Australia must stop abusing refugees! Human rights organizations have published report
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Human rights organizations have published an explosive report on the abuse of refugees in Australia.
- Daily violence, suicide attempts and children left without medical treatment were among some of the allegations documented by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch during a visit to Australia's detention center on the remote Pacific Island of Nauru in July.
- This is part of a deliberate policy by the Australian government to try to stop people seeking asylum in their country by boat.
Human rights lawyers say knowingly instituting a policy which puts lives at risk is inconsistent with Australia's obligations under the Refugee Convention. They say it would also breach Australia's obligations under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Australia, has a troubling track record of rejecting Rohingya refugees. In a callous and heartless statement during the May, 2015 boat crisis, PM Tony Abbott stated that the 8,000 Rohingya who were seeking refuge/asylum would not be resettled in Australia. He was rebuked by the Green party senator Sarah Hanson-Young at the time who stated “The asylum seekers, many suffering from starvation, are in desperate need of assistance, and Australia, as a regional leader, has an international responsibility to provide leadership and provide immediate assistance.”
Now Australia stands accused of not only turning its back on refugees but of also pursuing a policy of abuse against those asylum seekers and refugees who have been detained on Nauru Island.