—-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—-
February 22, 2012

Letters For Ranjini is calling upon Shadow Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to immediately apologise to the Australian refugee community for his offensive and divisive remarks regarding refugees in bridging Visas.

When asked in a doorstop interview on Thursday how an Abbott Government would handle refugees on Bridging Visas, Morrison responded with this:

‘We learnt just this week the NSW Police are now having to train officers to deal with some of the more serious consequences that can flow from people being out in the community who have poor language skills and may have a series of other issues for them personally which can present as issues for the police. Now that is something I have always been concerned about. ‘

‘Scott Morrison’s comments were clearly designed to draw a link between refugees and crime, an unsubstantiated link designed to encourage fear and suspicion, and one that is both discriminatory and offensive to the many wonderful people who come to Australia for a new life’ says Anthony Bieniak, founder of Letters For Ranjini.

‘The NSW Police training he refers to was general training for “mentally ill people from multicultural backgrounds”. Has Mr Morrison considered the impact of his comments on refugees who are trying to rebuild their lives?’

‘Mr. Morrison would do well to remember that the ‘mess’ he refers to is 20,000 human beings. 20,000 mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who are trying to create a new life for themselves. The NSW Police training he refers to was general training for “mentally ill people from multicultural backgrounds”, has he considered the impact of his comments on the vulnerable people involved? This is another awful example of the LNP trying to spread fear about refugees in order to win votes.’

‘Mr. Morrison should apologise to the Australian population for his deception, and to the refugee community for the offensive comments. Australians are tired of division and discrimination and we hope the Shadow Minister will be more welcoming of multiculturalism in the future’

CONTACT: Anthony Bieniak

More reading on Scott Morrison

Dear Ranjini

Hope your new baby is doing well given the difficult circumstances.

Best wishes Catherine

We’ve heard some ridiculous excuses from MP’s (including some who had to consult others before they could give a personal opinion), but in an election year – we have choice.
If your MP is one of the many who has ignored your letters – we’re asking you send this FINAL NOTICE.
Feb 28 is deadline day, after this point we will begin our search for new candidates who support Ranjini, justice and the rule of law.  

Subject: Final Notice
CC:

‘Dear XXXXXXX, 

I am writing to urgently request your position on indefinite detention for refugees held on Adverse ASIO assessments, as well as your position on the review process for these assessments. 

It has been a number of weeks since you were first contacted regarding this issue. Please ensure you respond by February 28, 2012. At this point I will be seeking an alternative candidate, as I can not vote for someone who will not state their position on an issue so important to me. 

Please also note that, as a constituent, I expect more than a form letter or vague response that avoids stating a position.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to your response.

XXXXXXXX’ 

Dear Ranjini,

here is a letter I have sent to many ALP members of parliment

Pete Whetton
ALP Member

Open letter to ALP MPs, PM Ministers and Party Organisations.

Dear ALP, PM, MP, and South Australian Secretary,

After a lifetime as a supporter and often member of the ALP I find I must in all conscience now resign my membership. I do this with real sadness. I have weathered many ups and downs in the party and yet stayed a True Believer, seen many policy decisions I have disagreed with but stayed a supporter. I realise real politic is often the art of compromise, but compromise whist generally staying true to core values.

Over the last few years I have been dismayed to see our once proud Social Democrat party veer to the right, seeing our policy now seemingly written by the Abbot Right and Industrial Power figures, seeing our core values of Social Justice dissipate, nay disappear totally. My breaking point has come like many other past members over the governments detention policy, that Australia is detaining at all, but mostly that it is detaining children is disgusting.

Cases like Ranjini held with her children in Villawood with no hope of freedom on an unpublished ASIO finding, no charge, no proof of guilt and no due process will lead to our country being held in contempt. Already we are facing criticism from the International community, for breaking our own law. That we would put adults and even more so children in little better than prisons, I was tempted to say Concentration Camps, is a disgrace, is cruel and inhumane. Remember the last organisation that had this type of unfettered power in a democracy was the FBI under Edgar Hoover, which held a nation to ransom for years with politician’s afraid to speak out.

Where has Habeas Corpus gone? Where has due process disappeared? Where has Social Democracy gone? Where, most of all has Australia’s much vaunted Fair Go gone? Since when did a spy organisation run our Nations policy? As an active Social democrat I must seek my voice elsewhere, for I cannot find it in the ALP anymore. I will still seek to defeat the Abbott Opposition, for I realise that things would be far worse with them in power, but not any longer from within the ALP. I will be active in the movement to re-establish our Freedoms, our Nations Social Democratic Ethos and to free people like Ranjini.

If ever our party finds its true self and social conscience again I will gladly renew my membership.
Peter Whetton

I do hope you and your family are as well as possible under your terrible conditions. I never thought there would come a day when I am ashamed to be Australian. I thought we had as a core value a sense of Social justice and fairness. I do not see these values in a Government and opposition who without charges put other human beings in a Concentration Camp. What little I can do I will for you and others in the same plight. I have emailed the PM and Mr Bowen, as I am a member of the ALP but have had no reply. I will attempt to email all MPs in Govt and keep sending these to ALP MPs in this state.

Regards Pete Whetton

Dear Ranjini,

I’m so sorry for what you and your family are going through. I can hardly imagine what it must feel like. Just when you thought life was finally falling into place for you – settling into life in Australia with your boys and your husband -it was taken away by our government and their stupid laws. I hold great hope for you and your family that this will change and the Australian government will find a heart and allow your freedom…..but it can’t come soon enough.

Take care, Nadene

It astounds me each and every day the efforts that all of you Ranjini supporters go to in fighting for Ranjini and protecting justice and the rule of law in Australia. 

As a small way of rewarding and thanking those who have done incredible things in telling Ranjini’s story and supporting our campaign for justice – each month I will be giving The Freedom Award to one outstanding advocate.

Congratulations to Murray Smith from South Australia – winner of the January Freedom Award.

Murray’s work this month has been astounding – to the point where I actually do not have time to count the amount of MP’s he has contacted asking for their position in indefinite detention.

Pretty well every night since we launched The House I have had near constant emails from Murray with the latest list of people he has contacted.

We owe him much more than this – but we are very happy to give him the very first Freedom Award.

Congratulations Murray

Dear Ranjini,

Our thoughts are with you and your children as you wait for a resolution to your intolerable situation. Detention without reason, without charges would bring any person’s ire, but you keep strong for your children. You are an inspiration. No child of law abiding people should be born imprisoned. And no one should be imprisoned without trial. My family thinks of yours and hopes that you can be together and free soon. We will spread word in the United States.

Be well, strong lady, and know that your freedom is important to people the world over,

Kari

Dear Ranjini,

I am so sad to hear of your plight. No baby or children should be deprived like yours. I am devastated that any humans would let that happen to you and your little ones. I hope and pray that things will change for you swiftly.

All my love, Lyn

Dear Ranjini

I’m appalled that my country treats asylum seekers as they do, to have given you & your boys their freedom, then taken this away, reduces me to tears of frustration. I can imagine how you must try to hide your feelings to make life bearable for your boys, such sweet sacrifice, if only our politicians would realise, it could so easily be them in your situation. Please give your darling baby & boys a hug & kiss from me

I will continue to protest until every asylum seeker has been released from detention centres

Naomi