Open the borders, close the camps, free the refugees

On 28 February 2014, hundreds of people gathered at a rally in Brisbane to protest against Australia's detention of refugees, particularly following the murder of Iranian refugee, Reza Berati, at Manus Island on 17 February 2014.

The rally kicked off in Queen's Park, under the austere gaze of Britain's colonialist Queen Victoria. Ironic given Australia's colonialist expansion into neighbouring countries to establish Gulags for the unwanted and ostracised asylum seekers who arrive by boat in our waters.

The rally was organised by the Refugee Action Collective, with other campaigns run by Socialist Alternative, Socialist Alliance and the Greens. Speakers included Sam Watson, aboriginal affairs activist, Andrew Bartlett from the Greens, and Ali, an asylum seeker who spent 13 months on Christmas Island and four months in a Brisbane immigration detention centre before being allowed to settle in Australia. There were also speakers from Labor for Refugees, Queensland Supporters for Democracy in Iran, and of course the Refugee Action Collective.

The speakers all highlighted the need for a more compassionate and humane approach to welcoming asylum seekers to Australia. The gathering then marched around the CBD, up George Street, along Adelaide, down Edward, along Charlotte St, back up George St to Queen's Park, noisily chanting 'Free the Refugees', 'Hey Abbott, we're talking to you, close Manus Island, close Nauru', 'Sack Morrison' and 'Open the borders, close the camps, free the refugees'. At various points the rally stopped so that people in the CBD could hear the message about why we were protesting and to encourage others to take up the cause. Photos taken at the rally are at the bottom of this article.

The military-run attack on asylum seekers with the grandiose title 'Operation Sovereign Borders', shows just how low Australia has slumped in human rights. Even human rights abusers, China and Iran, are criticising Australia. While it's a bit rich for either of those two nations to criticise anyone else over human rights, it shows just how much damage Operation Sovereign Borders, and for that matter former Prime Minister Gillard's 'PNG solution', has done to Australia's legitimacy. Who is Australia to lecture any other nation on human rights when it is committing gross human rights abuses itself. While the majority of Australians live in comfort and can afford the luxury of supporting xenophobic policies, the government is horrendously treating the most vulnerable of the world's people; people who have fled persecution for a safe country that is a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention.

The main-stream media is awash with ill-informed opinion on refugees. For instance, the claim that the UN Refugee Convention says that refugees must seek asylum in the first country they come to. To validate this argument would mean to look at which is the first country they come to who is a signatory the UN Refugee Convention. Oh, look, it's Australia! Between Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, refugees who flee east will not encounter any signatory to the Convention until they hit ... wait for it ... Australia.

Then there is the argument that under the Labor government, thousands of refugees died at sea so the LNP policies have saved lives. Technically, this is true ... as far as we know. However, the Liberal government's secrecy means that we don't know if anyone has drowned. Operation Sovereign Borders hasn't stopped people arriving in Australian waters, although, it has prevented most, if not all, reaching Australia's shores as the Navy either turns the boats around or shoves the asylum seekers in life-boats and pushes them back to Indonesia.  Hundreds of asylum seekers have faced this callous treatment since the Liberal Party came to power only five months ago.

If Australia was so concerned about asylum seekers, it would not be imprisoning them indefinitely, denying them water, information, decent accommodation and a future. The LNP boasts that no asylum seeker has drowned attempting to reach Australia.What a straw-man claim that is! So they don't drown in our waters, but we are actively trying to return them to their country's of origin in which they will face persecution, torture, imprisonment and for many, death.

Operation Sovereign Borders is not about saving lives.

Manus Island and Nauru are not 'processing centres' as the government would have us believe. In the last 12 months not one asylum seeker held in detention has been processed. Earlier this week, Liz Thompson, former migration agent on Manus Island, blew the whistle on the lies the government is telling the asylum seekers. Disturbingly, the most telling description of the true aim of the Australian government's use of Manus Island, was her comment, 'It's not designed as a processing facility, it's designed as an experiment in the active creation of horror to deter people from trying'.

Again some are propagating the idea that refugees arriving by boat in Australian waters are 'illegal'. Australia's Migration Act does declare people who arrive in Australia by sea as 'unauthorised maritime arrivals'. This doesn't mean they are illegal. In fact, under Australia's rule of law, all people are innocent until proven guilty. Not one asylum seeker has been charged with entering the country illegally, so indefinite detention without charge is a breach of the presumption of innocence.

Besides if Australians are so concerned about the rule of law, then refer to Article 31(1) of the UN Refugee Convention⁽¹⁾ to which Australia is a signatory, which states:

The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorization, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.

