Immigration officials should face action

A former human rights commissioner says Immigration Department officials who breached human rights under the Howard government need to face disciplinary action.

Cultural problems in the department were identified in several inquiries into detention conditions and illegal deportations.

Dr Sev Ozdowski, who is now at the University of Western Sydney, says the politicians have left government but it is not known whether public servants who still deal with asylum seekers meet required ethical standards.

"There was systemic problems and it's very difficult to put it under carpet and say 'now we provide better training for our officers and now the Government is telling us that we should behave better, so we are behaving better'," he said.

"We won't fix it unless we address the issue."

Dr Ozdowski told a parliamentary inquiry into immigration detention that the Government's move to make detention a last resort is welcome, but it needs to become law.

He says assessments of staff over past wrongful detention or deportations would ensure Immigration Department culture does change.

"I think they should be verified by the public service as to whether they are fit to serve in the Australian public service," he said.

Dr Ozdowski says it would not be a witch-hunt, but it could change a culture where overzealous public servants did not provide fearless and unbiased advice to the Howard government.

Related:

Compensation for wrongful detentions
The Federal Government may compensate as many as 191 people for wrongfully holding them in immigration detention centres, a parliamentary hearing was told on Tuesday.

Detention centre staff 'cracked'
More than 60 former staff at Australian immigration detention centres have reported long-term mental health problems associated with the stress of the job.

UN Torture Committee Blasts Australia
In its report on Australia, the Torture Committee was critical of Australia's prisons, counter-terrorism laws, mandatory immigration detention and of the way Australian officials have ignored torture and mistreatment overseas in places like Abu Ghraib.

Doctor urges mandatory detention inquiry
A psychiatrist who has treated immigration detainees says former government ministers should be called to account for the policy of mandatory detention.

Refugees highest level in history: UN
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says there are more displaced people in the world than at any time in history, with the bulk of them coming from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Detainees climb Villawood roof in deportation protest
The Department of Immigration has confirmed two Chinese nationals have climbed on to the roof of Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre.

Visas offered to 31 in long detention
The federal government is offering visas to 31 people who have been in immigration detention for more than two years.

Evans unveils new border security measures
Immigration Minister Chris Evans says new border security measures at international airports and sea ports will strengthen Australia's security. The new system will allow immigration officials to assess passengers' data before their flight or ship arrives in Australia.

1000 refugees receive protection, not detention
MOHAMMAD DAWLAT HUSSAIN is among 1000 refugees who can apply for family members to join them in Australia after the Federal Government scrapped temporary protection visas in Tuesday night's budget.

Georgiou repeats call to scrap citizenship test
Liberal backbencher Petro Georgiou says Australia's controversial new citizenship test should not just be reviewed - it should be scrapped altogether. Immigration Minister Chris Evans says he has no plans to abolish the Howard Government-era test, but he is open to making improvements.

Corrupt immigration officer jailed
A senior Immigration Department officer received free overseas holidays and business-class airfaires for approving more than 100 applications for illegal Chinese immigrants.

Payouts to former detainee's likely
THE Department of Immigration has paid $620,000 to eight former detainees and has written to more than 130 others to say they may be next in line for compensation.

Visas offered to 31 in long detention
The federal government is offering visas to 31 people who have been in immigration detention for more than two years.

Push for federal charter of human rights

High Court Judge Justice Michael Kirby has again called for Australia to adopt a charter of human rights.

Justice Kirby made the remarks in response to a commitment by the Federal Government to consider the issue last year.

Victoria and the ACT have already adopted their own charters of human rights.

Justice Kirby told the Law Institute of Victoria he expects a similar charter to be accepted at a federal level.

"What we all have to do is to try to understand the ... what it's like to wear other shoes," he said.

"And essentially that is what a fundamental charter and principles encourages people to do."

Falun Gong's Olympic 'call for justice'

About 100 protesters from the Falun Gong have gathered in Sydney's CBD calling for greater scrutiny of China's labour camps during the Olympics.

The Falun Gong say about 8,000 of their members in China have been arrested since December in crackdown leading up to the games.

Protest organisers say they have gathered to call for journalists to scrutinise China's labour camps while covering the Olympics.

About 50 people gathered in front of banners calling for justice, while two Falun Gong women who say they have survived torture spoke about their experiences.

