Know the Facts
BOOKS & VIDEOS
If you are would like to learn more about asylum seekers and refugees in Australia
the following materials may be of interest to you.
Publications
Videos and DVD's
Music and Poetry CD's
Publications
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Word
Watching "...In 1946, George Orwell wrote Politics and Language,
in which he exposed the deceits and devices of doublespeak. He might have
thought that it would lose its power once its workings were revealed. But
he would be disappointed. Language is as powerful now as in 1933: it can
hide shocking truth, it can deceive a nation. If we value the truth, we
need to mind our language..." ABC Radio National Perspective. Author
- Julian Burnside, Publisher: Scribe, ISBN 1 920769 382. Available also
from the Project Safecom
website.
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Human
cargo: a journey among refugees "... Caroline Moorehead's important
new book looks at 'human cargo' from Afghanistan, Liberia, Palestine and
many other places. She has visited war zones, camps, prisons - and the black
Dinka families from the Sudan who were re-settled north of the Arctic Circle
in Finland. She follows the fate of 57 young member of the Mandingo tribe,
who fled ethnic cleansing and ended up happily in America via Egypt. She
is shown the graves in Sicily of drowned boat people, and examines the fence
that has been built across Texas and into the sea to keep migrants out of
America. She has interviewed emigration officials in Australia and members
of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva. The difficult
questions are asked, the horrible issues faced" by Caroline Moorehead
Published by Chatto & Windus, $44.95 ISBN: 0701175958 Available online
@ Gleebooks.com
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Walk
in My Shoes 'We walked off the ferry along the wide, sloping gangplank,
and when my feet hit the firm wooden planks of the jetty I staggered, legs
suddenly feeling like jelly . . . Taking Mum's hand, I whispered, 'Are we
really safe, here?' Penguin
Group Australia. Half of all royalties from sales of the book
go to CARAD, the Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees. Published
by Penguin ISBN: 0143002317
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Open
Boats, Barbed Wire Skies This book of poems for refugees from the Live
Poets’ Society has raised more than $8,000 for the House of Welcome,
which is spending the money on education and training courses for people
on TPVs. If you would like to buy one – all profits support the fantastic
work done by the House of Welcome, it is now available on the ChilOut website
at http://www.chilout.org/information/books.html
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'True
Democracy' (PowerPoint presentation) Parliament is only
one arm of democratic government, the other two being the Executive and
the Judicature). This presentation demonstrates how bad laws and injustice
can be defeated by people exercising their rights and their sovereignty,
which are entrenched in the third arm of government, the Judicature. The
presentation can be seen at http://www.rightsandwrong.com.au/
along with question-and-answer material. For more information contact John
Wilson at jhwilson@acay.com.au.
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'A Certain Maritime
Incident: the sinking of SIEV X' This account by activist and ex-diplomat
Tony Kevin reveals a disquieting record of government misconduct, including
Australian Federal Police involvement in a people-smuggling 'disruption
program', and an extraordinary combination of stone-walling and professed
ignorance by a government dedicated to micro-managing the deterrence of
asylum-seeker voyages. For more information see the author's website http://www.tonykevin.com.
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'Not Happy John:
defending our democracy' by Margo Kingston, Penguin. For details see
http://www.nothappyjohn.com
-
2004 Refugee
and Migrant Sunday Education Kits. A key focus of the kits, produced
by the National Council of Churches, is "Refugee Warehousing"
(states dumping and forgetting refugees in camps overseas, which creates
onward movements of people to countries like Australia). The kits put responsibility
back on governments and the international community for failing to prevent
the breakdown in effective protection and the lack of durable solutions
that forces the seven million refugees left for ten years or more in refugee
camps to seek refuge in countries like Australia. For more information and
copies of the kits see www.ncca.org.au/cws/refugees
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‘Lives
in Limbo: Voices of Refugees in Australia’ (Book) Thirty-five
refugees, all temporary protection visa (TPV) holders and mostly from Iraq
and Afghanistan, give personal accounts of their quest for asylum in Australia.
They provide poignant details of persecution in their home country, their
journey to Australia, prolonged periods of mandatory detention, and life
under Australia's controversial temporary protection regime. Authors Michael
Leach and Fethi Mansouri are both academics at Deakin University in Melbourne.
