Yesterday, at a United Nations human rights forum in Geneva, over a hundred countries gave our government a right telling-off. Why? Because by the UN’s standards, the way that we, as a country, treat refugees making their way to Australia and in our off-shore detention centres is 110% not okay.
It seems obvious, and most of us (yes, we know, bloody lefties, much fist-shaking, ra ra ra etc.) have been saying this for a while but: the ‘stop the boats‘ crap? Not chill. Long-term barely liveable conditions in detention centres for men, women and children? NOT CHILL. Mandatory detention in general? ONE MILLION TIMES NOT CHILL, AND A MAJOR VIOLATION OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
Here’s just some of the countries who told us off for treating human beings terribly: Brazil, Turkey, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Germany, China, The United States of America, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Iran and North Korea.
France‘s representative said that Australia needed to “develop alternatives to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, especially when dealing with children”. Germany said we must “critically review” Nauru and Manus Island. Bangladesh said we’ve “set a poor benchmark”, and that we need to repeal mandatory detention. North Korea‘s spokesperson said his country was, “seriously concerned at continued maltreatment of and violence against the refugees and asylum seekers”. NORTH KOREA SAID THAT, GUYS. FOR FUCK’S SAKE.
A bunch of countries’ reps also called for Australia to consent to OPCAT – (Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture). So, they basically want our government to open the doors to detention centres and allow an international board to check that we aren’t torturing people. That is a legitimate concern of the United Nations. (So far, the only person with access to/clearance to talk about Nauru was former Liberal Party advisor and current “impartial journalist” Chris Kenny, and all he did was harass a pregnant victim of rape, so they might have a point.)
Many countries also brought up Australia’s awful treatment of Indigenous people, our high levels of domestic violence and violence against women, and the rise in Islamophobia.
While most international representatives did admit that Australia made progress since our first human rights review in 2011, our delegation – which included MP Philip Ruddock – remained defiant that our mandatory detention was a necessary, positive thing, and that our policy regarding turning back boats carrying asylum seekers had ‘saved lives’… 
TL;DR: See below for a summary of yesterday’s United Nations Human Rights Forum.
Other countries to the Australian government:
The Australian government:
Say it with us: IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT TO SEEK ASYLUM. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT TO SEEK ASYLUM. IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT TO SEEK ASYLUM.
via SMH.
Image: Nick Miller via SMH.
