The pruning job’s half done

this little lovely from Slow West

Cathy McGowan MP and Nauru

THE EMAIL

Sent: 19 October 2018 17:31
To: McGowan, Cathy (MP)
Subject: Children on Nauru

Congratulations Ms McGowan

Thank you for challenging the bipartisan policy of offshore regime that has seen children detained on Nauru for more than five years.
I hope your support for Mr Wilkie's private member's bill generates enough support and pressure on the PM to be effective.

Please, stay strong to help ensure every child and every family is transferred to safety now.

Sincerely,
19 October 2018

Stewart Jä
cc:
Rebekha Sharkie Rebekha.Sharkie.mp@aph.gov.au
Andrew Wilkie andrew.wilkie.mp@aph.gov.au

First Dog on the Moon has it:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/12/we-all-know-what-is-going-on-in-nauru-even-if-we-pretend-it-is-not-happening

THE REPLY

Dear Stewart

Please find a link to a question I asked of Prime Minister Scott Morrison on 15 October 2018, and his response. I asked the Prime Minister what it would take for the Government to act with compassion, mercy and justice, to accept the resettlement offer from New Zealand and have the children and their families off Nauru by Christmas.

There is recognition the existing situation for those who remain on Nauru is untenable. A bipartisan solution is needed. Both the Labor Party and the government have to move on this. My call has been for them to work this out. The people of Indi want a compassionate, permanent solution.

Could you please share this speech with your networks and encourage friends and family to view the speech at my website at www.cathymcgowan.com.au/what_will_it_take_to_get_kidsoffnauru. 
Stay in touch with further activity on the issue at my website and at the Weekly Scoop.

Warm regards,
Cathy

Cathy McGowan AO MP
Federal Member for Indi
117 Murphy St Wangaratta VIC 3677
P: 5721 7077 | F: 5721 7066
E: cathy.mcgowan.mp@aph.gov.au

MSF calls for the immediate evacuation of all asylum seekers and refugees from Nauru and an end to offshore detention.

Dear Mr Dutton           Coleman         Neuman          Shorten

I support that call.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has strongly condemned the sudden decision of the Government of Nauru to end MSF health care on the island. MSF staff have expressed strong concern for the conditions of the patients that they have been forced to leave behind.

MSF now calls for the immediate evacuation of all asylum seekers and refugees from the island so that they complete their resettlement process with dignity and in safety.

MSF calls for an end to the Australian policy of indefinite offshore detention; cruelly and inhumanely separating families and holding men, women and children indefinitely with no hope and little protection – except, possibly in the case of a medical emergency.

The Australian Government’s policy of detention of refugees and asylum seekers should be repealed immediately. It is not MSF’s psychiatrists and psychologists who should have left Nauru, it is the hundreds of asylum seekers and refugees whom Australia has trapped on the island for the past five years.

Sincerely,

  

Stewart

14 October 2018

Stewart Jäckel Postal address		m: +61xxx xxx xxx b: http://albertswars.blogspot.com.au/ t: @Stewart_Jackel
Editor: Ragg & Co	Author: Albert’s Wars Raising Rosie The Boobiebum Doodle Machine		Volunteer: Refugee Legal paralegal RMIT PWE: Judy Duffy Award

cc:        peter.dutton.mp@aph.gov.au             david.coleman.mp@aph.gov.au             Shayne.Neumann.MP@aph.gov.au             bill.shorten.mp@aph.gov.au

advocacy@sydney.msf.org http://albertswars.blogspot.com.au/ @Stewart_Jackel

First Dog on the Moon has it:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/12/we-all-know-what-is-going-on-in-nauru-even-if-we-pretend-it-is-not-happening

Refugees on Nauru - Ashkan and Nima

There’s a bitter irony to the postscript of Abdul Karim Hekmat’s piece about Ashkan and Nima, (“I am not a ‘death meat’ of Australia”, Saturday Paper 15-22 September 2018). It's the contact for Lifeline 13 11 14.

Nima is dying on Nauru. His partner Ashkan is helpless.

Over months, Ashkan has asked for help. Lots of well-placed people went to work. But so far the only person who can save Nima is deaf tohim.

Anna Brown from the Human Rights Law Centre appealed to Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop who referred her to Peter Dutton. Brown found Mr Dutton “unresponsive”, “unsympathetic and “not compassionate”. She asked Tim Wilson, then the Human Rights Commissioner, to raise the case with Mr Dutton. The response of Mr Dutton and The Department of Immigration and Border Protection was disdainful and risible. 

If Nima and Askan are refouled to Iran they will be killed. The Cambodia option presents extrajudicial killings, and warrantless and arbitrary arrests, even though homosexual activity is not illegal. Staying on Nauru exposes the men to bashings and police indifference.

My gay friend can live happily with his partner, my lesbian friend can live with hers without being terrified of thugs breaking in and bashing them. They can go shopping together with as much safety as my wife and I can..

A week ago I fell over. Within a few seconds I had help. I was staring up at the faces of about ten people. Within a couple of hours my osteotherapist mate was at my door. I had access to a full range of pharmaceuticals and professional people – including Lifeline if I needed it - to help me. But I'm not effectively locked up on Nauru.

What can I do to make sure Nima and Ashkan get the help the need.

If Brown and Wilson can’t help them how can I?

The short answer is I can’t.

The longer answer is that I can write letters to a not-compassionate, unresponsive minister and my invisible local Labor member. I can write tweets. I can write 200 words on my blog. All totally futile. I can work as a volunteer paralegal for a refugee legal service. Slightly less futile.

Someone tell me please, what can I do to stop Nima dying in Ashkan’s arms?