Cultural Diversity News
Message in a bottle from Darwin asylum seeker : 'Protection not detection'
Wednesday, 01 September 2010 17:39
A group of asylum seekers began demonstrating outside a Darwin detention centre this morning after being held for nine months without knowing the verdict of their protection visa application. The asylum seekers pushed across two electric fences (charged with 11,000Volts) to get their voices heard. Senator Evans has condemned the demonstration stating that the asylum seekers could also face criminal charges for trying to escape the centre.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has confirmed today that Australia has detained about 4,100 asylum seekers this year.
One of the demonstrators threw a bottle at a journalist with a note pleading for 'protection not detention'.
The demonstration began at 6:30am today and has finally ended, whilst the Labor government has remained silent about the issue with no comments.
Unity in Diversity-Marketplace of Ideas
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 14:59
An exciting opportunity exists for 'grassroots' projects that aim to promote mutual understanding among peoples and cultures in the Asia-Pacific region to participate at the Melbourne Forum, October 10-12, 2010, organized by the Global Dialogue Foundation under the auspices of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.
The theme of the Forum is “Bridging Cultures, Building Peace”. Therefore, some suggested themes are as follows:
Promoting cultural diversity in society; Encouraging mutual understanding between people of religions, faiths and traditional faiths; Fostering integration of migrants in urban and rural areas; Advancing cultural understanding through education; Championing youth in furthering dialogue and cooperation among cultures; Using technology to facilitate intercultural understanding.
What happens next on Australia's UN Racism charge?
Monday, 30 August 2010 15:37
Crikey writer Robyn Seth-Purdie points to the down-stream implication of the ICERD report condemning Australia. She notes that: "the UN committee on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination (the committee) has given Australia another serve in its latest report on Australia’s progress in implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). States who ratify this treaty agree to abide by its articles. Regular reporting to the CERD Committee, a body of 18 independent (honorary) experts drawn from states that have ratified the convention is part of the deal. So too is abiding by the recommendations of the committee. Australia’s past behaviour in the latter respect could only be called recalcitrant.
Read more: What happens next on Australia's UN Racism charge?
UN Human Rights Committee challenges Australia's record on racism
Saturday, 28 August 2010 17:35
Two weeks ago Geneva witnessed a slightly bizarre non-confrontation between two agencies of the Australian government. DFAT staff presented the Australian government report to the UN on its implementation of our commitment to the 1966 International Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). Soon after Graeme Innes on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission tendered its submission, condemning the Australian government's reduced commitment to multiculturalism and its Intervention against Indigenous people Today the UN made its own statement. Innes welcomed the ICERD Committee response.
UN Report Summary
ABC Story
Read more: UN Human Rights Committee challenges Australia's record on racism
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