Further to this is the refoulement principle in Article 33(1) of the UN Refugee Convention⁽¹⁾:

No Contracting State shall expel or return ("refouler") a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

Yet, the Australian government is trying to force refugees held in detention centres, to sign documents that would return them to their country of origin. This is refoulement and is a breach of international law.

In fact, the United Nations has warned Australia that it is guilty of almost 150 breaches of international law in relation to its treatment of asylum seekers. The UN described Manus Island as Australia's Guantanamo Bay⁽²⁾.

There are a number of things Australia can do if it really wants to humanely address asylum seekers:

• Stop funding governments who are the cause of human rights abuses, such as Sri Lanka. Within weeks of coming to power, Prime Minister Tony Abbott provided Sri Lanka with a Navy vessel to round up people fleeing persecution. Instead, Australia should have been pressuring Sri Lanka to stop the persecution⁽³⁾.
• Increase the refugee intake. Australia is not over-populated, has plenty to share and refugees have shown themselves to be productive members of the community. Remember our own national anthem: 'For those who've come across the seas we've boundless plains to share'.
• End the off-shore detention, bring all detainees to the Australian mainland and process their claims. Emphasis on 'process'; don't indefinitely detain them without hearing the claims that they are trying to make as described above in Article 31 of the UN Refugee Convention.
• End the lies being told to asylum seekers. 
• Treat asylum seekers as people. Remember the old adage, 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
• Provide asylum seekers with sanctuary from persecution.
• Provide asylum seekers with a future in Australia.
• Become a good example of how a humane country treats and protects the most vulnerable. 
• Encourage other nations to improve their human rights and to become signatories to the UN Refugee Convention.

Back to the national anthem:

In history's page, let every stage 
Advance Australia Fair.

Australia is supposedly the land of the 'fair go'.  There is nothing fair about how we treat asylum seekers. Our national anthem is becoming a hollow, meaningless statement as Australia continues down this path of xenophobic persecution of people seeking our protection. This is a shameful stage in our history.

References:

1. United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, adopted 28 July 1951, entered into force 22 April 1954, http://www.unhcr.org/496365eb2.pdf, accessed 1 March 2014.

2. International Business Times, Reissa Su, 27 February 2014, http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/540887/20140227/asylum-seekers-australia-guantanamo-bay-immigration-manus.htm#.UxEXbvmSy3s, accessed 1 March 2014.

3. Amnesty International, Sri Lanka: UN report must be call to action on war crimes investigation, 25 February 2014, http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/34013/, accessed 1 March 2014.

Photos of rally for refugee rights, Brisbane, 28 February 2014

Sam Watson

Ali

Labor for Refugees

Queensland Supporters for Democracy in Iran

Manus horribilis

Manus horribilis: the horrible Manus solution and Australia's shameful treatment of the world's most vulnerable!

Tony Abbott's mantra 'Stop the Boats' has apparently paid off. Asylum Seekers haven't landed in Australia for more than two months. But at what cost? An asylum seeker has been brutally murdered on Manus Island, apparently at the hands of, or at least during the watch of, the security force G4S that was appointed by the Australian Government, Australia has damaged its reputation with Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, and the UNHCR has issued a warning that Australia is breaching its responsibilities under the Refugee Convention ⁽¹⁾.

Great work Australia, but does anyone care?

Liberal Party apologists range from those who think its great that no asylum seeker has arrived, to those who proudly declare we should just kill the whole lot. And the Labor Party is silent. After all, the PNG Solution was their idea in response to the constant barrage of fear-mongering from the Liberal Party.

What an awesome country we have.

Yes, it is good that no asylum seeker has drowned in Australian waters, but this was not the purpose of Abbott's 'Stop the Boats' mantra. The purpose was to appeal to the xenophobia and racism inherent in the electorate. The xenophobia and racism that former One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, brought to the surface and that former Prime Minister, John Howard, cultivated because of its election-winning popularity.

On the subject of John Howard, it's ironic that his supporters think of him as 'Honest John', considering that he lied about so many things, particularly when it came to the suffering and deaths of asylum seekers. Remember Siev-X, Children Overboard and Tampa? Each of those was marked by Howard's lies, denials and blame shifting.

Since Howard, it's in the DNA of the LNP to lie, deny and blame others.

Since Abbott came in he has dropped a cone of silence over most of the party's political activities, particularly asylum seekers. When in opposition, the LNP loudly and proudly broadcast every boat arrival, even driving around the streets with a massive bill-board advertising it. Throughout Labor's reign, Abbott even encouraged people smugglers by stating 'Let people come and put out the welcome mat to people-smugglers'. ⁽²⁾ So was it any wonder that people smugglers took him at his word. Now that LNP is in power, the silence is deafening. They have banned their own staff from announcing boat arrivals, claiming it threatens the military security of Australia. What a crock!