Published by UNSW Press, May 2004. RRP $29.95, special 20% discount for
RAR members $23.96 available at www.unswpress.com.au/isbn/086840599xspecd.htm.
-
RAC 'Counter Kit'
- In response to DIMIA's educational pack 'Australia
says yes to refugees', RAC VIC have launched a 'counter kit' entitled
'Australia SHOULD
say yes to refugees', in the hope of correcting the distortion of what
they claim to be a deliberately misleading and poorly researched document.
The RAC kit is available for download from the RAC Vic website http://rac-vic.org/down.html.
-
The
Tyrant’s Novel - by Thomas Keneally. "In a work reminiscent
of the classic Fahrenheit 451, Thomas Keneally has written a dazzling story
of a man caught between the demands of his government and his impulse to
run for his life. Provocative and possibly prophetic, The Tyrant’s
Novel is a literary achievement inspired by recent history’s most intriguing
events and characters. Here, Keneally once more combines, as he did in Schindler's
List, his fictional talent with his engagement in world politics" RandomHouse.com.
Published by Sceptre ISBN: 0-385-51146-9.
-
Virtual
Information Resources (Web) - Amnesty International has assembled a
useful kit of resources for educational and informational use, covering
topics such as the Campaign for Permanent Protection; School TPV materials;
'Children and Families out of detention' and 'Daybreak in Detention' information.
-
‘Child Asylum Seekers - Living in Limbo’- by Katherine
Goode In this booklet Katherine Goode introduces us to many remarkable
young people who have shown great resourcefulness and adaptability in the
face of extreme conditions but who are also, all too often, traumatised
and tormented by those experiences. (In order to protect their privacy the
names of the asylum seekers whose stories are recounted in the booklet have
been changed.) The framework of Government policies and practices are set
out in the context of the growing numbers of people seeking asylum in Australia,
the legal processes are explained and the observations of various professional
practitioners about the health and social status of the children, both while
in detention and afterwards, are recorded. There are particular sections
on unaccompanied minors and the long-term effects of detention. An extract
of the booklet 'Living
in Detention' posted in Essays and Articles. The booklet is available
from the publishers Australian Refugee Association, www.ausref.net
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‘Jumping to Heaven’- by Katherine Goode. The stories
in Jumping to Heaven are based on the true experiences of refugee children
who have migrated to Australia. Their stories are sad, scary, thought-provoking
and sometimes funny. Above all they are stories of courage and hope, sometimes
against overwhelming odds. Chapter 9 - Safety
House has been posted in our Essays
& Articles section. Jumping to Heaven, published by Wakefield Press,
can be purchased on-line from Wakefield
Press or phone (08) 8362 8800, fax (08) 8362 7592.
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News Overboard: The Tabloid Media, Race Politics, and Islam - by
Iain Lygo, with a foreword by Hon Justice Marcus Einfeld, AO, QC. This cutting
publication exposes how right wing journalists, "shock jocks",
the tabloid press and populist politicians deliberately exploited the ÔRefugee
IssueÕ and the ÔWar on TerrorÕ for ratings and political gain. [Iain Lygo
is an active member of Surf Coast RAR. A social activist with post-graduate
qualifications in journalism, he has hosted a current affairs radio show
titled ÔThe Big IssuesÕ on Geelong Radio 94.7]. Anyone interested in stocking
or purchasing News Overboard can email Iain at: newsoverboard@yahoo.com.au
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‘Refugees: Telling Their Stories’ - The winning entries
in the 2003 UNHCR High School Writing Competition have now been published
by UNHCR. The stories, based on interviews with refugees, record their experiences
in a personal and effective manner, and help build bridges of understanding
with the Australian community. The resulting booklet, ‘Refugees –
Telling Their Stories’, is an excellent resource for teachers and others
involved in educating the public about the courage and hardships faced by
refugees. Copies of the publication are available from Tim Napper at UNHCR,
phone (02) 6290 7108 or fax (02) 6290 1315.
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‘Migration Action’ - A journal of critical analysis of
refugee, immigration and multicultural issues produced three times a year
by the Ecumenical Migration Centre of the Brotherhood of St Laurence.
To subscribe contact the Ecumenical Migration Centre, e-mail: emc@bsl.org.au,
phone: 03 9416 0044, fax:03 9416 1827. Twelve month subscription $60.
