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Issue No. 130 | 05 April 2002 |
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Lights Out on The Hill
Interview: Change Agent Industrial: Balancing the Books Unions: Breaking Out Politics: Pissing on the Light on the Hill History: Of Death and Taxes International: Now That's a Strike! Satire: Mugabe Voted Miss Zimbabwe: Denies Election Rigged Poetry: Flick Go The Branches Review: Red, Red Clydeside
The Soapbox Sport Week in Review Postcard
 Puplick's SermonChikka's LegacySocialists in the UKOrganising GloballyGrape DisappointmentUnion Resignations : Crisis or Opportunity?
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Postcard Razor's Edge
This Article does not represent the views and opnions of Workers Online or the Labor Council of New South Wales. Any comments and opinions within the Article are those of the Author only. The sensational reports coming from the Woomera protests over the weekend have sparked new debates and perhaps signalled a turning point in the growing campaign to bring about the end of detention centres in Australia. Coming just a few days after the successful Palm Sunday rallies around the country, the fact that over a thousand people of all ages travelled to a remote part of the South Australian desert to protest is a clear indication of the actual depth of support for the plight of refugees. But in the wake of the inevitable condemnations from Howard and Ruddock, police allegations in the media regarding "violence", and amid talk of a possible "backlash", of concern to some refugee campaigners and supporters is the decision of protesters to adopt the tactics of direct action. As one of those who travelled thousands of kilometres to take part in Woomera 2002, I think it's important to describe briefly what actually went on, and why those who were there regard the action as an important success. The thing that strikes you as you arrive near the Woomera detention centre is the sheer remoteness of the place. Surrounding the facility, beyond the small Woomera township, there is nothing but dry, rocky desert terrain and patches of small spiky shrubs as far as the eye can see. This is where people - who have committed no crime - remain locked behind razor wire. Here they wait for months or even years while their applications are processed. Hundreds of children suffer the same fate. The result is often great psychological damage and suffering for many of those who are fleeing torture and repression in their countries of origin. And despite widespread international condemnation, notably from the UN Human Rights Committee, the Liberals, often with the support of other mainstream political leaders, are intent on continuing the unjust incarceration of some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. It was, quite simply, to help put an end to this inhumane situation that over a thousand people had gathered over the Easter long weekend. A number of organisations brought people to Woomera, including the Refugee Action Collective, No-one is Illegal, the Greens, the National Union of Students, anti-nuke and other activist groups. Many others had simply made their way as individuals or with groups of friends. In the lead up to the weekend had come local and international messages of support and solidarity for the protest from Greens Senator Bob Brown and "No Logo" author Naomi Klein. Reports of planned solidarity actions were received from Germany, Spain, Japan, the US and elsewhere. It felt "big". But on the afternoon of Good Friday, as people gathered at the rapidly growing campsite, no-one expected that we would shortly be arriving at the front gates of the Woomera detention centre, much less witnessing a breakout by detainees. The original plan was to attempt to march as close as possible to the detention centre and hopefully make enough noise to be heard by people inside. But as the march approached the initial line of fencing it became clear that it would be almost ridiculous to have travelled so far to stand a kilometre away chanting and waving flags in the hope that we may be noticed. And so the fence came down. When the protest reached the front gates protesters were able to get close enough to shake hands with the detainees through the bars, speak with them, pass through flowers, books and messages of support. It was then that a number of the detainees made a successful attempt to pry open the fence with an iron bar to escape, and while the few police scrambled, people jumped free into the crowd. This was certainly not the violent "highly planned" operation that the government would have people believe. It was spontaneous, it was unexpected, and it was chaotic. And as with a previous breakout at Woomera in June 2000, it was clearly a major embarrassment to Ruddock. It all happened in only a matter of a few minutes but we were soon on our way back to the camp with forty or so refugees - men, women and children - among us. In the next hour or so, police made their way through the camp to apprehend as many of the escapees as they could. When night fell and the camp had settled down, there were still over 20 escapees who remained in the camp. Over the next couple of days - in clearly unexpected circumstances - a number of often tense "spokes council" meetings of group representatives took place to discuss and decide tactics. Emotions were running high, but after lengthy discussion a consensus was reached that the camp would remain, the protest would proceed and the refugees would, for as long as possible, remain free. A number of people took responsibility to ensure that those who had escaped would stay outside as long as they could manage. People were elected to speak with the escapees and communicate to the media their stories and personal circumstances. Discussions took place about possible actions over the next couple of days. Importantly, meetings were held with the traditional owners of the land around Woomera - the Kokatha people - gaining permission for the camp to remain and their blessing for further protest. On the Saturday, with kites flying, banners and flags waving, amid drumming and chanting, protesters marched peacefully to the detention centre gates to deliver almost $3000 worth of toys which had been donated for children inside. The toys were loaded into boxes and, to the cheers of the crowd, it was negotiated with representatives from Australian Protective Services for them to deliver them to the detainees. Later that afternoon, protesters marched to within a couple of hundred metres of the main fence to make as much noise as possible, to show those inside that we were still there and that the protest was continuing. It became clear, though, that there had been a "lock-down" and the detainees most likely had been unable to hear or see us. On Sunday, then, it was agreed that we would attempt to march around the entire perimeter of the centre - as close to the main fence as possible - to ensure that those inside heard us. The next two hours would see the march moving around the perimeter of the centre, taking a message of solidarity and support to those inside. It was this action which I and many others feel made the Woomera 2002 protest the important success. For if you set to one side the media hype and untruths - the inevitable condemnations of "violence", the images from police of alleged "weapons" , the bizarre stories of spitting blood and throwing bottles of urine - you see action which has not only instilled confidence and resolve in thousands at Woomera and beyond to continue the fight for refugee rights. The desperation and sense of isolation of people at Woomera is disturbingly clear. From behind the bars and razor wire, children waved and screamed "help us!". An Iraqi mother cried "we are not animals; there are no animals here!". People told us that they only want "freedom" - "aazaadi" in Arabic - that some of them have been locked up for three years. Others cried out "thank you Australian people" and chanted "where is human rights?". On the weekend hundreds of protesters and refugees faced each other, waving and chanting, in the common recognition that what is happening is not only unjust, it is criminal. Behind the bars we did not see the "illegals", the potential terrorists that the government would like us to see. We saw ordinary families locked up in a camp in the desert by a country which ironically proclaims as one of its core values "a fair go for all". In the weeks ahead we may come to see the Woomera 2002 protest as a turning point in the campaign for refugees. As the Sydney Morning Herald editorial of April 2 said, "As acts of civil disobedience go, this one was so remarkable that it cannot be lightly dismissed". What the Woomera facility and others like it around Australia and the Pacific represent is the darker side of economic globalisation and the neo-liberal policies being embraced by governments the world over - policies which put the needs of big business before social needs and human rights. In particular, the policy of detention and the determined scapegoating of refugees being pursued by the Liberal government - as we saw during the last election - threatens to divide the community at a time when the government is also pursuing a broader agenda which includes a concerted campaign against the union movement. Vince Caughley is a workplace activist and a member of the ASU This Article does not represent the views and opinions of Workers Online or the Labor Council of New South Wales. Any comments and opinions within the Article are those of the Author only.
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