If you want to know more about Asylum Seeker/Refugee variants to the current Australian policy, you might want to consider what Representative of the UNHCR Richard Towle said on recent World Refugee Day on 20 June. Although, I agree with most of what he has to say about this being a humanitarian approach to aiding people who must move on the basis of removing themselves from immediate dangers and so must be treated in more humane ways not with more restrictive deterrent measures. “Seen as a whole, UNHCR is concerned that asylum in Australia is very much at a cross roads – whether to continue down the path of ever more restrictive and deterrence-based policies and practices - or, to redouble efforts that engage other countries in the region through meaningful cooperation and collaboration,” Mr Towle said. The key, in UNHCR’s view, is to use the Bali Process’ Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) as a framework by which all states in the region can address their legitimate concerns over irregular maritime movements but, at the same time, ensure the humanitarian and protection needs of those affected are also addressed. “Genuine cooperative approaches, that promote burden-sharing, not burden-shifting, could help lead to asylum-seekers and refugees being able to find viable protection options other than through dangerous and exploitative boat journeys to Australia and other parts of the region,” Mr Towle said. " The path to renew efforts to collaborate with other host nations and process asylum seekers and refugees in an organised and efficient way, with plenty of transparency and the least amount of red tape as possible. The people should demand this from their governments on national policy to coincide with global policy as part of the 1951 Refugee Convention. unhcr.org.au/unhcr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=322:humanitarian-response-to-asylum-seekers-needed-unhcr&catid=35:news-a-media&Itemid=63
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:01:46 +0000
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