A.Loewenstein Online Newsletter

Posted By: Sammi IbrahemChair of West Midland PSC

---

• Serco’s rhetoric and reality in Australia vastly different

• Marrickville BDS debate showed how little Palestine is understood in Australia

• Australian officials witness to Colombo-led torture

• Sri Lanka’s ongoing military occupation of Tamil land

Serco’s rhetoric and reality in Australia vastly different Posted: 23 Apr 2011   I’ve reported over the last months the very difficult situation for staff and refugees at Sydney’s Villawood detention centre due to federal government bungling and Serco mismanagement. The Australian reported my comments today about the latest uprising in Villawood. Welcome to Australia’s dysfunctional (and entirely avoidable) asylum seeker “crisis”. In light of these troubles, it’s worth recalling some information that appeared in Serco News in 2010 (Volume 9). This is a publication touting news and views from around Serco’s Australia. Under the headline, “Villawood undergoes transformation”, the following story was published: Villawood is undergoing a major transformation as part of a three month plan to improve the overall operation of the centre. Led by Nick Cameron from Serco’s UK operations, the team of six has been busy implementing changes at the site which is the largest immigration centre on the mainland. The improvements include better residential and client care, a review of operations and security, increased staff support and training, and more activities for clients. The team has also been working closely with Serco’s corporate communications staff to rebrand the facility. DIAC is already making positive comments about the changes. “A program of cleaning and painting has commenced  and rebranding initiatives have been accelerated. Most staff now have their new uniforms which look really professional, we have reviewed health and safety issues, and improved staff communication and recognition”, said Nick. “We have just awarded three staff with commendations for their vigilance in preventing the escape of clients from Villawood in the last three weeks. The professionalism of these colleagues is typical of the staff I have met in Villawood. It gives me great pleasure to recognise these officers for individual examples of excellent work. “I want to thank all staff at Villawood for the way they have got behind the changes we are making and for their hard work. Villawood is their centre and I am pleased to see the pride they are taking in the improvements we are making. There is still a lot to do, but with all staff getting involved and feeling supported by the transformation team, I am sure we will succeed.”

Marrickville BDS debate showed how little Palestine is understood in Australia Posted: 23 Apr 2011   This has been the week of Sydney’s Marrickville council putting Palestine on the national and global map by daring to support Palestine (though sadly giving in to bullying and rescind BDS). At this week’s fiery public meeting, it was clear how many Zionists have vested interests in not acknowledging the devastating effects of Israel’s occupation on Palestinian lands. Far better to talk about Hamas, Hizbollah, terrorism, “democracy” etc.  In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, reporter Jo Tovey gives voice to those who rarely receive it in the corporate press: Accusations of one-sided media coverage of the issue were also rife at Tuesday’s meeting. The academic Peter Slezak, ofIndependent Australian Jewish Voices, said Jewish critics of Israel and supporters of the BDS campaign had not been heard, particularly in the Jewish media. Samah Sabawi, a Palestinian-Australian, said their voice had been lost. ”I don’t feel we were able to discuss and debate the issue rationally and I don’t feel the door was open for Palestinian voices to discuss what the BDS was about.”

Australian officials witness to Colombo-led torture Posted: 23 Apr 2011   In how many countries is this kind of thing happening? Anything to keep those asylum seekers away from our shores is clearly the idea, whatever the human rights cost: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) has expressed concern over the conduct of security forces working in cooperation with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Sri Lanka. Two former Christmas Island detainees arrested by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after they were deported from Australia in 2009 claim to have been abused by members of the unit in the presence of an AFP officer. Their lawyer, Lakshan Dias, says CID officers beat the men with wooden planks and threatened to rape their family members. He says an AFP agent was visiting the CID headquarters in Colombo at the time. “I was tortured. I was unable to pass urine for two days. I had unbearable pain in my body,” said one of the men, Sumith Mendis, 31. The CID denies the allegations. The AFP has been providing the CID with equipment, training and intelligence support in an effort to combat people smuggling in the area, as civilians attempt to flee Sri Lanka following the end of the country’s brutal 26-year civil war. Mr Mendes and fellow ex-detainee Lasantha Wijeratna are being held at the country’s Negombo prison, charged with illegally attempting to flee Sri Lanka. Prior to their imprisonment they spent more than seven months on Christmas Island after leaving for Australia on a fishing vessel in 2009. They were arrested by Sri Lankan authorities in August 2010 after attempting to flee the country a second time. The AFP strenuously denies witnessing the abuse but has confirmed one of its officers was in the building at the time. “The AFP can confirm records indicate an AFP officer was present in the building on the day the offence was alleged to occur,” a spokesman told the ABC. “At no stage did the AFP officer witness any mistreatment by CID officers of any persons held in custody. “As part of the Sri Lankan legal process, all defendants appearing before court must first be examined by a judicial medical officer. The AFP has no knowledge of any concerns being raised.” However, Amnesty International reported in March 2010 that the two men were hospitalised at the recommendation of a judicial officer. According to the men’s lawyer, the AFP would have been aware of the abuses being carried out at the CID headquarters that day. “There is no reason that the particular AFP officer [would] not have seen the interrogation and atrocities towards my clients, and my clients told me that they saw the AFP officer [witness] this interrogation,” Mr Dias said.

Sri Lanka’s ongoing military occupation of Tamil land Posted: 23 Apr 2011