One of the women, Jennifer Zeng, says the Games should be used by international media as an opportunity to investigate torture claims.

"Just miles away from the Olympic venue, people are being tortured or even being tortured to death," she said.

"I was detained in the Beijing female labour camp for one year for practicing Falun Gong."

Chinese political prisoners 'worse-off' in Games lead-up

A letter from a jailed Chinese dissident to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claims the treatment of pro-democracy supporters in China has worsened in the lead-up to the Games.

The New York-based group Human Rights in China has released the letter written by veteran dissident He Depu.

He is serving an eight-year sentence for inciting subversion of state power.

His letter to IOC President Jacques Rogge was written in April and smuggled out of his Beijing prison.

Mr He writes authorities are treating political prisoners worse because of the Olympic Games.

He says they are not allowed to call or meet with their families, obtain a reduced sentence or participate in recreational activities.

He Depu invites Mr Rogge to visit, saying he should see for himself if the Olympic Games have really been a catalyst for political change.

Another human rights protest in Beijing



As the Olympic Games draw closer, more human rights protests are breaking out in Beijing.

Yesterday there were protests about repression in Tibet and by foreign Christians about China's population control policies.

Today, the same foreign Christians were detained after another protest.

Also, a group of athletes, including 40 Olympians, have called on China's President to respect human rights and to resolve the Tibet issue.

Human rights were always going to be a sensitive issue for the Beijing Games, and various groups believe now is the time to get their causes heard.

During the Olympics China wants to shine in the international spotlight - others want to use it to expose dark corners [gross human rights abuse.]

Related:

Before the Olympics, 'Free Tibet'
A "Free Tibet" activist group will screen an advertisement urging Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to speak to the Chinese leadership about finding a solution for Tibet during his visit to the Olympics in Beijing.

American Foreign Policy Brought to You by China: Advisers to Obama, McCain Tied to US Multinationals that Profit from Beijing


President Bush is heading to China this week, where he will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics on Friday. The Games’ presence in Beijing have helped spotlight opposition to China on a number of policies, including its repression of the Tibetan independence movement, its support for the Sudanese government in Darfur and its crackdown on dissidents and civil liberties at home. In the latest issue of Harper’s Magazine, Ken Silverstein says many of the bipartisan experts who have advocated so-called “constructive engagement” with China are tied to major US multinational corporations that profit heavily from the Chinese market.

Rudd to raise China Olympic censorship
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he will raise concerns with the Chinese Government about internet censorship during the Olympics. Chinese authorities are blocking sensitive websites used by the international media and are using spyware to monitor internet use in hotels used by journalists and other visitors to the Games.

China's human rights worse: Amnesty
Human rights group Amnesty International has released a scathing assessment of China's human rights record since it was awarded the right to host next month's Olympic Games seven years ago.

Reforms urged after sex attacks bungle

The Council for Civil Liberties says the wrongful detention of a man over a string of Sydney sexual assaults highlights the need for tight controls on what police can release to the media.

The 23-year-old went to police to clear himself on Saturday after he saw himself in CCTV pictures that were released to broadcasters and newspapers.

He was initially charged with stalking and assaulting six girls and refused bail, but was released two days later after forensic testing cleared him.

The girls, as young as 16, were assaulted by a man armed with a knife near bus shelters in western and north-western Sydney.

Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman says police need a court order to intercept phone calls and similar rules should apply before they publicly release images of possible suspects.

"A public splashing of your face is even more destructive to your reputation than listening in to your telephone calls," he said.

"That's why we say, particularly because of this incident, but this incident has brought to a head simmering problems in this area for a long time."

Related:

Joey's weekend of hell mistaken for a rapist
Joey De Mesa said... I have got records at work that show that I was at work but they didn't do any research. A 23-year-old man wrongly locked up on Sunday by police who suspected him of stalking and assaulting teenaged girls says he barely slept or ate while incarcerated.

China's human rights worse: Amnesty

Human rights group Amnesty International has released a scathing assessment of China's human rights record since it was awarded the right to host next month's Olympic Games seven years ago.

The report says that far from improving, China's human rights record has actually worsened.

Amnesty says when it won the right to host the games, the Chinese Government promised better human rights and greater freedom for the media.

But Amnesty's China researcher Mark Allison says this has not happened.