Asylum seekers detained on Manus Island had reported to the previous Labor government that they were being threatened and harassed by the security guards. As far back as September 2013, there were media reports of threats to detainees by Manus residents⁽³⁾. There were also concerns about Australia funding the brutal PNG para-military force, the Mobile Squad, with fears of a major clash with locals⁽⁴⁾.  Both the Labor Party (who were in power at that stage), and the Liberal Party ignored each of these issues.

In October 2013, there was a violent clash between the Mobile Squad and PNG's Army, which resulted in Australian staff on Manus Island being evacuated and asylum seekers left undefended to fend for themselves⁽⁵⁾. Now, Morrison has stated that G4S claims the asylum seekers provoked them in the recent attack. The asylum seekers have been provoked and threatened for months by PNG security.

In November 2013, Amnesty International released a report⁽⁶⁾ detailing the inhumane conditions and treatment of asylum seekers on Manus Island.  It stated that 'Manus Island is not about asylum claims. This is how you break people'⁽⁷⁾. It is how YOU break people. People of Australia, YOU are breaking asylum seekers. People who have suffered persecution and war, who've been tortured and have come to Australia for assistance, are being broken by YOU! Both the Liberal Party and Labor Party have blood on their hands. Both have tried to out-do each other in their inhumanity towards their fellow man. The report stated that human rights violations included: refoulement, arbitary detention, discrimination, no legal protection, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. So, what did Prime Minister Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison do about this report? Nothing. They ignored it. Well, not totally ignored it. Morrison warned non-government organisations to be careful what they say⁽⁸⁾. He wasn't concerned about the treatment of asylum seekers. He was concerned that it was being reported. Why? Because this government will silence dissent where it can.

This was demonstrated when the ABC reported allegations of abuse by the Royal Australian Navy against asylum seekers on board a boat. Apparently, the ABC was unAustralian for daring to suggest there may be substance to the claims. Isn't the idea of reporting to report events? Not all of these will be palatable, but the independence of journalists should not be threatened by the Government. The LNP's attacks on media and free speech are bordering on fascism.

The Amnesty International report contained information that was not new. The human rights breaches were also documented by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in a report released on 4 February 2013⁽⁹⁾. Australia's response? Ban asylum seekers from ever settling in Australia. Oh, and then Abbott took it further by threatening to deport asylum seekers already in Australia for doing nothing more than what most Australians do now⁽¹⁰⁾.

Australia's racist, fear-driven and vote-seeking policies have culminated in the murder of an innocent Iranian man in the Manus Island detention centre. Reza Berati⁽¹¹⁾ was killed during the riot. While the events are still under investigation, numerous reports are emerging that it was PNG security forces, and possibly locals, who attacked the asylum seekers. One man was killed, 77 were injured, 13 critically. All this on the watch of Scott Morrison.

In addition, the Department of Immigration and Border Security published the names and details of 10,000 asylum seekers on their website, potentially placing these people at risk from the very regimes they are fleeing. The illustrious Morrison then revealed the location of the file in interviews and press-releases, displaying gross incompetence⁽¹²⁾.

Morrison should be sacked.

Australia maintains its Gulag Archipelago, of Manus Island, Nauru and Christmas Island, as well as a number of on-shore facilities. All breaching international law through mandatory detention and denying basic human rights to people seeking asylum.

If we've managed to stop the boats, then we need to make sure that we aren't just pushing people back into a life of persecution, torture, rape, murder. Australia should be working with the UN and with neighbouring nations, to have asylum seeker claims processed quickly and the claimants settled in Australia or another country of their choice.

Australia is the first country that Afghans, Sri Lankans, Rohingyans, will encounter when fleeing to the east, so it would behoove us to encourage nations that aren't signatories (such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand), to sign up to the Convention and to process and accept refugees. This may actually reduce the number of people fleeing to Australia.

Asylum seekers are being subject to human rights abuse at the hands of, and with the knowledge of, Australian authorities. We must take a more humane approach to those seeking safety. Australia is supposed to be the land of the fair go. Word around the camp fire is that 'for those who've come across the seas we've boundless plains to share'. Then let's share.

Raise the refugee quota and treat people the way we would like to be treated.

Stop the silence, stop the cover-ups, stop the dehumanisation and demonisation.

End the fear through love, empathy, acceptance and compassion.

RIP Reza Berati - murdered on Manus Island 16 February 2014.
Innocent victim of Australia's inhumane refugee policies.