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‘Tampering With Asylum’ - by Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO.
Governments around the world are understandable anxious to maintain orderly
migration progarms in the face of unscrupulous people smuggling operations.
Frank Brennan's new book compares Australia's response with that of the
United States and Euope and provides a practical blueprint for countries
wanting to humanely protect asylum seekers. Available from the Uniya
website or ph: (02) 9356 3888, fax: (02) 9356 3021.
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‘Dark Dreams: Australian Refugee Stories’ - Edited
by Sonja Dechian, Heather Millar and Eva Sallis. Australian Refugee
Stories is a unique anthology of essays, interviews, and stories written
by children and young adults. The stories are the finest of hundreds collected
through a nationwide schools competition in 2002. The essays and stories
represent many different countries and themes. Some focus on survival, some
on horrors, some on the experiences and alienation of a new world. Available
from Wakefield Press, e-mail: sales@wakefieldpress.com.au,
or visit their website
phone (08) 8362 8800, fax (08) 8362 7592.
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‘Asylum: Voices behind the razor wire’ - by
Heather Tyler. "They stitch up their lips, go on hunger strikes,
burn Australian buildings on Australian soil. Who are these desperate people
and what enrages them so much? Asylum gives voice to the real people behind
the sensationalism, with first-hand accounts from asylum-seekers themselves."
(Heather Tyler - Journalist and refugee advocate) Publisher: Lothian, Melbourne,
2003. ISBN: 0 7344 0536 7 Price: $24.95. This book can be purchased online
from the ChilOut
website
- ‘Dark Victory’ - by David Marr and Marian Wilkinson.
An inside account of the Tampa, Australia's refugee crisis and the politcal
campaigning that powered it, from two of the country's pre-eminent investigative
journalists. Dark Victory is the secret history of John Howard's campaign
against boat people that began with the Tampa and ended ten extraordinary
weeks later - after deaths and disappearances, violent confrontations in the
Indian Ocean and international uproar - with the Australian people giving
John Howard his third, most daring election victory. Available in all good
book stores published by Allen
& Unwin, 350pp, $29.95
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‘From Nothing to Zero - Letters from refugees in Australia's detention
centres’ - editor, Janet Austin; preface and chapter introductions:
Julian Burnside QC. This compelling book presents edited extracts from
letters written by asylum seekers held in Australia’s detention centres.
These letters provide a rare glimpse into the world of refugees who have
fled war and persecution in their own countries. Several of the contributing
detainees have been held for more than three years, often with no end to
their incarceration in sight. Published by Lonely Planet and available through
the Lonely
Planet website ISBN: 1740 596 684 [ All profits from the sale of this
book will be donated to the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre and the
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Footscray (VIC) ].
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‘Refugee And Asylum Seeker Issues In Australia’ an easy-to-read
illustrated booklet which addresses key questions about Australia's refugee
and humanitarian program. It contains statistics, information about recent
changes and a range of perspectives on these issues. Brotherhood of St
Lawrence: Ecumenical Migration Centre June 2003. [To order email: emc@bsl.org.au]
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‘My forbidden face: growing up under the Taliban - A young
woman's story’ by Latifa with the collaboration of Chekeha Hachemi.
A moving tale of oppression and courageous defiance, the true story
of a teenage girl growing up in war-torn Afghanistan. From 1997 to 2001,
sixteen-year-old Latifa was a prisoner in her own home as the Taliban wreaked
havoc on the lives of Afghan girls and women. This is her testimony, a young
woman's reaction to the inhumanity taking place before her very eyes. Latifa's
life was turned upside down the moment the Taliban took Kabul. The oppressive
regime banned women from working from schools, from public life, even from
leaving their homes without a male relative. Female faces were outlawed
as the burka, or head-to-toe veil, became mandatory. Publisher: Virago,
London, 2002 - ISBN: 1860499562. Order on-line from Amazon.com.
