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News Briefs3 July 2002 News Briefs`Youth for Refugees' hunger strikeCANBERRA — Pro-refugee high school and campus students and young workers took part in a 24-hour solidarity hunger strike on June 28. The hunger strike, organised by Resistance, was in solidarity with the detainees inside Woomera.Behind mock barbed-wire in Garema Place, the strikers banged pots and pans in time with pro-refugee chants. They raised more than $130 for the refugee-rights campaign. Record settlement for sacked minersOne hundred and ninety coal mineworkers accepted Australia's biggest ever unfair dismissal settlement, $25 million, from Rio Tinto on May 31. Sixteen workers from the Blair Athol mine are still waiting for a decision. The settlement follows sustained industrial and international campaigning by unionists.The 108 mineworkers from the Hunter Valley No.1 mine were unfairly dismissed on October 20, 1998, and the remaining 82 from Mount Thorley mine on November 17, 1999. Tony Maher, general president of the CFMEU mining and energy division, told Green Left Weekly that the government's industrial laws make it possible for workers to be denied justice for so long. “Some of these miners and their families have waited more than three-and-a-half years for justice because of the Coalition government's refusal to introduce decent unfair dismissal laws.” Tamil community marks steps towards peaceSYDNEY — On June 22, more than 2000 Tamils and supporters took part in the Pongu Thamil celebrations in western Sydney to mark the ceasefire and steps towards peace negotiations between the Tamil people and the Sri Lankan government.Hosted by the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations, the celebration was marked by input from young Tamils who recreated scenes from Tamil history, and spoke passionately about their desire for peace and a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka so that Sinhalese and Tamils could live as equals. Surprisingly, the Sri Lankan government minister for community development, P. Handrasekeran, was present and gave greetings. From Green Left Weekly, July 3, 2002.
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From: Australian News |
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