References:

1. 'United Nations warns Australia about asylum seeker boat push-backs', Sydney Morning Herald, 11 January 2014, http://www.smh.com.au/world/united-nations-warns-australia-about-asylum-seeker-boat-pushbacks-20140111-hv83u.html

2. 'Abbott slams Labor's 'pull factors' for refugee crisis', Canberra Times, 9 December 2011, http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/abbott-slams-labors-pull-factors-for-refugee-crisis-20111209-1ug6o.html

3. 'Manus Island landowners threaten 'guerilla war' against detention centre', The Australian, 2 September 2013, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/manus-island-landowners-threaten-guerilla-war-against-detention-centre/story-fn9hm1gu-1226709098089

4. 'Australians funding PNG's feared cops', Rory Callinan, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 August 2013, http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/australians-funding-pngs-feared-cops-20130803-2r65w.html

5. 'Greens to launch inquiry into security squads clash at Manus Island detention centre', Sarah Whyte, Natalie O'Brien, The Age, 12 February 2014, http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/greens-to-launch-inquiry-into-security-squads-clash-at-manus-island-detention-centre-20140212-32gql.html

6. 'The Truth About Manus Island: 2013 report'. Amnesty International, 11 December 2013. http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/comments/33587/?utm_medium=microsite&utm_source=trthmns&utm_campaign=refugees, accessed 22 February 2014.

7. Truth about Manus, http://truthaboutmanus.com/

8. 'Amnesty International's Manus Island report sparks Scott Morrison warning', Mark Coultan, The Australian, 13 December 2013, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/amnesty-internationals-manus-island-report-sparks-scott-morrison-warning/story-fn59niix-1226782530623

9. 'UNHCR Mission to Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, 15-17 January 2013', United Nations High Commission for Refugees, 4 February 2013, http://unhcr.org.au/unhcr/images/2013-02-04%20Manus%20Island%20Report%20Final.pdf, accessed 22 February 2014.

10. 'Australia threatens to deport asylum seekers who spit, swear or spread rumours', Kashmira Gander, The Independent, 30 January 2014, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australia-threatens-to-deport-asylum-seekers-who-spit-swear-or-spread-rumours-9097152.html

11. 'Manus violence: dead asylum seeker named as Iranian Reza Berati, 23', Oliver Laughland, The Guardian, 21 February 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/manus-dead-asylum-seeker-iranian-reza-berati

12. 'Tim Wilson says Morrison response to asylum seeker data breach ‘undesirable’ ', Oliver Laughland and Paul Farrell, The Guardian, 21 February 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/21/tim-wilson-morrison-response-asylum-seeker-data-breach-undesirable.

Ariel Sharon, the Butcher of Beirut - a eulogy

Ariel Sharon - born 26 February 1928, died 11 January 2013, former Israeli Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, military commander. He was 85.

World leaders are eulogising former Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon who died a few hours ago. Some are cautious in their words, such as President Barack Obama sending his 'deepest condolences to the family of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and to the people of Israel on the loss of a leader who dedicated his life to the State of Israel'. Nothing about Sharon being a great leader, but it is true that he dedicated his life to Israel ... at the expense of Palestinian lives. Current US Secretary of State, John Kerry said that '... he sought to bend the course of history towards peace'.  British Prime Minister David Cameron stated, ' ... he took brave and controversial decisions in pursuit of peace ...'. ⁽¹⁾

There was nothing brave or peaceful about Sharon's massacres of innocent civilians.

Australia's Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, laid a wreath at the grave of Ariel Sharon, prompting a response from the Australian Jewish Democratic Society informing her of their concern over her support for breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the racist policies of Israel. ⁽²⁾

In 2003, then President George W. Bush referred to him as a 'man of peace'. However, in 1982, President Reagan's special envoy, Ambassador Philip Habib stated, 'Sharon was a killer obsessed with hatred of Palestinians. I had promised Arafat that his people would not get any harm. Sharon, however, ignored this commitment entirely. Sharon's word is worth nil'. ⁽³⁾

The eulogies for Sharon should not be honouring the man, but ensuring his crimes against humanity are remembered and his victims are not forgotten.

Unit 101

With the founding of Israel in 1948, Sharon was a paratrooper in the new state's Army, and later commander. His initiation was during the so-called 'War of Independence', when a number of neighbouring Arab states attempted to repel the military forces of the newly created state of Israel that were violently forcing Palestinians from their homes, killing those who resisted. It was a war of self-defence for the Arabs against a European invasion.