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‘My Journey Behind the Veil’ by Kay Rasool; In
her quest to discover her roots and what it means to be a Muslim woman,
Kay Rasool learns that the veil has many meanings. Far from a symbol of
oppression, for some the veil is an expression of individuality and pride,
and for others it represents a statement of religious identity that proudly
embodies a set of beliefs. This revealing portrait draws on interviews with
Muslim women from various walks of life, including former Pakistani Prime
Minister Benazir Bhutto. It is an insightful story that attempts to uncover
the many truths of what lies beyond the veil. Publisher: Lothian, Melbourne,
2002. ISBN: 07344 03631. Order phone toll free: 1300 135 113 or email: customer.service@macmillan.com.au
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‘Borderline: Australia's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers’-
By Peter Mares. Over the past two years the arrival of "boat
people" on the Australian coast has re-ignited fears of a massive influx
of refugees and asylum seekers. The response of the Australian government
has helped to generate unease in the community, obscuring many of the real
issues that arise when people seek sanctuary within Australia's borders.
In this provocative book Peter Mares examines the legal, moral, and political
questions posed by Australia's treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.
Published by University of NSW Press ASIN: 0868407461. Order on-line
from Amazon.com.
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‘Fire Snow and Honey’ - Edited by Gina Lennox
- A collection of essays, life stories, poetry, fables and short fiction.
Fire, Snow and Honey is a landmark book. For the first time men and women
aged between 23 and 103 from all parts of Kurdistan describe their history,
culture and life experiences: their poetry, music, dancing, literature,
religions, legends, fables, food and cooking, genocide and armed struggles,
and what it is like to become a refugee. Published by Halstead Press, Sydney,
2001 and can be ordered through the Kurd
Net website
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‘Desert Sorrow’ - by Tom Mann - Desert Sorrow is
the first eyewitness, insider's account to emerge from an Australian detention
centre. Tom Mann was contracted by Australasian Correctional Management
to teach asylum seekers detained at Woomera during 2000 and 2001. His book
gives an extraordinary and important insight into the secret daily life
behind the wire of detention centres. He reveals the truths that many prefer
to ignore or keep hidden.SAVE – Australia, C/- Edmund Rice Centre for
Justice and Community Education, Phone inquiries (02) 9764 1330, fax (02)
9764 1743.
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‘Boy Overboard’- by Morris Gleitzman’s
- A story of adventure, ball control and hope. Jamal and Bibi have a dream.
To lead Australia to soccer glory in the next World Cup. But first they
must face landmines, pirates, storms and assassins. Can Jamal and his family
survive their incredible journey and get to Australia? Sometimes, to save
the people you love, you have to go overboard. (an ideal gift for people
in the 9 – 16 age group) Published by Penguin and is available at $14.95
in most good book shops.
Videos & DVD's
-
Spell
Me Freedom is an amazing outcome of the truly felt emergency on the
part of director Dean Israelite - a South African resident studying in Perth
- with Australia's detention policies, and a sometimes raw and graphic capture
of essential moments describing the horror of the camps. For more information
and to place your order visit http://www.safecom.org.au/spell-me-freedom.htm
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Free the
Refugees Greens Senator Bob Brown has teamed up with Merlin Luck of
'Big Brother' fame to record a 30-second mini-movie titled "Free the
Refugees", a positive and vibrant piece, intended to communicate a
political message to a young audience. The movie can be viewed at www.greens.org.au/multimedia.
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SIEV-X Tragedy: The Untold Story (Video) This video, which had such
a powerful effect on its audience when previewed during Steve BiddulphÕs
workshop at the 2004 RAR National Conference, is now available, along with
brochures and discussion notes. The video was designed for use as part of
the SIEV-X Schools project sponsored by Steve Biddulph, but many at the
conference have indicated that it would also make a great tool for reaching
community groups such as Rotary, Soroptimists, View Clubs, Lions, Apex,
Church groups, Toastmasters, etc. If you wish to use the video for this
purpose, or to encourage local schools to participate in the SIEV-X project
to design and build a permanent memorial in Canberra please contact Steve
at dpforest@bigpond.com.
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'Truth
Overboard' (Video). This short (one minute) clip about the government's
treatment of asylum seekers, produced by the Australian Democrats, is intended
to remind the Australian public of the deceitful way the Howard Government
exploited and misrepresented the 'asylum seekers issue' in the lead up to
the last federal election. Available from http://www.liedetectors.net.au/free_the_refugees/movie/.
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'Letters to Ali'
(Film) - A non-profit film on the refugee experience sponsored by Sound
Studio Post-production House Lab, with all people working on the film contributing
their services for free. For more information visit www.letterstoali.com.
