Immigration Department effectively ‘disappears’ 19-Yr old Tamil asylum seeker, whose attempted forced transfer to Darwin was stopped yesterday by refugee activists at Melbourne Airport.

Refugee advocates are concerned as to the whereabouts of the young man.

“We suspect he is being held at MIDC (Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre). However people have been trying to visit him there and at the detention centre in Broadmeadows (MITA), and at both locations Serco and Immigration Department staff are saying that he is not there. They will not tell anyone where he is,” said AJ van Tonder from the Refugee Action Collective.

“The department have also taken his phone so no one can contact him. They aren’t even allowing his lawyers to speak to him. His lawyers need to contact him in regards to appealing his assessment in court. Surely this breaks fundamental rights protected under Australian and international law,” said van Tonder.

“His case manager will not answer any calls or emails regarding his whereabouts. The Immigration Department have effectively ‘disappeared’ this young man,” van Tonder continued.

“Meanwhile, Qantas has lifted its no-fly ban on Paul Leary, one of the passengers who stood up on a flight from Melbourne to Darwin carrying another Tamil asylum seeker last month. However, his work colleague who stood with him is still banned and so is the young female activist who bought a ticket and boarded the plane to stop it leaving while the Tamil man was on board” said van Tonder. See details here:

“We call on Qantas to lift these no-fly bans and to stop flying forced transfers and deportations of asylum seekers while the Australian Government breaks international laws in its treatment of these vulnerable people and in its inadequate and politically motivated assessment of their refugee claims. CEO Alan Joyce must articulate a policy of refusal to cooperate with the Immigration Department over these transfers, otherwise refugee activism will continue to cause delays to Qantas flights and many passengers will begin to boycott the company, causing it loss in revenue and reputation. We also call on the Immigration Department to immediately contact this young Tamil man’s lawyers and allow them access to their client,” van Tonder concluded.

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From the Refugee Action Collective:

Update: ‘The forced transfer today of a 19 year old Tamil asylum seeker that was scheduled for Qantas flight QF838 has been successfully stopped. Passengers aboard the plane were informed of what was happening by a refugee supporter who bought a ticket on the plane, and the forced transfer to Darwin did not go ahead. The asylum seeker who was held in an airport restroom for two hours by around a dozen police is now back in immigration detention in Melbourne.’ said Chris Breen for the Refugee Action Collective

‘Qantas is coming under increased pressure over forced transfer of asylum seekers to Darwin, that can be a first step to deportation to danger. Signatures on a petition calling on Qantas to rescind travel bans on passengers who have stood up for the human rights of asylum seekers have gone from 700 to over 7000 in a day https://www.change.org/p/qantas-don-t-ground-our-freedom-of-opinion-lift-this-unfair-no-fly-ban. Forced transfers that are a prelude to deportation put asylum seeker lives at risk, and can risk the safety of Qantas passengers, and cause delays to flights. The Refugee Action Collective again calls on Qantas to stop the forced transfer of asylum seekers, and calls on the Abbott government to stop deportations to danger. The Abbott government lecturing the Australian electorate about the ‘compassion’ and ‘humanitarianism’ of ‘stopping the boats’ whilst putting asylum seekers lives in serious danger is the most base form of hypocrisy. It is also failing to revive the Abbott government’s electoral fortunes.’ said Breen.

From the Tamil Refugee Council:

BREAKING: A 19-year-old Tamil asylum seeker facing forced removal to Darwin is currently inside a Melbourne airport restroom surrounded by a dozen police officers.

“This Tamil man is being removed against his will from Melbourne to Darwin, and from there it is likely he will be deported back to Sri Lanka”, said Aran Mylvaganam from the Tamil Refugee Council.

“The Tamil man has been inside a restroom for an hour and has not come out. The restroom is surrounded by police who are not letting anyone in, and they are busy speaking with Qantas officials. It is unclear at this stage if the asylum seeker is engaged in protest action himself or has been harmed in some way, by himself or others.”

“We are very concerned for his wellbeing.”

More refugee supporters are expected to arrive at the airport to help support the man. The intended flight has been delayed, and is now scheduled to leave at 9:55am. Participants in a protest called for the early hours of this morning by the Refugee Action Collective and other groups found that man had been moved from Maribyrnong Detention Centre to the MITA Detention Centre at Broadmeadows, and from there had been taken to the airport before dawn.

“We do not know what flight he will end up being placed on, and it could be via another city in order to get to Darwin. This man has been denied a proper legal process, as there were documents and discussion between lawyers and advocates acting for the man which have not been followed up on prior to his deportation”.

From the Refugee Action Collective:

‘A dozen refugee activists have mobilised with less than eight hours notice to protest the forced removal of 19-year-old Tamil asylum seeker from Maribyrnong to Darwin. It is feared the transfer to Darwin is a first step to deportation to danger in Sri Lanka. Protesters are currently at Maribyrnong Detention Centre (MIDC) where some have locked themselves to gates to prevent the removal.’ said Chris Breen for the Refugee Action Collective

‘Asylum seekers deported to Sri Lanka are imprisoned as a matter of course, and some have faced torture. Despite the change of government in Sri Lanka, it is still not safe for Tamils. New prime minister Maithripala Sirisena was long a henchman for the brutal and corrupt Rajapaksa regime, including being defence minister at the end of the civil war. Tamil areas remain under military occupation and the new government has pledged continuing ‘cooperation’ with the Abbott government over ‘people smuggling’.’ continued Breen

‘Activists think the 19 year old Tamil man is scheduled to be put on a Qantas flight. Qantas has recently announced flight bans for passengers who stood up for human rights, stopping a forced removal.

Forced transfers and deportations can be a brutal process involving either physical or chemical restraint. Asylum seekers can rightly struggle against such moves when they fear being deported back to possible imprisonment, torture or death. These transfers can put the safety of all passengers on the plane at risk. Passengers have a right to stand up for their own safety and the safety of asylum seekers. Over 700 people have now signed a petition calling on Qantas to lift the travel ban https://www.change.org/p/qantas-don-t-ground-our-freedom-of-opinion-lift-this-unfair-no-fly-ban’ said Breen.

‘The Refugee Action Collective calls on Qantas to rescind the travel bans (which may well be illegal) and to refuse forced transfers of asylum seekers. We demand the Immigration Department stop the forced transfer of the 19 year old Tamil man, and that the Abbott government stop deportations to danger in Sri Lanka, and elsewhere.’ concluded Breen

www.rac-vic.org
AJ van Tonder, Aran Mylvaganam of the Tamil Refugee Council,WikiLeaks Australian Citizens Alliance, Refugee Action Collective