In August 1953, on orders from Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, Sharon founded Unit 101, a Special Forces unit. Within one month of its founding, a Unit 101 patrol attacked civilians in Gaza, killing dozens of Palestinians. Two months later Unit 101 attacked civilians in the village of Qibya, in the West Bank, murdering 69 civilians and destroying 45 buildings, a school and a mosque. Three-quarters of the victims were women and children. Both attacks attracted international condemnation. Israel initially denied the attack and tried to blame others for it, however, was finally forced to admit that Unit 101 was responsible. Unit 101 was also responsible for other attacks on civilians, including Bedouins. The Unit committed crimes against humanity but was never held responsible. ⁽⁴⁾



1956 Suez Canal invasion

In 1956, Israel attacked Egypt in order to gain control of the Suez Canal. It also gained the Sinai. Being a war, meant that there were prisoners, and Israel had captured hundreds of Egyptian soldiers. Sharon was in charge of units that murdered 273 Egyptian prisoners of war, which is a violation of the Geneva Convention. It was a war-crime. ⁽⁵⁾

Pacification of Gaza

The so-called 'Pacification of Gaza' should have been called the 'Ethnic Cleansing of Gaza'. In 1971, Sharon led military operations into Gaza which were responsible for thinning out the population. It was ethnic cleansing. Israel massacred hundreds of civilians, blew up houses, hospitals, schools and forcibly relocated more than 13,000 civilians to the Sinai. ⁽⁶⁾

Lebanon

Over the subsequent years, Israeli forces under Sharon's command continued their brutal occupation and attacks on civilians. Whenever Palestinians fought back, Israel would respond with excessive violence. In 1982, while Sharon was Minister of Defence, Israel attacked Lebanon, bombing refugee camps for weeks, killing an untold number of people, destroying hospitals, orphanages and schools. This campaign resulted in 125,000 people fleeing for their lives.

Sharon accused Palestinian 'terrorists' of murdering Lebanese leader Bashir Gemayel. It was later proven that the attack was carried about my a Lebanese Maronite Christian. Nonetheless, Sharon unleashed Lebanese Christian Phalangists into the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in an horrific campaign of terror in which more than 2,000 refugees, including women, children and babies were raped and murdered over the following three days. English journalist, Robert Fisk visited Shatila only days after the massacre, during which he was stepping over the corpses of 'raped and eviscerated women and their husbands and children ... ' ⁽⁷⁾

Following international condemnation, a commission of inquiry was established and Ariel Sharon held personally responsible because he knew the massacre was occurring and he allowed it to continue. His troops stood idly by, watching the massacre unfold. Sharon was dismissed as Minister of Defence, but was not charged. In fact, he continued to serve in the Knesset. In September 1984, he was appointed as the Minister for Industry, Trade and Labor. Later he became the Minister for Housing and Construction, Minister for Energy and Water Resources, and Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 2001, Sharon was elected Prime Minister.

For more on the Sabra and Shatila massacre, refer to:
http://thepandarant.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/remembering-sabra-and-shatila.html

Settlements

Sharon sponsored the establishment of hundreds of illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. These settlements were in violation of international law and were often established at the point of a gun with the use of Israeli military to violently drive Palestinians out of their homes and off their lands. These were homes and lands that the Palestinians held deeds of ownership for.

In 2004, Sharon ordered settlements be withdrawn from Gaza. His supporters claimed that this showed he was a man of peace. However, military attacks on Gaza increased and often involved military jets firing on and bombing the civilian population. Israel has used chemical weapons such as white phosphorous, and nuclear warheads containing depleted uranium, in Gaza. These are war-crimes being unleashed on a civilian and undefended population.

Removing the settlers from Gaza, meant that Israel could literally imprison Gaza and control the movement of people into and out of it, as well as control supplies going into it. The military often stops deliveries of food, clothing, building products and so on, that are being legitimately delivered through either road or sea networks. Much was made of secret tunnels from Gaza into Egypt, however, these tunnels were necessary in order to ensure that Gazans received necessities that Israel denied them. Gaza has been described as the world's largest open-air prison.

Although settlements were withdrawn from Gaza, establishment of settlements in the West Bank increased and now there are more than 500,000 settlers illegally occupying the territory. Numerous UN resolutions, including resolution 22/29 adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on 22 March 2013, declares the illegality of the settlements and that Israel is an 'occupying Power' breaching the Fourth Geneva Convention by transferring 'parts of its civilian population into the territory it occupies ...' ⁽⁸⁾. This resolution was in response to a UN fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of Israeli settlements on the rights of the Palestinian people. The fact-finding mission details the history of the illegal settlements, including Ariel Sharon's decades-long involvement in their expansion. ⁽⁹⁾

