Australia: Stand up Against Deportations

22.Mar.02 - Deportations have been occuring. People are chemically restrained, sedated, bound and gagged on flights leaving Australian airports.

The Australian Government have just announced (March 7, 2002) mass deportations to occur within the next few weeks. Moreover, the 'Temporary Protection Visa' scheme - which granted those classified as refugees release from the internment camps for 3 years - is about to run out for many people (it was introduced 3 years ago). Many of those will be refused permanent stay, and interned again en route to deportation. Australasian Correctionals Management, the company subcontracted to run the onshore internment camps in Australia, is also contracted to arrange deportations.

There are some things that you personally can do to stop deportations happening:

1. If you are aware of a deportation occuring on a flight you are on, refuse to take your seat unless the person is taken off the plane. Bring the deportation to the attention of other passengers, because it is more than likely that the person will have been chemically sedated and restrained and cannot do this for themselves. The plane will not be able to take off unless everyone is seated.

2. If you work as a refueler, baggage handler or pilot, refuse to work unless the deportation is halted. Demand that the airline company will not be carrying out deportations.

3. When booking a flight, ask whether or not the airline company you are using carries out deportations. If they say they are not, ask them if they have publicly guaranteed this and that you wish to see evidence of it.

4. Talk to people you know about how to stop deportations happening and, if you have a website, download the banner (up on the xborder website shorly) to circulate the message.

more information: :: xborder website ::