This week our bonus episode features a familiar voice: its my co-host Linah! This was one of the first interviews I conducted while in Australia and it was the beginning conversation that got us thinking about creating this podcast together. Linah has experience as an activist and organizer, they are part of the organization Whistleblowers, Activists, and Citizens Alliance (WACA), and they also are a regular detention centre visitor.

RESOURCES:

"A refugee is a person who has fled their country of origin and is unable or unwilling to return because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion." The difference between an asylum seeker and refugee (and other words important to immigration defined/explained)

Refugee Saeed quietly deported to Iraq

On immigrant access to lawyers in the US: "Most immigrants detained by ICE during their deportation case don't have an attorney representing them. Immigration detention is considered civil detention and, as a result, detainees do not have a right to counsel as they would in criminal cases." (http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-access-to-counsel-deportation/#)

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/sunday-review/immigrant-detainees-and-the-right-to-counsel.html

Average Length of Detention USA: "Federal government data obtained by TRAC indicate that 70 percent of people in immigration detention are held in U.S. immigration detention for 1 month or less; in fact, many people were released the same day they were detained, indicating that ICE did not need to obtain court approval to deport these individuals.Federal government data obtained by the ILRC indicate that, on average, immigrant prisons and jails are holding people for longer periods of time under the Trump administration than under the Obama administration.  In FY 2017, the average length of stay at any one immigrant prison or jail was 34 days, compared to 22 days in FY 2016 and 21 days in FY 2015."(https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/detention-statistics/)

Canstruct takes over operation of Nauru Detention Centre 2017

Hundreds of people still on the supposedly "shut down" Manus Island in 2018

Podcast The Messenger

Key numbers Australia (26 April 2018):

Numbers of people in held detention: 1,369 with key sites being Villawood (481), Christmas Island (304), and Yongah Hill (264) 

Average length of detention: 434 days, with 264 people having spent more than 730 days in detention

Numbers of people held in detention because they came seeking asylum by boat: 349

Number of children: in detention facilities: 7, in Nauru Regional Processing Centre: 22, in community detention: 180, and in the community on a bridging visa E: 3,038

Number of people in community detention: 457, from Iran (252), stateless (52) or from Sri Lanka (42), with 299 people having spent more than 730 days in community detention

Key nationalities of people in detention: New Zealand (191), Vietnam (119), Sri Lanka (116), and Iran (109). (https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/getfacts/statistics/aust/asylum-stats/detention-australia-statistics/)

Full Episode Transcript

Shen Narayanasamy is GetUp!'s Human Rights Campaign Director. She founded the No Business in Abuse project, targeting corporate involvement in offshore detention of asylum seekers, and led #LetThemStay, which prevented the deportation of hundreds of asylum seekers to Nauru.

Recently, she led GetUp's response to the Federal Government's attempts to change the Racial Discrimination Act, and ongoing attempts to change citizenship requirements. Shen's background is as a human rights lawyer and advocate, working in Australia and across the Asia Pacific on issues of economic justice and land rights.

RESOURCES:

No Business in Abuse  [see reports from 2015 and 2016 in About section]

Media Release on No Business in Abuse report 

Burning the Stakeholders

Footage from Manus 

Report on Shen’s time on Manus 

Let Them Stay campaign

Baby Asha

Abolitionist and Transformative Justice Centre

Full Episode Transcript

Lavanya Thavaraja is a Melbourne based refugee activist and unionist. She is a founding member of Tamil Workers Council.

*Note: Apologies on the sound quality of this recording, there is a lot of background feedback noise in this episode and it was very hard to remove. Sorry for any inconvenience to your listening pleasure.

REFERENCES:

1989 Migration Legislation Amendment Act was a precursor to 1994 Mandatory Immigration Detention

October 1999 – Prime Minister Howard introduced temporary visas (TPVs). Instead of getting a permanent protection visa, refugees were instead given only temporary protection (a 3 year protection visa). After that, their case would be reviewed. Also, their protection could be revoked if they left Australia during the 3 years, and it didn’t allow their families to settle in Australia. The number of boat people continued to increase afterwards. (From article: The facts about ‘boat people’ – The government and media are lying)

United Nations Human Rights Convention

Santharuban Case

Rally Against the Deportation of Santharuban

Tamil Family (Nadesalingam, Priya, and two daughters) from Biloela

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/03/15/09/53/qld-town-wants-asylum-seekers-back-home

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/13/tamil-asylum-seekers-taken-in-dawn-raid-supported-by-tens-of-thousands

Manus Island:

Manus navy will remove detainees by force if necessary, base commander says

Update on Manus Situation end of April 2018: “There’s no escape from Australia’s refugee gulag.”

The myth of “African Gangs” in Australia:

Primminister Turnbull and home affairs minister Dutton make inflammatory comments on “African gang violence”

African Community Leaders say “There are no gangs.”

#AfricanGangs forum looks beyond politics and media headlines

Sunrise Encouraging Another Stolen Generation

Why are white people on Sunrise with no experience calling for Indigenous child removals?

https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/sam-armytage-responds-to-criticism-sunrise-stolen-generation/

AMY MCQUIRE: SPARE US YOUR FALSE OUTRAGE

US Current Crisis: Immigrant Family Separation

Article that draws upon the example of Australia (indigenous child removal) to talk about engative and long lasting effects of family separation/child removal

Full Episode Transcript

Jack is an actor, musician, potter and gifted performer but in his nearly 70 years he has also been homeless, a heroin addict, a thief and a regular in Victoria’s prisons. A member of the Stolen Generation Jack has spent his life in between acting gigs, caught in the addiction/crime/doing time cycle.

