Australia:Human Rights Report highlights Government inaction

Human Rights Report highlights Government inaction and cover-up

The findings and recommendations by the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into the detention of Indonesian minors in Australian jails, is a damning indictment of Government inaction and denial according to a leading advocacy group.

The Indonesia Institute - who has been lobbying on behalf of Indonesia minors for over two years - said today that the report should be welcomed as it provides the framework for the 'humane' handling and processing of Indonesian minors in the future.

"What is clear", said the institute's chairman, Ross Taylor, "is that having become aware that their ill-conceived legislation involving mandatory sentencing of people smugglers was putting young children in maximum security prisons here in Australia, our government essentially did nothing".

"Obviously no government wants to put young kids in adult prisons where they are sharing facilities with sex offenders, rapists and murders; but this is what happened."

"Over two years ago our government could have acted to address this terrible situation, but they chose denial rather than saying, 'Look, this was not intended when we first introduced harsh penalties for people smuggling, so we will act now to correct this unintended injustice'. The community would have accepted that. Instead, we had inaction, cover-ups and even our prime minister stating that, in one recent case, the child was not an minor despite clear evidence from authorities and the Indonesian government that proved the boy was only 13 when first arrested."

Mr. Taylor said that it was only when the Australian and Indonesian media started to highlight the shocking truth and plight of these poor and vulnerable children that action was taken to send the kids home.

"Sadly, for many of these children they have gone home with the scares and mental damage caused by extended periods locked-up in adult prisons in Australia."

For further information please visit http://www.humanrights.gov.au/ageassessment/report/recommendations.html#Heading193

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