10 year old's plea for help "We don't know who will help us"

04/24/2012

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Yesterday DASSAN put out a Press Release sharing the letter of a 10 year old girl in detention in Darwin pleading for help. There was a lot of media coverage ( some links here).



Translation of text

Many people are contacting us asking what they can do. We can all do something to help this child and the many other children locked up in detention. Some ways to take action :
- email Minister Bowen , Senator Natasha Griggs and Senator Warren Snowdon, or your local MP (http://aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Guidelines_for_Contacting_Senators_and_Members) outlining your concerns
- If you live in the NT and have contact with any of these children and have concern for their well being and safety it is required by law that you notify child protection of your concerns - contact 1800700250. The Australian Medical Association says that " Given its arbitrary nature and the prolonged periods of detention being used in Australia, reporting children ( to Child Protection) being held for longer than 3 days is appropriate"
- You may also want to contact the NT Children's commissioner, on 1800259256 or at  Email: childrenscommissioner@nt.gov.au- Write or text the NT news ( or your local paper) making it clear that no child should grow up behind bars when there are alternatives- sign the global petition – at www.endchilddetention.org – calling for an end to immigration detention of children.
- send a message of support and hope to this girl, her friends, and other people in detention. It means a great deal to people to know that their story is being heard and that people in the Australian community care about them.
You can send your message to dassan2011@gmail.com and we will pass it on.

- Don't be silent on this issue. In October 2010, the Federal Government announced it would remove most children out of immigration detention facilities and into the community. In April 2012 the latest figures we have available say that and there are around 440 children in immigration detention facilities or alternative places of detention, many of them here in Darwin.
- Come to show your support at the DAL on this Thursday, the anniversary of the arrival of the first asylum seekers by boat to Australia - welcome then and welcome now. For more information or to help contact Jacinta  or Fernanda
A detention facility is no place for a child, let alone a vulnerable child whose life experiences have been shaped by conflict, war or persecution. The Australian Medical Association recently described the detention of children as a form of child abuse. The Government justifies the detention of children on the basis that they are not in detention “centres”, but “facilities” or “alternative places of detention”. But apart from leaving a place of detention to go to school or for very rare supervised family outings, children spend most of their time behind fences. We have to keep the pressure on the Federal Government to move all children out of immigration detention facilities and into the community. Please show this child, and others, that they are not alone.

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Stepping back in time

11/16/2011

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For our first Blog post we thought we'd take advantage of the comfort offered by the distance of time. Sometimes it is hard to consider a situation clearly when we are caught up in the turbulence of political spin, rhetoric emotive reporting and fear mongering and urgency of Now!

The letter below was forwarded to us by a DASSAN member who recalls an experience with a group of people from Vietnam back in the mid 70s.

"I was ferreting in an old file and found this letter.  It brings back a few memories. there were 6 Vietnamese who were locked in a cabin while their boat was sailed to Darwin, where the 'thieves' applied for asylum.  These 6 had to wait until a  bigger vessel came to darwin to escort them home in their ship.  I was calling by to say hello a few times, and took half of them to visit a farmer friend at Tortilla Flats.  They had an English speaking student helping them out for a while.  This letter from him just demonstrates how a little kindness goes a long way - further that we might think."

Letter written on 28th March 1976 by a Vietnamese student who had been in Darwin as interpreter for the 6 Vietnamese refugees.
Pat Walsh booklaunch, ET in 2000's  mainly, Wed 5.15 Library in Parlt Hse

typed letter 28/3/76
Dear Rob,
I am very sorry for having written you a bit late.  It due to, as you know, a very long postal strike in Canberra and in NSW.  Beside, I have been a bit busy during these days. On writing you today, first of all, I would like to express my many thanks to you for what you have done for me and my friends.  I think that my stay in Darwin, with your help and kindness, was very nice.  I myself will never forget these experiences.  For my friends too, they are very grateful to you.  With your help, they could spend those very long days a bit less lonely and less homesick.  Your coming to the boat and your talks made them understand more about Australian people, and made them more merrier.  I think that when they return to our homeland, they will never forget those days.  They will never forget the experiences they lived in the farm, hunting, exploring the harbour, etc .  ...  Are you busy in the last days?  Have you got time to go the boat and have talk with them.  Although they do not speak English, they can understand you, and they fell (feel) less lonely by having talked with Australian friends. Now I would like to say something about me.  First of all, I would like to tell you that my trip to Canberra was nice and safe.  I arrived at Canberra airport on early Monday morning.  That day was the Canberra day, so I have got time to rest after a long journey from Darwin. I was a bit busy preparing for my study, but now everything is O.K.  I have been very well since I said good-bye to you.  I think that I will be well during the last days in Australia.To conclude my letter, again I would like to thank you very much.  I will never forget your help and kindness.  My friends I think that they are very grateful to you.  They will never forget you and Darwin.I wish you many successes in your work.  Good luck.

yours sincerely.

Nguyen (Name omitted)

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DASSAN (Darwin Asylum Seekers Support and Advocacy Network) was set up in response to growing concerns about asylum seekers in detention in Darwin.