"We want China to live up to its promise of complete media freedom and allow full access to foreign journalists who are reporting in China," he said.

"We want them to release all the journalists, Chinese journalists, who've been imprisoned in violation of their human rights and also to stop its censorship of the domestic media, particularly the internet."

There has not been a reaction to the Amnesty report from China so far.

Related:

Beijing 2008: how much will you be allowed to see?



The spectacle of the opening ceremony. The competition in the pool. The drama in the glamorous stadium. All of this and more will be broadcast around Australia and the world when the Beijing Olympics get underway in just a few weeks time.

But what about the executions still being carried out by the Chinese Government? Or the ‘Re-education through Labour’ camps where hundreds of thousands of people are detained without charge or trial? What about the torture that is frequently reported? The repression of free speech?

Ye Guozhu was tried in secret and sentenced to four years in jail for “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”. His ‘crime’ was to apply for permission to protest after his home and restaurant were demolished to make way for the Olympics.

People like Ye Guozhu are silenced. You are not. Use your freedom to speak up for those who can’t and become a Human Rights Defender.

Human rights in China have actually deteriorated because of the Games. The authorities have locked up and forcibly removed people they think will threaten the image of stability and harmony.

This is the China the authorities do not want you to see. Please don’t let them pull the wool over your eyes. Get the full picture on China.

Help monitor China's internet censorship now!

China operates a sophisticated internet censorship regime and it is difficult to know exactly what information Chinese citizens can and can't access. The lead-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics has seen some previously inaccessible websites in China become wholly or partly accessible.

We have developed a method to test, monitor and report on changes in levels of censorship, to assist in pressuring the Chinese Government to not revert old ways once the Games are over. If you are travelling to China during 2008 you can register to become a Chinese Internet Censorship Index (CICI) tester. This simply involves testing access to specific websites. The sites chosen for testing are ones that a tourist or journalist might access, such as BBC news and flickr. We believe that participating in these tests presents no risk to visitors to China.

Those not travelling to China can also participate by displaying a CICI badge on their Facebook, MySpace, blog or website to help us spread the word.

Join global day of protest

To mark the 10-day countdown to the Beijing Olympics on 30 July, we will be holding a global, online day of protest against internet censorship in China. All registered websites will display a censorship simulation which will momentarily censor random words on webpages.

Join the protest by registering now

Updated 30 July 11:36am (AEST)

China to censor Internet during Games: official

China will censor the Internet used by foreign media during the Olympics, an organising committee official confirmed Wednesday, reversing a pledge to offer complete media freedom at the games.

"During the Olympic Games we will provide sufficient access to the Internet for reporters," said Sun Weide, spokesman for the organising committee.

He confirmed, however, that journalists would not be able to access information or websites connected to the Falungong spiritual movement which is banned in China.

Other sites were also unavailable to journalists, he said, without specifying which ones.

Journalists working at the main press centre for the Olympics also complained that they were unable to access Internet sites belonging to rights group Amnesty International, the BBC, Germany's Deutsche Welle, Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, and Taiwan newspaper Liberty Times.

"Our promise was that journalists would be able to use the Internet for their work during the Olympic Games," said Sun.

"So we have given them sufficient access to do that."

However, in the runup to the Games the Beijing Olympic organising committee, under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, has promised full access to the Internet for thousands of reporters expected here to cover the August 8-24 Games.

Falungong is a spiritual group banned by China as an "evil cult," and many of its members have been detained, amid claims that hundreds have died in custody due to torture, abuse and neglect.

Dalai Lama arrives in Sydney
The president of the NSW Tibetan Community, Tenzin Gaden said he hoped the Dalai Lama's visit would raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people, who are under Chinese rule.

Thousands flock to Canberra ahead of torch relay
"Among all the communities, including the Chinese and Tibetan, those who live in Australia, I personally have had to deal with them in many, many years, they are strongly supportive of peace and harmony, because we are a great multicultural nation here."

NSW in rights push for lesbian mums

The New South Wales Government wants a federal law amended so children of lesbian couples can seek child support if their parents separate.

State Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says co-mothers are not recognised in Family Court proceedings under the current laws.

Mr Hatzistergos says he will ask the Federal Government to change the Family Law Act to include lesbian parents at a meeting of attorneys-general this week.

