The Guardian 26 January, 2005
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The massive cost of the Bakhtiaris
The Bakhtiari family, like many other asylum seekers and their families, are said to have been billed by the Australian government for the cost of their detention to the tune of about $3 million. There are some things that need to be said about this step undertaken by the government — intended as a move that will ring alarm bells with immigration authorities in Australia, might anyone of the family ever attempt to enter Australia again: a primary motive behind this system (if not the only one).
Not only is their status as "having a substantial outstanding debt against immigration authorities" a red flag on the computers of Australian authorities, but it also is a red flag on the computers of other foreign "friendly nations", such as the USA and the UK, and probably dozens of other countries. This is how the Australian government "legitimately" meddles "for the rest of their lives" in the opportunities of people who sought asylum in our country. And, for the benefit of the readers, this type of bill has in several instances also been issued for people who had already been found to be refugees in Australia.
On another related point, barrister Julian Burnside QC told me once, that the only other previous instance of this type of bill issued by a nation he had found, was a bill of about DM900 (German Marks) for the detention costs of a Jewish man in Auschwitz; this included the cost of the pellets used to power the gas chamber facilities that eventually gassed the man to death.
By comparison, if the Bakhtiaris would have been more "street-wise" they may have gone to New Zealand instead. If they would have done so, they probably would now be living in the community as refugees, the oldest boy would probably have started his first year at a University, and the family's father Ali, after having had his first English and reading/writing lessons at the Mangere reception centre, would probably enjoy a job somewhere in the community, with his taxes keenly contributing to the costs of New Zealand having helped him as a refugee.
The Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone has also deemed it befitting to inform the Australian public of the high costs incurred by the Bakhtiari family, who went through 20 court cases while in Australia seeking asylum. What she did not tell Australians, is that the lawyers for the family, like almost all lawyers working for asylum seekers against the Australian government, did not charge for their services, and acted entirely pro-bono, while the lawyers acting for the Commonwealth always charge the going rate; in the case of Mr Gordon Bennett QC for example, this is likely to amount to $3,000 per day or more.
It also needs to be noted that at all times, the Commonwealth appeals decisions by Australian courts in favour of asylum seekers, if they are able to. I have found no examples in the last three years, where, if an appeal could be brought by the Commonwealth against court decisions in favour of asylum seekers, it was not brought.
Therefore it would have been more honest if the Minister acknowledged that the massive legal costs incurred "by the Bakhtiaris" were in fact for a great deal costs "incurred by the Australian government" in their work to fight the cases of the Bakhtiari family's claims. The way the Minister informed the public is called "government spin" and in this case it could well be called "withholding facts and truth to suit their own political agenda" from the Australian public.
As I write this, the Bakhtiari family has "gone missing" in Pakistan, the country they were deported to, and the country the government claims is their country of origin. If I were to re-enter my European country of origin, the immigration people welcome me in my own language, they smile at me, and in the case of the Bakhtiaris, I would have expected the same treatment for them, and I would have expected them to already have been given nice, new and crispy Pakistani passports.
Maybe the Minister should now reveal, whether the massive costs of the Bakhtiari family incurred by the Commonwealth also included a bribe to the Pakistani authorities, which is said to be about $10,000 per person for a three-month permit to stay in that country. I am reliably informed that, some time ago, this was the amount of money needed by Australian authorities to make Pakistani authorities close their eyes and allow someone into their country who did not have valid Pakistani or other nationality documentation.
Therefore the final question starkly stands out: are they Pakistani citizens as the government claims?
Jack H Smit
Project SafeCom Inc.
P.O. Box 364
Narrogin WA 6312
Peter Cosgrove on Aceh
Dear Sir/Madam
I was interested to see General Peter Cosgrove's comments on the situation in Aceh that the tsunami tragedy may be a "circuit breaker" to political unrest in the region.
While this is a nice thought, it seems that the General has forgotten the experiences of the Australian peace keepers in East Timor. The TNI (Indonesian military) leaders committed gross crimes against the populace there. They have demonstrated the same behaviour in Aceh.
Apart from valid historical reasons, one of the main causes for the Acehnese demand for independence is the brutality they have been suffering at the hands of the TNI for over 30 years.
At the time of writing, there are reports that some shipments of aid and children who have survived the tsunami seem to be disappearing and fingers are pointed at the TNI. It is feared that the disappearing children will be future targets of sexual abuse in major tourist resorts.
The situation will not change until the international community demands that Indonesia deals with the many violators of human rights and other criminals in the ranks of its military. It is only when they are removed from their privileged positions will there be a chance for the peace that Peter Cosgrove hopes for and justice for its many victims in Aceh, West Papua and East Timor.
It is to be hoped that the money the Australian government has ear marked for training the Indonesian Special Armed Forces/KOPASSUS (the worst human rights abusing division of the TNI) will be diverted to meet humanitarian needs in Aceh.
Can we also hope that the generous donation of $50,000 from the long suffering East Timorese to the victims of the tsunami will inspire our government from plundering their urgently needed oil resources?
It should be remembered that Indonesia has never given East Timor any reparation for the death and destruction it caused there.
Andrew Alcock
Forestville, SA