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Charity chief calls for identification of drowned asylum seekers Charity chief calls for identification of drowned asylum seekers
(2 months later)
Convoluted procedures ensure asylum seekers who drown at sea are seldom publicly identified, despite the plea from the Christmas Island administrator, Jon Stanhope, to "humanise" those who have died trying to get to Australia by releasing their names.Convoluted procedures ensure asylum seekers who drown at sea are seldom publicly identified, despite the plea from the Christmas Island administrator, Jon Stanhope, to "humanise" those who have died trying to get to Australia by releasing their names.
Echoing Stanhope's request, the chief executive of World Vision, Tim Costello, told Guardian Australia he suspected it was politically convenient for Australians to not hear the names or see the faces of asylum seekers who died because the images could become "an engine for human understanding and emotion".Echoing Stanhope's request, the chief executive of World Vision, Tim Costello, told Guardian Australia he suspected it was politically convenient for Australians to not hear the names or see the faces of asylum seekers who died because the images could become "an engine for human understanding and emotion".
The Department of Immigration told Guardian Australia it was up to the Australian federal police (AFP) to release names of asylum seekers who drowned at sea. The AFP said it was a matter for the Western Australian coroner. But a spokeswoman for the WA coroner's office said that even when asylum seekers could be identified, the coroner never made names public until a formal inquest began.The Department of Immigration told Guardian Australia it was up to the Australian federal police (AFP) to release names of asylum seekers who drowned at sea. The AFP said it was a matter for the Western Australian coroner. But a spokeswoman for the WA coroner's office said that even when asylum seekers could be identified, the coroner never made names public until a formal inquest began.
This was always well after the event and even then the commonwealth, or surviving family members still seeking refugee status, could – and often did – apply to have the names suppressed, she said.This was always well after the event and even then the commonwealth, or surviving family members still seeking refugee status, could – and often did – apply to have the names suppressed, she said.
The calls for more public information about the human stories behind asylum seekers arriving in Australia, and those dying in the process, come as the major parties continue to argue over the best policies to deter them from coming.The calls for more public information about the human stories behind asylum seekers arriving in Australia, and those dying in the process, come as the major parties continue to argue over the best policies to deter them from coming.
As he prepares for an imminent federal election, Kevin Rudd is set to announce a revamped asylum policy. The prime minister said on Wednesday that this would include looking at "the effectiveness of the refugee convention".As he prepares for an imminent federal election, Kevin Rudd is set to announce a revamped asylum policy. The prime minister said on Wednesday that this would include looking at "the effectiveness of the refugee convention".
Government sources said this did not mean Australia would walk away from the convention or its legal obligations, but it could involve a new "activist" role in international discussions about how it is implemented.Government sources said this did not mean Australia would walk away from the convention or its legal obligations, but it could involve a new "activist" role in international discussions about how it is implemented.
Australia could push for change through its membership of the UN security council, or through the annual executive committee meeting of the UN high commissioner for refugees.Australia could push for change through its membership of the UN security council, or through the annual executive committee meeting of the UN high commissioner for refugees.
Rudd also confirmed that he would announce new regional arrangements and tougher rules for domestic asylum seeker processing to quickly reject those the government claims are really "economic migrants".Rudd also confirmed that he would announce new regional arrangements and tougher rules for domestic asylum seeker processing to quickly reject those the government claims are really "economic migrants".
"We're looking at it regionally in terms of our co-operation with regional states in south-east Asia and the south-west Pacific, hence my visit to Indonesia, discussions I've had recently in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere in order to strengthen our regional co-operation as folk move their way through this region … and we need to also act on the challenge that we face in the refugee determination processes for our country," he said."We're looking at it regionally in terms of our co-operation with regional states in south-east Asia and the south-west Pacific, hence my visit to Indonesia, discussions I've had recently in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere in order to strengthen our regional co-operation as folk move their way through this region … and we need to also act on the challenge that we face in the refugee determination processes for our country," he said.
The home affairs minister, Jason Clare, confirmed another four asylum seekers had drowned in heavy seas off Christmas Island on Tuesday night and 144 others had been rescued.The home affairs minister, Jason Clare, confirmed another four asylum seekers had drowned in heavy seas off Christmas Island on Tuesday night and 144 others had been rescued.
He identified the dead only as "two women in their late 20s or early 30s, one man in his 20s and one man in his 30s".He identified the dead only as "two women in their late 20s or early 30s, one man in his 20s and one man in his 30s".