"It's important that the laws be amended to ensure that these children are treated in the same way that children of heterosexual relationships are, so that in the event that the parents split up, there is an entitlement for that child to be able to seek child support from co-mothers," he said.

"It's important to recognise that these relationships exist and these children exist, whatever one might think about them.

"And bearing in mind those facts, it's logical to ensure that we have a civilised way of ensuring the economic security of these children."

The State Government last month expanded the rights of NSW children with lesbian parents, clearing the way for children from lesbian couples to inherit money from and receive workers' compensation on behalf of their non-birth parent.

The reforms allowed both mothers to appear on their child's birth certificate.

Govt moves to take native title claims out of the courts

Lengthy court battles over native title claims could be done away with if the Commonwealth, state and territory governments have their way.

Representatives met in Perth on Friday to agree on ways to shorten the time it takes to settle a claim.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland supports negotiated packages.

He says this procedure has meant that communities have received benefits such as training programs and housing.

He says the current system for resolving native title is highly complex and there needs to be a change of attitude on all sides.

"We all need to look at trying to keep these matters out of the courts, where the process is very complicated, very expensive, very time consuming, in the order of seven-and-a-half years to resolve a matter before the courts," he said.

"Instead [we need] to take the opportunity we have, particularly with the resources we have occurring in Australia, to sit down and achieve some practical outcomes that provide some long-term sustainability for Aboriginal communities."

He says there have already been a number of decent outcomes negotiated out of court.

"If you look at some of these agreements, the potential benefits to these communities from the mining industry for instance, provides a real opportunity to acquire real opportunities for their communities," he said.

"It is a real opportunity to bridge the gap between Indigenous Australians and the rest of Australia by basing these entitlements on legitimate rights as to simply government handouts."

A potential problem with out-of-court procedures is that one side may be bullied into accepting an outcome that they are not happy with. But Mr McClelland insist that negotiated outcomes are not meant to replace the court process.

"It's always important that any negotiations are underpinned by the fact that any party can at any time have access to the courts," he said.

"I think the thing to sign off on though, or to make clear to parties is that the number of cases where applicants, the claimants, are being successful in the courts is really very narrow.

"It's incredibly complex and it's really a gamble as to whether they're going to succeed in that process."

Related:

New NT laws: 'more Aboriginal people jailed'
The Australian Council for Civil Liberties says more Aboriginal people will go to jail under proposed mandatory sentencing laws in the Northern Territory.

NAIDOC week to focus on Indigenous inequalities
A series of events to mark the contribution of Australia's Indigenous people will be held across the country this week.

Income management extended for NT
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has announced income management will be extended for up to a year in four Northern Territory Aboriginal communities.

Intervention delivering 'empty shipping containers, no houses'
A member of the Maningrida community in the Northern Territory's Arnhem Land says he cannot see any infrastructure changes as a result of the emergency intervention, and wants to know where the money has been spent.

Abandon NT intervention: Commissioner
The Northern Territory's Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Tony Fitzgerald says the Federal intervention into remote Aboriginal communities should be abandoned and the legislation underpinning it should be repealed.

Stolen generation compensation ruled out
A FEDERAL parliamentary committee has recommended a "healing" fund be set up to help members of the stolen generations, but knocked back the suggestion of compensation payments.

Budget to roll out new welfare card
Welfare plan: The new card will be initially rolled out in NT Indigenous communities. The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) says the Rudd Government's proposed welfare debit card is not the best way to help struggling families.

Racism to blame' for Aboriginal health problems
The Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR) group says racism is directly to blame for many health problems in the Aboriginal community.

Police cannot cope with backlash
Chief Minister, Paul Henderson, has warned the Federal Government that many indigenous people displaced by the emergency intervention are creating unrest and straining police capacity.

2020 Indigenous youth delegate calls for national body
An Indigenous youth representative at this weekend's 2020 summit says a new national Aboriginal body should be created to avoid some of the add-hoc policies surrounding the federal intervention.

Call for new indigenous body
Former ATSIC Commissioner Klynton Wanganeen says he will raise the idea of a new national body to represent indigenous communities at the 2020 Summit.

Roxon signs off on Indigenous health pledges
Indigenous Australians will have access to the same health services as the rest of the population by 2018, under a Federal Government plan.

Discrimination Act should apply to intervention: Calma
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner wants the Racial Discrimination Act immediately reinstated in the Northern Territory's Indigenous communities.