Agence France Presse reported on 15 November 1998, that while addressing the extreme right-wing Tsomet Party, Sharon stated,  'Everybody has to move, run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements because everything we take now will stay ours ... Everything we don't grab will go to them'. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Sharon encouraged Jews from across the globe to move to Israel. To house them annexing Palestinian land and establishing the illegal settlements. 'As long as I'm needed. I'll be ready to serve. I look forward with optimism. We need the Jews here. Move to Israel! Move to Israel!' ⁽¹¹⁾

Operation Defensive Shield

In 2001, Sharon controversially entered the Al-Aqsa mosque surrounded by Israeli soldiers. It was seen as an insult to the Palestinians and resulted in the Second Intifada, in which some Palestinians undertook a wave of attacks against Israel. The following year, Sharon launched Operation Defensive Shield, in which soldiers attacked the West Bank supposedly to end the Intifada. The Army attacked with assault helicopters and commandos, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 civilians and a number of militants. ⁽¹²⁾

Following Defensive Shield, Sharon ordered the construction of a 'security' wall which would engulf the West Bank. Sharon claimed the wall was to stop Palestinian terrorists travelling into Israel, however the bulk of the wall separates areas within the West Bank from each other, not from Israel. This has created 'Bantustans', or small enclaves, and hindered Palestinian ability to travel between each area. People have difficulty getting to their jobs, visiting hospitals and attending schools. The Wall has been declared illegal by the International Court of Justice. ⁽¹³⁾

UN Resolutions

Israel has been the recipient of, and breached, over 200 UN resolutions ⁽¹⁴⁾, relating to:

• annexation of parts of Jerusalem 
• establishment of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention 
• annexation of the Golan Heights 
• deportation of Palestinians 
• destruction of Palestinian houses and when the houses are rebuilt, destroying them again 
• denying building materials, food and water to Palestinians.

Sharon has been a key player in many of the actions that these Resolutions relate to.

Remembering Sharon

His supporters claim that as Prime Minister, Sharon was constantly offering olive-branches to the Palestinians who refused peace. The truth is that Sharon did offer peace, however, it was on conditions that cost Palestinians more than it was worth and all the while Israel continued ethnic cleansing by either killing or driving out Arabs, stealing their land and moving settlers in illegally.

Sharon was not a man to be trusted. His entire life testified to his commitment to destroy Palestine. Sharon is not a man to be revered. He was personally responsible for ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the West Bank through military operations and the establishment of settlements on land stolen from Palestine. He was personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians through military operations he participated in or directed.

Sharon's actions were criminal, yet he was never charged. One of the reasons that Israel and the USA opposed the admission of Palestine to the United Nations was that it could pave the way for Palestine to bring charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court for genocide, war-crimes and crimes against humanity. Sharon once declared, 'Israel may have the right to put others on trial, but certainly no one has the right to put the Jewish people and the State of Israel on trial'.  ⁽¹⁵⁾

Sharon's actions must never be forgotten.

He was not a man of peace.

Ariel Sharon was the Butcher of Beirut ... and of Palestine.


References

1. Guardian.com, 11 January 2014, Ariel Sharon death: reaction from around the world,
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/11/ariel-sharon-tributes

3.  Greens/Green Party USA, Resolution on Divestment of State Funds from Israel, Winter 2003, http://www.greens.org/s-r/30/30-05.html

4. David Blair, Why does Ariel Sharon matter, 11 January 2014.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/10547694/Why-does-Ariel-Sharon-matter.html

5. Jeffrey Steinberg, Ariel Sharon: Profile of an unrepentant war criminal, http://www.larouchepub.com/pr/site_packages/2002/sharon/020430sharon_crime_hist.html

6. Edward W. Said, How Great Were the Injustices of Arabs to Jews; 'Pacification' of Gaza, 28 January 1988, http://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/05/opinion/l-how-great-were-the-injustices-of-arabs-to-jews-pacification-of-gaza-160288.html

7. Robert Fisk, Ariel Sharon', 6 January 2006,
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/fisk/ariel-sharon-by-robert-fisk-521809.html

8. United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 22/29, Follow-up to the report of the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, A/HRC/RES/22/29, 15 April 2013.
http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/98edce37e189625b85256c40005da81b/053db1b0222d1e5d85257b6a004f2168?OpenDocument

9.Human Rights Council, Twenty-second session, Agenda item 7, Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, Report of the independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session19/FFM/FFMSettlements.pdf

10. Joe Quinn, Peace In the Middle East? - Over the bodies of 3 million Palestinians, 17 December 2010, http://www.sott.net/article/124417-Peace-In-the-Middle-East-Over-the-bodies-of-3-million-Palestinians

11. Time World, Interview: Ariel Sharon, 14 May 2005,
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1061419,00.html

12. Human Rights Watch, Jenin, 2 May 2002, http://www.hrw.org/node/79081/section/1.

13. BBN News, UN rules against Israeli barrier, 9 July 2004,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3879057.stm