RESOURCES:

Interview with the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/australia-culture-blog/2014/aug/15/actor-jack-charles-the-tumultuous-life-of-a-stolen-child

TEDx Talk: Mentoring Indigenous Inmates 

Archie Roach Foundation

Shut Youth Prisons 

Indigenous Social Justice Association 

Won Wron Prison 

William Cooper

Vicky Roach on Doin Time (3CR) "Roach was given her first charge sheet at the age of two and a half – for neglect by way of destitution, a device to remove her from her mother and place her in foster care." (Read this article where Roach is quoted here)

Turnbull rejects New Zealand offer to take 150 refugees from detention [recent update: Dutton looks at taking up New Zealand offer to resettle 150 refugees]

Corranderk

Marumail Healing Program

Jack Charles Versus the Crown clips

Interview with Uncle Jack and edited version of the film Bastardy 

The Torch Project 

About the Torch

Confined 9 Exhibition, 2018

Ahn Do:

Brush with Fame featuring Jack Charles (Series 2, Ep. 9)

Jack Charles portrait, People's Choice Award

Parkville riots:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/06/inquiry-criticises-victorias-punitive-youth-justice-system

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/woe-is-me-20170126-gtz8se.html

Aran Mylvaganam is a spokesperson for the Tamil Refugee Council and an activist. He is a father, a unionist, and came to Australia as a refugee from North-East of Sri Lanka.

RESOURCES LIST

Tamil Refugee Council 

Santharuban Case 

Tamil Family (Nadesalingam, Priya, and two daughters) from Biloela

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/03/15/09/53/qld-town-wants-asylum-seekers-back-home

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/13/tamil-asylum-seekers-taken-in-dawn-raid-supported-by-tens-of-thousands

What It Means To Turn Back A Boat 

UK activists charged for anti-deport action 

Australia considers fast-track visas for white South African farmers 

ASRC statistics on process of seeking asylum in Australia (see pg 13 specifically) 

Exclusive: All 57 ASIO refugee case warnings revised after review  (write us for the full text if you are barred by the paywall)

Campaign for Baby Asha (2016) 

UN official says Australia is responsible for “inhuman” treatment of refugees

[ref by Sumarlinah around 33 min mark; outdated analysis of costs of detention industry] https://www.crikey.com.au/2002/01/21/financial-analysis-of-detention-centre-costs/

Full Transcript

Samantha is a mother of three, an organiser and activist committed to environmental, social, cultural and political transformation. She is the co-founder of WACA (Whistleblowers, Activists and Citizens Alliance) and currently works as the Operations Coordinator for Friends of the Earth (FoE) in Melbourne, Australia. Sam has previously worked in International Aid and Development and has a background in media production and community radio. She has a Masters in Communication with her specialty being on the intersection of Global Media and the War on Terror.

 

RESOURCES LIST

Overview on WACA’s work on rights for refugees 

James Der Derian

Open Canada: The "Virtuous" War

Iceland constitutional reform 

War on Terror

http://www.newdawnmagazine.com.au/Article/War_on_Terror_The_Police_State_Agenda.html

http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/defense-department-war-terror-has-cost-250-million-day-16-years-2608639

https://apjjf.org/2014/12/52/Jeremy-Kuzmarov/4241.html

Naomi Klein on Disaster Capitalism

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2006/aug/30/comment.hurricanekatrina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG9CM_J00bw

Prison abolition

Sisters Inside: http://www.sistersinside.com.au/ImagingAbolitionConference2018.htm

https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/a-world-without-bars-the-prison-abolition-movement/

Youth incarceration

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/mar/31/indigenous-youth-incarceration-rate-is-a-national-crisis-and-needs-action-pm-told

Kirra Voller: http://www.3cr.org.au/queeringtheair/episode-201711121500/undercurrent-panel-accountability-shut-youth-prisons-mparntwe

Shut Youth Prisons Mparntwe: https://shutyouthprisonsmparntwe.wordpress.com

Full Episode Transcript Here

Roj Amedi is a writer and editor, and a Senior Human Rights Campaigner at GetUp.

She was a guest editor of the 38th issue of Acclaim Magazine. She has written for The Saturday Paper, SBS, Meanjin, Swampland, Vault and and is a regular columnist for Right Now. A seasoned public speaker and commentator, Roj has appeared at the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Wheeler Centre and the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law. She is also a regular host on PBS 106.7FM.

Roj is of Kurdish heritage, and sought refuge after being displaced in Iraq in the 1990s as the result of war and persecution. She is passionate about human rights, community building and social justice, and her advocacy and community work has a strong focus on platforming and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people of colour, LGBTI+ people, and refugees.   

RESOURCES LIST

Roj Amedi in Saturday Paper: Systematic racism, dehumanisation, and Islamophobia [if you need a copy please email me at [email protected]]

Naomi Murakawa: Penology of Racial Innocence

Roj in Meanjin: Human Rights and Political Wrongs

Roj interviewed by Liminal

Full Podcast Transcript

Welcome to Carceral Complex's Condemned to the Labyrinth!

This is a mini series of conversations hosted by Marlee Raible and activist Sumarlinah Winoto exploring the frustratingly complex nature of the detention industry in so called Australia. We discuss how immigration policies are designed to exhaust and confuse people seeking asylum. Connecting these issues to the ongoing discrimination of People of Colour and the hypocritical position of a colonial government attempting to control access to land they have stolen.

We enter into dialogue with people who have critically thought, written and spoken about the immigration apparatus and together we attempt to uncover what makes this system so effectively oppressive and  incapacitating.

This is the teaser for the new podcast Condemned to the Labyrinth: the ever shifting maze of policy, bureaucracy, and exclusion of people seeking asylum in so-called Australia. This podcast is a mini-series of Carceral Complex and will air on May 15th!