Porn ban in Indigenous communities 'racist'
The Australian National Adult Retail Association (Eros) says the Federal Government's ban on X-rated pornography in Aboriginal communities is pointless, racist and should be revoked.

Retailers' warning on welfare card shop spies
EMPLOYEES across the country will be at risk of entrapment by government "spies", retailers have warned, under a Federal Government proposal to control fraudulent use of a new welfare debit card.

Union urges PM to act on Stolen Generations promise
The Australian Education Union (AEU) wants the Federal Government to follow Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations with a significant funding boost for Indigenous education in the Northern Territory.

Union calls for $2.9b to fund education shortfall
The Education Union is calling on the Federal Government to provide an extra $2.9 billion in funding for public schools

Govt, union defend remote community schooling
The Centre for Independent Studies says Aboriginal students in the Northern Territory are finishing school with the numeracy and literacy skills of five-year-olds.

Aboriginal delegation heads to UN
The National Aboriginal Alliance is taking its concerns about the Northern Territory intervention to the United Nations

Indigenous welfare quarantine scheme gets go ahead
Parents in four Cape York Indigenous communities could soon have their welfare payments quarantined if they do not take care of their children and homes and do not stay out of trouble with the law.

Union urges PM to act on Stolen Generations promise
The Australian Education Union (AEU) wants the Federal Government to follow Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations with a significant funding boost for Indigenous education in the Northern Territory.

Aboriginal inmates '22pc and rising' of prison population
The Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health says new research is urgently needed to address the worsening rate of Indigenous incarceration.

Home repossessions can be avoided: CHOICE

The consumer group CHOICE says some home repossessions could be avoided if people were more aware of their rights.

CHOICE says people facing repossession can often apply for an extension on their home loan.

Spokesman Christopher Zinn says many people do not realise they are allowed to make the application.

"It depends on the loan and the lender but at least it does give people other options, other options which at present they may not be aware of," he said.

"If people are going to be missing a repayment on their home loan the first thing they should do is contact their lender and ask what kind of hardship variations are available.

"They should also seek help from a financial counsellor and if more people did this earlier on in the piece there's no doubt there may well be fewer repossessions."

Related:

NSW feels the deepest jobs cut
MORE than 17,000 NSW workers left or lost their jobs last month in the worst labour market reading in years, fuelling fears the state will suffer the brunt of the coming economic slowdown.

Welfare services under strain: survey
The number of people accessing community services is on the rise, a new survey shows.

Report warns new wave of homelessness
State and federal governments are being warned of a new wave of homelessness threatening disadvantaged families.

When pain persists, they arrive
People are still angry when they lose their houses, but he notices that "people nowadays seem to think, when they take a loan, that it's a risk and that if they take the loan they might end up losing their house".

Civil libertarians angered by police website

Civil liberties campaigners have attacked a new Crimestoppers website that encourages Canberrans to help police solve crimes.

The website displays mugshots of wanted criminals, CCTV images of people who police want to contact because they have witnessed crimes, and a secure information line to police.

Bill Rowlings from Civil Liberties Australia says that invades the privacy of innocent bystanders.

"It's not reasonable if you are walking down the street or going on a bus or going about your business that suddenly you are plastered all over a website by the police when you have done nothing wrong," he said.

"They can generally appeal for witnesses, people know whether they were near an event or a crime or whatever."

But Police Minister Simon Corbell says the website obeys all federal laws, and privacy does not automatically trump competing concerns.

Civil liberties are very important and protection of people's privacy is a very important consideration but that does need to be balanced against broader public interest in solving crime and achieving a safe community.

Police say they hope the website will lead to more arrests.

Rights win for lesbian families

The rights of New South Wales children with lesbian parents have been expanded under legislation passed by the State Government.

The law clears the way for children from lesbian couples to inherit money from their non-birth parent and receive workers' compensation on behalf of their non-birth parent.

It also allows both mothers to appear on their child's birth certificate.

NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says the Bill is a big step.

"It means that the non-birth parent will have obligations to that child in the same way that every other parent has," he said.

"It also means that child will have the same relationship with the non-birth parent as they do with their birth parent."

Mr Hatzistergos says shadow attorney-general Greg Smith defied his own party in voting against the Bill.