A rescue mission was launched on Wednesday after another boat carrying asylum seekers put out a distress call off Christmas Island.A rescue mission was launched on Wednesday after another boat carrying asylum seekers put out a distress call off Christmas Island.
The body of a boy less than one year old was retrieved from the water when an asylum seeker boat sunk 87 nautical miles off the coast of Christmas Island on Friday night. Eight people remain missing from the boat, presumed dead.The body of a boy less than one year old was retrieved from the water when an asylum seeker boat sunk 87 nautical miles off the coast of Christmas Island on Friday night. Eight people remain missing from the boat, presumed dead.
Stanhope, the former ACT chief minister, said he wished it was possible to "humanise" the baby boy with a name.Stanhope, the former ACT chief minister, said he wished it was possible to "humanise" the baby boy with a name.
''I sometimes wish that perhaps some of the debate, some of the commentary ... that each of us would perhaps look at asylum seekers not as a bulk anonymous grouping of individuals, but as individual human beings that have hopes and aspirations and dreams and feel the same pain and suffer the same grief as each of us,'' he told ABC radio.''I sometimes wish that perhaps some of the debate, some of the commentary ... that each of us would perhaps look at asylum seekers not as a bulk anonymous grouping of individuals, but as individual human beings that have hopes and aspirations and dreams and feel the same pain and suffer the same grief as each of us,'' he told ABC radio.
"We have a one-year-old baby in our mortuary, the child of an asylum seeker family. I wished we named [him] ... I wish we humanised them. I wish we gave them that respect in death.""We have a one-year-old baby in our mortuary, the child of an asylum seeker family. I wished we named [him] ... I wish we humanised them. I wish we gave them that respect in death."
Costello said he suspected the names of asylum seekers who died at sea were withheld for political reasons.Costello said he suspected the names of asylum seekers who died at sea were withheld for political reasons.
"I think it is just wrong not to publish names, with due respect for the wishes of family and religious practice," Costello said."I think it is just wrong not to publish names, with due respect for the wishes of family and religious practice," Costello said.
"Human dignity is embodied in a name, a name lets us share stories and share grief … it is the engine for human understanding and emotion."Human dignity is embodied in a name, a name lets us share stories and share grief … it is the engine for human understanding and emotion.
"But we never hear their names and we never see their faces and we need to ask the government why. I can only speculate that it is not in anyone's political interest to let us hear those stories and let us form that bond. If it is for reasons of family privacy or religious and cultural sensitivity, then tell us that, but until I hear a very good reason I stand by my view that we should know their names.""But we never hear their names and we never see their faces and we need to ask the government why. I can only speculate that it is not in anyone's political interest to let us hear those stories and let us form that bond. If it is for reasons of family privacy or religious and cultural sensitivity, then tell us that, but until I hear a very good reason I stand by my view that we should know their names."
Before the last two boats sank, there had been 805 confirmed deaths at sea since 2009 of asylum seekers trying to make it to Australia, according to the Department of Immigration.Before the last two boats sank, there had been 805 confirmed deaths at sea since 2009 of asylum seekers trying to make it to Australia, according to the Department of Immigration.
Authorities believe many more people have died in boat sinkings that have not been officially recorded.Authorities believe many more people have died in boat sinkings that have not been officially recorded.
Names of identified victims have been suppressed in the inquest currently under way in Western Australia into the presumed deaths of more than 100 passengers on an asylum seeker boat that sank in June 2012.Names of identified victims have been suppressed in the inquest currently under way in Western Australia into the presumed deaths of more than 100 passengers on an asylum seeker boat that sank in June 2012.
The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, said Rudd should be "man enough" to admit his changes to asylum policy had caused the increase in asylum seekers arriving by boat and demanded he recall parliament to introduce the Coalition's policies of reinstating temporary protection visas and turning back boats.The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, said Rudd should be "man enough" to admit his changes to asylum policy had caused the increase in asylum seekers arriving by boat and demanded he recall parliament to introduce the Coalition's policies of reinstating temporary protection visas and turning back boats.
But opposition immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, said the latest deaths at sea proved it was time to stop talking and hold an election to allow voters to decide between the competing asylum policies.But opposition immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, said the latest deaths at sea proved it was time to stop talking and hold an election to allow voters to decide between the competing asylum policies.
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