 1,400 East
Timorese on the ground that those asylum-seekers are of Portugese
citizenship. Current coalition government is also threatening to
legislate against the East Timorese seeking asylum in Australia. I like
to point out to your committee that those actions and words by the
successive Australian Governments are  violating the spirit of  the UN 
Refugee Convention in protecting refugees. Reports indicate the
Australian Government's introduction of such fee including other
measures to restrict legal assistance have already caused further
hardship and insecurity to the asylum-seekers in Australia, especially
those East Timorese.
        
The Amnesty International in June 1998 reported  the authorities'
continued detention of  three refugee that were granted  protection by 
the Australian government.  I appeal your government for the prompt
release of those recognized refugees who may have been in detention.
        
In closing, I thank you for your kind attention to these matters.

Yours sincerely,
(U Ne Oo)
Secretary
Network for International Protection of Refugees
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-- 
HTTP://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~uneoo
EMAILS: drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx, uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
POSTMAIL: Dr U Ne Oo, 18 Shannon Place, Adelaide SA 5000, AUSTRALIA
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