14. The UN resolutions are available online.

• For resolutions accepted by the UN Human Rights Council refer to: http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/vCHRRes?OpenView&Start=1&Count=150&Expand=1#1

• For resolutions accepted by the UN Economic and Social Committee: http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/vECOSOCRes?OpenView

• For resolutions accepted by the UN Security Council: http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/vCouncilRes?OpenView 

• For resolutions accepted by the UN General Assembly: http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/vGARes?OpenView

15. BBC News, Clashes mar Mid East inquiry, 25 March 2001,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1241371.stm


Note, that this article was updated on 18 January 2014 to include Julie Bishop's visit to Ariel Sharon's grave and the letter sent to her from the Australian Jewish Democratic Society.

Greed & gluttony - the real War on Christmas

Every year people across the globe celebrate Christmas, whether they are Christian or not. They'll decorate their houses, sing carols and give gifts to family and loved ones. For many children, the mythical Santa Claus will visit and leave them a special gift.  'On earth peace, goodwill to all men' is one of the main bible scriptures quoted during this time (Luke 2:14 KJV).

Also every year, we hear of a 'War on Christmas', a war that is apparently attacking the very fabric of the Christmas celebration.

This 'war' is allegedly perpetrated by grinches who want to ban Santa Clause or other aspects of the Christmas celebration. A number of hoax emails that usually blame Muslims, but have no basis in fact, are circulated - check Snopes¹ or hoax-slayer². I'd have to seriously question the mental and moral state of the person who sees fit to compose a hoax email in order to spread hatred in the community. It is a sad indictment on the community, that so many people actually believe these emails without checking them out. After all, Google is but a mouse click away. It is people like this who have lost sight of the meaning of Christmas (remember the 'peace, goodwill to all men' thing?)

The 'War on Christmas' is also being waged by anyone who commits the dastardly act of saying 'happy holidays' instead of the socially acceptable, 'Merry Christmas'.

These events do not signify a 'War'.

The only War on Christmas was waged & lost years ago. It is the one in which the Christmas spirit was usurped by capitalism; by greed and gluttony. The generosity of the real St Nicholas (Nikolaos of Myra - a Greek Bishop who lived in what is now Turkey) who gave to the poor and needy, has been replaced by Santa Claus who brings unnecessary gifts to rich kids while the poor continue to suffer. Sadly, Santa either doesn't visit poorer children or when he does, the toys are not as expensive. Maybe Santa uses cheaper elves for making the presents of the poor.

Santa's gifts are based on whether you're naughty or nice, good or bad - according to one or two Christmas Carols. Yet, this has no basis in scripture. Jesus didn't come for those who 'deserved' His redemption (remember Romans 3:23-24, 'For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus').

We are told that Jesus is the 'reason for the season'.  Yet most families, Christian or not, barely (if at all) acknowledge Jesus in their haste to open their presents before gorging themselves on food and drink. Christmas was lost to greed and gluttony years ago.

Of course, the irony is that Christmas was originally a pagan festival known as Saturnalia, in which people gave themselves over to absolute pleasure and indulged their fleshly desires in unrestrained revelry: not unlike Christmas in first world countries. Greed and gluttony.

People across the globe can't wait for the fat-man to deliver gifts that may or may not be needed, and then guts themselves stupid until they feel sick - while millions of people go hungry. All of this to the accompaniment of Christmas Carols extolling the virtues of peace and goodwill. Christmas spirit or Saturnalian celebration?

This decadence is hardly a celebration of Jesus and contains a shallow concept of peace and goodwill.

The 'War' on Christmas has not come from other religions or from the benign 'happy holidays' greeting, but from capitalist exploitation and marketing. Capitalism isn't just content to sell us rubbish that we don't need, but also to force many people in retail to work over Christmas, keeping them away from their families and friends in order to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the manipulated masses to spend, spend, spend.

Throughout his life, Jesus preached and commanded love of all humanity, to eshew greed and to help the poor. If we are to truly celebrate Christmas, we should be helping the poor and loving everyone (not just other Christians or those with the 'Christmas Spirit' who indulge in the Saturnalian or Bacchanalian decadence of consumerism and over-indulgence).

It is greed and gluttony that waged the War on Christmas, and that war was lost years ago. The bulk of Christendom indulges in the capitalistic and selfish delights of what constitutes the modern Christmas 'Spirit'.

Many of us appreciate that it is our family and friends who are more meaningful than any gifts we receive. Yet, what about those who are lonely or homeless, who are languishing in prisons, detention centres or refugee camps? Again, for those who want to keep 'Christ' in Christmas, it may not hurt to check out the parable of the sheep and the goats (remember the bit about 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me' - Matthew 25:31-46).

