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Letters to the Editor:

A moral vacuum

I would like to point out one of the many contradictions in the Federal 
Government's nasty refugee policy. Recently, when the Government yet again 
arrogantly dismissed a UN finding of human rights violations because of the 
detention of asylum seekers, they yet again revealed, as Professor Howard 
Dick of the University of Melbourne described it, "the moral vacuum at the 
heart of Australia's mandatory detention of refugees".

Whether we are aware of it or not, the Government's action degrades us all, 
not only in the eyes of the world, but as individual human beings who 
demand the right to dignity and respect whilst others are having theirs 
torn away from them.

But the point I would like to make here is to do with the fondness of our 
Prime Minister for sport. Where there are major sporting events there is 
usually John Howard, basking in the reflected glory of the sportspeople.

His Immigration Department has no trouble encouraging, feting and pampering 
athletes from other countries to come here and take out citizenship, mostly 
from former socialist countries, where they have received the benefits of a 
comprehensive system of sport developed under socialism.

So at the Manchester Commonwealth Games we have Irina Lashko, duel gold 
medal diver from Russia, Tatiana Grigorieva, gold medal pole vaulter from 
Russia, Lalita Yauhleuskaya, gold medal pistol shooter from Belarus, Yourik 
Sarkisian, triple gold medal weightlifter from Armenia.

All are given special privileges by the Government in order to increase our 
medal tally.

Meanwhile children remain locked behind razor wire in that "moral vacuum".

Lizbeth Campbell
Townsville

Have you noticed how soft the media is on the Government in the USA? 
When President George Bush speaks at a press conference they ask questions 
as if they're programmed automatons. Like Australia, a few monopolies 
determine what Americans see, hear and read.

And again like here, television is how most Americans get their news.

Fox, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has close ties with the Republican Party. NBC 
is owned by General Electric, one of the largest corporations in the world 
with a long history of anti-unionism.

General Electric is a major contributor to the Republican Party and has 
substantial financial interests in weapons manufacturing, finance and 
nuclear power, to name only a few.

The American Broadcasting Corporation (unlike our own ABC) is owned by one 
of the biggies, Disney Corporation. CBS is owned by Viacom, a huge media 
conglomerate that also owns MTV, Showtime, Nickelodean, VHI, 39 television 
stations, 184 radio stations, Paramount Pictures and Blockbuster Video 
outlets.

That is what keeps the illusion of George Bush alive. He's a real person 
all right, but without the massive hoodwinking of an entire nation, he'd be 
seen for what he is — a pampered ignoramus who threatens the entire world.

Nathan Barnes
Brisbane

Philip Ruddock has taken Orwellian newspeak to a new low with his claim 
that Australia is not imprisoning the children it holds in detention 
centres. They're free to leave Australia whenever they like, he says.

This, then, is the choice he offers refugees: You don't have to stay here 
in detention centres. You could always "choose" to be shipped back to the 
very place you have travelled so far and suffered so much to escape. To the 
country where you fear persecution, torture, and death. Some choice!

Ruddock's hypocrisy demeans the Australian public. This country's detention 
centres have been condemned by every independent group that has inspected 
them — our own Human Rights Commission and now the United Nations.

The Minister and his government must respond to such moderate critics with 
genuine change, not hide behind fatuous double-speak.

The Australian people, and the innocent men, women and children behind 
razor wire, deserve nothing less.

Free the refugees!

Linda Gale,
Vice-President
Progressive Labour Party