The news reports that have appeared in the mainstream media about recent counter-terrorism raids conducted by state and federal police and ASIO in Sydney and Melbourne mirror to some extent the manipulation of information that occurred during the Tampa refugee crisis in 2001. During that manufactured crisis, PM John Howard's government shamelessly controlled and restricted the flow of information available to the public about the asylum seekers coming in boats and legally seeking refuge in this country.
The atmosphere of fear and uncertainty engendered by 9/11 was wilfully intensified by the federal government. The asylum seekers were presented as possible terrorists, and the government, by restricting the flow of information and specifically photos of them, didn't allow them to be humanised. This prevented Australians making an emotional connection with the vulnerable men, women and children on board the boats. Incalculable damage has been caused to the asylum seekers, to our international reputation, and to open government, and the punitive regime was strengthened and extended by the so-called Pacific Solution.
The Howard government is now asking the Australian public to trust ASIO, the state and federal police and the federal and state governments about the necessity of the Melbourne and Sydney raids.
Once again Australians are being denied an opportunity to be fully informed of the facts and to know whether these actions were actually necessary. No criminal charges have arisen from the raids, but the subjects of the raids have been gagged by law from speaking about them with the threat of being jailed for five years. This gagging penalty was brought in as part of the draconian ASIO legislation, a package that has been widely criticised by a range of organisations and individuals, from Amnesty International to former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. Fraser was reported by AAP as saying that the Howard government's "anti-terrorism" policies have created a "secret police" and a culture of fear.
At the same time as the subjects of the raids have been prevented from speaking out in their own defence, Brian Walters, the president of civil liberties organisation Liberty Victoria, has claimed that several media reports about the raids came "gift-wrapped" from the attorney-general's staff. According to the June 28 Age, Walters said: "I'm concerned that under these laws, people who are not suspected of any offence can be dragged into questioning for up to 168 hours, gagged from telling others what they've undergone, their lawyers are similarly gagged and yet ASIO and the [federal police] feel absolutely at liberty to publicly attack them when they can't respond."
Melbourne criminal lawyer Rob Stary, who is representing "terrorist" suspect Jack Thomas, was reported in the same article as saying that the alleged leaking of information was "cowardly", knowing that the targets of the raid were barred by law from responding. If the legislation was fair then it would be only right for the people who were the subjects of the raids to be given the chance to respond, as their religious background was stated, they were described as "extremists", and possible significant landmark targets were touted as possible sites for terrorists acts.
Apart from the personal injustice to the people who were subjected to the raids, there is a cost to the wider community. Many Australian Muslims have already experienced negative repercussions and have been victimised in the backlash after 9/11. They have reason to feel alienated by the Howard government's failure to address the false racist perceptions of some Australians. The government has actually intensified the Australian public's fear about the likelihood of a terrorist attack — far out of proportion to its likelihood in reality — with its "Alert but not alarmed" campaign and establishment of a terrorist information hotline to report on "suspicious" acts.
As socialists, we continue to demand justice for all. We must also continue to highlight the injustice of selected groups in society being bastardised by repressive governments. We need to stand in solidarity with those sections of the community that are feeling alienated and fearful because of the actions of the Howard government, and demand that the pattern of keeping the public misinformed and fearful ceases. The veil of secrecy must be lifted and the attempted dumbing down of the Australian people by restricting their right to know must be fought.
Jude Deland
[Jude Deland is a member of the Green Left Weekly-Socialist Alliance editorial liaison board]
From Green Left Weekly, July 13, 2005.
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