New Howard Term, but 'Mandate to Kill' continues for Iranians

Project SafeCom Inc.
P.O. Box 364
Narrogin
Western Australia 6312
Phone: 0417 090 130
Web: https://www.safecom.org.au/

New Howard Term, but 'Mandate to Kill' continues for Iranians

Media Release
Thursday October 14 2004 18:30pm WST
For Immediate Release
No Embargoes

"While the ink on the ballot papers is barely dry, the Minister for Immigration is today carrying out, as we speak, the first of what is expected to be a steady trickle of "forced deportations" of Iranian asylum seekers back to Iran under the secret MOU with that country", Project SafeCom spokesperson Jack Smit said today.

"Not only has the Howard government ignored the multiple number of reports, including a recent study by the Edmund Rice Centre showing that Australia is clearly endangering the lives of dozens of people who were forcibly deported from Australia - the Prime Minister and Immigration Minister also deliberately look the other way when recent bulletins from UNHCR Chief Ruud Lubbers clearly indicate that the situation in Iran for dissenters is now much worse than before the election a few months ago."

"It seems that Mr Howard who has already touted about his mandate given to him at the last election, wants to also claim a mandate to kill those Iranians who came to Australia to seek asylum."

"The government may well claim that most Australians feel fine about its asylum policies, but that's mainly the result of the continuing spin and smooth-talk of the Minister for Immigration, her predecessor and all MP's in Howard's inner circle, as emails, letters and other replies to refugee lobby groups have clearly shown."

"Meanwhile, the souls of those who were killed, and also those who expect to be killed or tortured by the Iranian Sharia laws, will keep screaming out in agony - and that pain is only heard and felt by the small group of decent Australians who have postponed many things in their lives to support those in detention centres."

"Let's hope that those screams can reach the PM and the Immigration minister in their sleep or in their dream state, because clearly no other 'yelling' from Human Rights bodies right around the world reaches the ministers responsible in the Howard government".

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For more information:

Jack H Smit
Project SafeCom Inc.
[phone number posted]

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