"The Opposition is hopelessly divided on this issue but it's important to recognise that the vote was carried 64 to 11," he said.

"With Mr Smith being one of the few leading spokespersons within the Opposition voting against the legislation, he not only defied his leader but also the leader of the National party."

Emily Gray, from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, says many Liberal MPs, who voted against the reforms, were confused about the meaning of reforms.

"A lot of that was stemming from the fact that they believed that fathers would be removed from birth certificates following these reforms and that's just simply not true at all," she said.

Ms Gray says the changes have been long-awaited.

"With 71 per cent of the Australian population now supporting equal rights for same-sex couples, it's about time that this equality came through," she said. "We're really happy that it has."

Howard accused of war crimes

A legal brief has been sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging former prime minister John Howard committed a war crime by sending troops to Iraq.

An alliance of peace activists, lawyers, academics and politicians is behind the brief, organised by the ICC Action group in Melbourne.

Organiser Glen Floyd says Mr Howard should be held accountable for sending troops to a war not sanctioned by the United Nations.

"We have produced a 52-page brief of evidence which states to the chief prosecutor of the criminal court that we allege John Howard's actions are war crimes under article 8 of the Rome Statute," he said.

Democrats Senator Lyn Allison says the legal brief sent to the ICC is justified.

Senator Allison, who is one of several eminent people supporting the move, says accountability is important.

"This action has been taken to hold those accountable for their action, so it's essentially our prime minister - he was the one at the time [who] was the executive of government, made the decision," she said.

'It wasn't put to the Parliament and as we all know, it turned out to be unjustified."

A similar brief has been sent by a group from the United Kingdom regarding former prime minister Tony Blair. The United States is not a signatory to the court.

Related:

No combat deaths for the quiet imperialists
If lethal memes, death and destruction are an achievement then we don't account for all those related deaths below. The illegal and degrading war and crimes against humanity committed on Iraq for their oil resources should now be dealt with as soon as possible. Those responsible or who collaberated should be committed to face the war criminal court - to account for those who were tortured, maimed or killed in that war on Iraq unnecessarily, because of the pre-emptive strike on that sovereign nation.

'Charge Howard with war crimes'
FORMER Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has called for ex-prime minister John Howard and other Western leaders to be charged with war crimes over the conflict in Iraq.

Prosecute War Criminal John Howard
To: International Criminal Court
We, the undersigned, called for the indictment and prosecution of John Winston Howard (currently Australian Prime Minister) for acts of terrorism and war crimes.

US dockers strike over Iraq war
Union officials say about 10,000 longshore workers who handle cargo along the west coast of the United States have stayed away from work in a one-day protest against the war in Iraq.

Unknown News
"News that's not known, or not known enough."

-- IN IRAQ --

30,000 IRAQI TROOPS KILLED
and 90,000 SERIOUSLY INJURED Aug. 2003

785,957 IRAQI CIVILIANS KILLED
and 1,414,723 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

3,615 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 50,677 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

287 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 861 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

160 U.S. CIVILIANS KILLED
and 288 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

251 OTHER COALITION CIVILIANS KILLED
and 452 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

-- IN AFGHANISTAN --

8,587 AFGHAN TROOPS KILLED
and 25,761 SERIOUSLY INJURED July 2004

3,485 AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED
and 6,273 SERIOUSLY INJURED July 2004

342 U.S. TROOPS KILLED
and 1,026 SERIOUSLY INJURED Jan. 2007

278 OTHER COALITION TROOPS KILLED
and 834 SERIOUSLY INJURED June 2007

? U.S. and COALITION CIVILIANS KILLED
and ? SERIOUSLY INJURED

Thousands take part in anti-war protests
Thousands of anti-war protesters have marched in Britain and the United States to mark the fifth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.

Army chief admits morale concerns over lack of combat
Lieutenant General Leahy was responding to public criticism from two infantry officers who have written in the Australian Army Journal. The officers claim that some soldiers are sometimes ashamed to wear the Australian uniform and have been treated with "near contempt" by allies in Iraq and Afghanistan because they are involved in such low-risk missions.

IT'S ALL ABOUT OIL!
In 1998, Dick Cheney, now US vice-president but then chief executive of a major oil services company, remarked: "I cannot think of a time when we have had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian." But the oil and gas there is worthless until it is moved. The only route which makes both political and economic sense is through Afghanistan.

