The Edmund Rice Centre released the public statement below on January 26.
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We, Australian organisations and individuals, unite to offer this statement to our nation.
A “Memorandum of Understanding” (MOU) was recently signed between the Australian government, the government of Afghanistan and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, permitting the involuntary repatriation from Australia of unsuccessful Afghan asylum seekers back to Afghanistan.
The agreement includes provision for sending back children: unaccompanied minors and other Afghan children who have become separated from their families.
Afghanistan is a country mired in decades of civil war and ethnic unrest that has resulted in thousands of deaths over 30 years. It is not safe.
There are no indications that the violence and security threats are reducing. 2010 has seen the highest number of civilian casualties since the latest war began in 2001.
A recent background briefing on Afghanistan from the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees includes a report from aid agencies titled Afghanistan: humanitarian situation likely to worsen in 2011.
Over the past eight years, the Edmund Rice Centre's research into Australia's deportations has found that returning asylum seekers to Afghanistan has produced direct and fatal consequences: for the returned asylum-seekers, or for their immediate family members.
Many others have suffered threats and attacks, and today live with the well-founded fear of the very persecution they sought to escape.
Many Afghan asylum seekers in Australia are members of the Hazara ethnic minority — objects of discrimination and persecution in Afghanistan for decades.
There is no reason to believe that the ethnic and sectarian factors, fuelling hostility towards them, have dissipated.
We also have concerns that the [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai government will not be able to ensure the safety of returned asylum seekers.
As the Refugee Council of Australia has suggested, even with the best intentions the Karzai government is not able to control the actions of people wishing to cause harm to Hazaras.
Further, we note the first two sentences of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Travel Advice, which says: “We strongly advise you not to travel to Afghanistan because of the extremely dangerous security situation and the very high threat of terrorist attack. If you are in Afghanistan, you should consider leaving.”
We reject this MOU at this present time and request that the Australian government address its humanitarian obligations and provide leadership and asylum for those who are fleeing from a country riddled with conflict, persecution and ongoing violence.
We must never send people back to danger.
[To add your name to this statement email seanc@erc.org.au or phone Sean on (02) 8090 1976.]