Asylum seekers & refugees

Before his nightmare began Helal Uddin — known as “Spicy” — worked as a chef at a holiday inn in Dhaka. He had to leave Bangladesh after being involved in a protest. From Bomana Prison in Papua New Guinea, he tells his story to Green Left.

Chris Slee reports on a rally in solidarity with a refugee activist charged with incitement. 

Racism is not fundamentally about individual behaviour – although often that’s how people experience it. Lavanya Thavaraja argues that it is central to the institutions of Australian capitalism.

A national day of action was organised to mark the third year since a Tamil asylum seeker family were taken from their home in Biloela, Queensland, and placed in detention on Christmas Island. Chloe de Silva reports.

When Indian cricketers reported racist abuse during the recent Sydney test match, Australia’s ugly racism hit the headlines again. Sue Bull argues the media has an interest in muddying the connection between capitalism and racism.

A sizable protest in Melbourne demanded freedom for refugees detained in a hotel prison, reports Chloe DS

Refugees deserve a safe home

British refugee advocates are concerned about proposals to build offshore processing centres, drawing on Australia's cruel and inhuman deterrance policy, writes Reanna Smith.

An online forum was told of the extra hardships LGBTI refugees applying for asylum face. Chris Slee reports.

More than 100 people took part in an online forum to discuss ways of supporting refugees and changing Australia's cruel laws, reports Chris Slee.

More than 230 people participated in an online rally organised by the Refugee Action Collective Victoria on July 19, reports Chris Slee.

July 19 marks seven years since Kevin Rudd said people seeking asylum, who arrive by boat, would never be settled in Australia. Alex Bainbridge spoke to councillors Jonathan Sri and Sue Bolton about the campaign to free imprisoned refugees and end the cruel policy. 

Bipartisan mistreatment of refugees since 2001 has been a key feature of politics in Australia. But the movement for refugee rights has won some concessions and it could win more, writes Alex Bainbridge.