Haneef case human rights concerns: lawyer

The lawyer who represented former Gold Coast doctor Mohamed Haneef has told a Law Society function in Darwin that the case raises serious questions about aspects of Australia's legal system.

Mohamed Haneef was arrested and charged because he gave a mobile phone SIM card to a relative, who later launched a terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) drew on special laws that had never been used before to hold and question Dr Haneef without laying charges.

His lawyer, Stephen Keim, says these specials laws raise serious questions about human rights.

"Detention without charge for 12 days in respect to a case that was sufficiently without substance, to be discontinued at the behest of a Commonwealth Senior Prosecutor, raises questions about the minimal human right content of the law as it relates to criminal investigation," he said.

He says the secrecy surrounding the case went against the principles of justice.

Mr Keim says lawyers were afraid to give journalists even basic details about the case, which made it difficult for open and impartial justice.

"The legislation does not prescribe or proscribe open hearings, the hearings were however conducted in an air of secrecy such as the parties to the hearing felt constrained about telling journalists the identity of the magistrate hearing the case and making the orders," he said.

Related:

$8m bill for bungled terrorism case
The federal police investigation of events surrounding the bungled Haneef terrorism-support case has so far cost $8.2 million and it's not over yet.

Thomas' lawyers fight retrial order
Lawyers for Victorian man, Jack Thomas, are opposing a court order that he be retried on terrorism charges.

Terror raid 'message'
COUNTER-TERRORISM police yesterday raided the homes of two Sydney men with allegedly extremist Islamic views to "send a message" they were being closely watched and dissuade them from any plans to engage in a terrorist act.

Palestinian exhibition axed after police visit
A police spokesman said the officers were from the operations' community contact unit and had come only to "say hi" to Friends of Hebron members. "They went to introduce themselves just to let them know who they are and what they are about. [Speaking with community groups] is part of their charter," he said. "When they got there the librarian was the only one there … they just had a quick chat to the librarian."

AFP colluded with Andrews: Haneef lawyer
Lawyers representing former [scapegoat] terror suspect Dr Mohamed Haneef have accused federal police of attempting to re-write history following claims investigating officers were caught unaware by a decision to cancel his work visa.

ASIO, police don't trust each other, report finds
A LACK of trust between the Australian Federal Police and ASIO has hindered co-operation between the anti-terrorism agencies, a report commissioned after the collapsed prosecution of the Sydney doctor Izhar ul-Haque has found.

Secret policemen's bill: $7.5m
Mr McClelland separately ruled out compensating or apologising to the Sydney medical student Izhar Ul-Haque, who a Supreme Court judge said had been kidnapped by ASIO officers. The conduct of ASIO in the case of Mr ul-Haque, who was cleared of terrorism charges, is being reviewed by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Ian Carnell.

Tough police powers outlive APEC
CONTROVERSIAL powers granted to NSW police during last year's APEC summit are likely to be made permanent - or at least available to police for any special event - under a proposal to be taken to state cabinet.

Push for overhaul of laws on terrorism
Anti-terrorism laws are just 'state sanctioned terrorism' aimed at 'innocent people' and using them as 'scapegoats' for Australia's 'alleged war on terror'. These laws were meant to project 'fear' in the community that we somehow need to be protected so that the government can wage war on innocent people for resources around the world unchallenged.

Report describes Habib interrogation
The agent said Mr Habib, a former Sydney taxi driver held at the US military prison at Guantanamo for more than two years, endured two 15-hour interrogation sessions with only a short break in between.

UN Torture Committee Blasts Australia
The Committee against Torture expressed concern about Australia's counter-terrorism laws. The Committee was also concerned that Australians knew about what was happening in Abu Ghraib, but did not act to stop the mistreatment. In a thinly disguised reference to the cases of Mamdouh Habib and David Hicks, the Committee expressed concern that Australia has failed to investigate claims of torture.

Habib mistreated but not in Aussie embassy
There was little doubt that Mamdouh Habib was badly mistreated after he was detained by Pakistani and US authorities in the wake of the September 11 attacks and no doubt whatsoever that he was taken to Egypt against his will, a Federal Court judge has found.

Hicks media gag order ends
As part of the deal, he was also banned from speaking to the media after his release in December 2007.