Unions demand action on refugees

Date: 08 February 2001

Victorian Trade Hall Council Executive has voted unanimously to back a campaign for the more humane treatment of refugees in Melbourne's Maribyrnong Detention Centre and other facilities.

Unions are organising a series of visits to refugees at Maribyrnong to highlight the inhumane and shameful treatment of refugees who are denied basic human rights in detention centres.Members of the Refugee Action Collective addressed VTHC executive members last week.

Among other things, unions are demanding:

· An urgent inquiry into the death of Viliami Tanginoa who died after jumping from a basketball ring. As part of this inquiry witnesses to Mr Tanginoa's death need to be protected from intimidation and persecution and not be at risk of being deported before the Coronial Inquest.

· The release of Suranga Tenakoon from the Metropolitan Assessment Centre. Mr Tenakoon was put in solitary confinement after alerting the media to the shocking circumstances of the death of Mr Tanginoa.

· The immediate release of the 1999 Commonwealth Ombudsman's report into conditions at Maribyrnong Detention Centre.

· Detainees to have access to visitors of their choice without fear of reprisal.

· A judicial inquiry into the management and conditions of all Migrant Detention Centres

"Unions members - some of whom are former refugees - are appalled to learn of the horrific conditions at Maribyrnong and other detention centres," said Leigh Hubbard,Trades Hall Secretary. "Men, women and children are enduring conditions worse than those in our prisons. Unions believe there should be a return to the previous policy of housing refugees in the community while they await the outcome of their cases. This was the policy until the mid 1990s and is the policy of all civilised countries. Mandatory detention of refugees is a disgrace and this situation is something which our community should not tolerate."

Mr Hubbard did not rule out the possibility of union bans on construction and other work associated with Maribyrnong until the government changes its policy.

Trades Hall and the Refugee Action Collective have organised a public meeting "Why Refugees need Justice" on Tuesday, February 20 at 6pm at Trades Hall, Melbourne.
VTHC will also raise the issue at the March ACTU executive meeting.

To contact the Refugee Action Collective call Jess Whyte on 0418 573 307

For further information

Contact:	Amanda Tattam/Ellen Kleimaker
Union:	Victorian Trades Hall Council - OHS Unit
Phone:	03 9662 3511
Email:	atattam@vthc.org.au
WWW:	http://www.vthc.org.au

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