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It’s Like That - This short animated video dealing with the
basic human issues behind the ‘Refugee issue’, is ideal as a discussion
starter and resource for use with both adults and children. It’s now
available from Sophie Raymond email: Southern
Ladies Animation Group or fax your request to: (03) 9596 9506.
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‘Truth
Overboard’ (online video) - The ‘Truth Overboard’ video
was launched this week and is available at http://www.liedetectors.net.au/free_the_refugees/movie/.
It works better with sound, and if you're viewing it on a slow computer
you might want to let it download first, and then watch it again in full,
but definitely worth a look!
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Punished Not Protected - Show Mercy and Rymer Bayly Watson. A
Show Mercy resource to raise community awareness about life as an asylum
seeker living on a temporary protection visa (TPV) in Australia. This is
an educational documentary series in four parts (on one tape) featuring
the views of leading Australians and concerned citizens on the effects of
government policy on asylum seekers and temporary protection visa holders.
Video length: 58 minutes Cost: $38.00 [To order email: orders@roninfilms.com.au]
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The Cage House - by Writer/Director Angela van Boxtel. This
short film, was inspired by child detainee Shayan Badraie, who was imprisoned
in both the Woomera and Villawood Detention Centre until August 2002. Angela
won the NSW 'Raw Nerve project' for first-time filmmakers with this project
[Distributed through Project
SafeCom]
- Anousha Victoire - New single commenting
on the continued mandatory detention of Asylum Seekers in remote places like
Nauru. Released this week is the first single ‘Last Man Standing’
from her upcoming EP ‘Icarus’. This finger-picking singer songwriter
has borrowed the rhythm section of the hauntingly beautiful mousemoon to complement
a guitar-slapping, percussive approach. It is available for download at www.anoushavictoire.com
until the EP is released in January 2006. .www.anoushavictoire.com
- Mohsen - Album Number 2 - Tom Keneally and Rosie Scott, award-winning
Australian writers and members of PEN International will launch the CD, kicking
off a night of music, poetry and speeches by many of those who have contributed
to this amazing collection of Mohsen’s moving poems. http://www.stickylabel.com.au
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'SIEV X' (Song) Geoff Hastwell, a long time social justice campaigner
and president of the Singer and Songwriters' Federation of South Australia,
wrote this song to commemorate the anniversary of the SIEV-X tragedy. The
song could be a very useful resource for people wanting to heighten the
emotional impact of presentations - the lyrics are poignant yet chilling,
the production high quality. To download and play the song (MP3, 730kb),
go to http://203.213.88.230/sievx03-song.mp3
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Little Boats - Cyndi Boste an independent singer/songwriter based
in Melbourne, has recorded the single she sang at the Palm Sunday Rally
and is making it available in CD format as an awareness and fundraising
tool. The CD includes two versions of the song, one band and vocal, and
the other a beautiful instrumental version produced by Jen Anderson. The
single is available for $7, with $5 from each sale going to support advocacy
groups providing direct assistance to refugees. For more information contact
Cyndi's website at www.cyndiboste.com.au
or e-mail cynwarrior@hotmail.com
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All of Us Are Refugees - Jeff Aschmann’s CD of 15 original
songs dealing with refugees and other social justice/ environmental themes,
including the title song and ‘Keepers of the Land’, a finalist
in the 2003 Musicoz competition, is a useful resource that provides some
thought-provoking material. The CD is available for $25 email Jeff
or phone (02) 4474 3093;or send your order to 1858 Araluen Rd, Moruya NSW
2537.
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Mohsen - Lyrics by Mohsen Soltani Zand - Mohsen spent over four
years of his life in detention, first in Port Headland, and then Villawood
in the western suburbs of Sydney. He was finally granted a permanent protection
visa following an appeal to the high court. Mohsen has dedicated this album
to the children in detention. All proceeds from the sale of this album go
to ChilOut. The album can be purchased online from the ChilOut
website.
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For Those Who Come Across the Seas - A compilation of music from
some of Australia's best known original artists including Ben Lee, Tim Rogers
and the Dirty Three. The CD was mastered and compiled by Darren Seltmann
of the Avalanches. The disc is distributed by Shock and is available online
through the A Just
Australia website.
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