Here's a thought or two. Why not give a gift to a stranger, someone less fortunate than ourselves. Of course, we shouldn't wait until Christmas to help others, but as Christmas is a time of gift-giving, it is certainly a good time to give useful gifts to the poor and needy. Or why not take the time to spend time with the lonely, the homeless, the prisoner, the refugee. Time and attention are valuable gifts, and maybe for a moment, take the focus off ourselves and our greed.

Peace on earth and goodwill to all.

References

1. 'Cardwell', Snopes, http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/cardwell.asp, 3 December 2013. Last accessed 25 December 2013.

2. 'Hoax - Broadmeadows Shopping Centre Christmas Celebrations Ban', Hoax Slayer, http://www.hoax-slayer.com/broadmeadows-christmas-celebrations-hoax.shtml, 10 December 2013. Last accessed 25 December 2013.

History and heresy - the crucifixion of Christ in the 21st century

Have conservative, fundamentalist Christians learnt nothing from history?

It was the religiously conservative, fundamentalist, legalistic types who:

* crucified Jesus (after all, you can't preach heresy that undermines the religious establishment)

* burnt Joan of Arc (and others) at the stake for witchcraft (after all, you can't have visions of God that give political advice which differs to the religious establishment's politics).

* established the Spanish Inquisition to torture and murder enemies of the church

* undertook the crusades to wage a holy war in order to expel the 'heathen' Muslims from the 'Holy' Land.

* supported Adolf Hitler, who claimed to be a Christian upholding Christian values, because nothing says Christian like imprisoning and killing Jews, Communists, Socialists, gypsies, homosexuals and anyone else who is perceived to be unpatriotic, or a risk to the economy or threatening 'traditional' family and church values.

* waged war in the Middle East and Afghanistan to destroy 'terrorists' and 'fundamentalist Muslims' - essentially anyone who fights back against the American capitalist war-machine as it exploits weaker economies for its own gain (reminiscent of the Crusades, but let's not go there - pardon the paralipsis).

* waged a war on the poor by supporting the rich in the mistaken belief of 'trickle-down' economics, after all, we all know how willing rich people are to give their money to the poor.

* support the apartheid state of Israel through misinterpretation of scripture, which essentially denies the need for Jesus delivering salvation to Judaism, as well as sponsoring the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestine: contrary to what Jesus preached and what's written in the bible.

What did Jesus actually preach? Well, Jesus was a revolutionary who opposed the mainstream religious institution and the hypocrisy that went with it. It wasn't so much the government that he opposed, as it was the religious elite, namely the Pharisees and Sadducees. He spoke up for the poor, the marginalised, the despised. He hung out with the tax collector and the prostitute. Ironically, many Christians today oppose tax and promote smaller government, as if this is biblical. Yet, Jesus said 'render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's'. He never opposed paying tax and didn't come to overthrow the Roman Empire.

Many Christians are happy for tax breaks to go to the rich while criticising welfare for the poor, as if this is biblical. They believe the more money given to the rich, the more money the rich will give the poor. It's refreshing to hear the current pontiff, Pope Francis call trickle-down economics out, when he said:

'The promise was that when the glass was full, it would overflow, benefiting the poor. But what happens instead, is that when the glass is full, it magically gets bigger. Nothing ever comes out for the poor'.

The right wing opposes the revolutionaries, the ones who speak up against capitalist exploitation. The Occupy movement for instance, wasn't exactly on the Christmas card list for many fundamentalist Christians. Yet, Jesus also opposed exploitation of the poor by the rich and by the religious establishment.

It's interesting that Pope Francis also pointed out that the church has been focused on the wrong priorities, such as the preoccupation with homosexuality and abortion, while people suffer from poverty. Yet, listening to some Christians, homosexuality is an unforgiveable sin. If it was so serious, then why did Jesus not mention it. Not once! It's the church and the religious fundamentalists who need to apologise for their sins against the poor, the homosexual, the reject.

The right-wing continues with its judgemental vitriol against Communism, Socialism, environmentalism and homosexuality, while standing up for capitalism, exploitation and gun-ownership.

If Mary appeared today, unwed and claiming she'd gotten knocked up by God, there'd be outrage in the church and allegations of an attack on the family unit. Imagine the uproar if Mary's son then went on to preach heresy such as 'for God so loved the world' (and by implication everyone in the world, such as homosexuals, atheists, Muslims, Communists and so on), or giving commands such as 'love your neighbour' (again by implication meaning to love the world and everyone in it, not just the right-wing, capitalist Christian), or something like,  'I tell you the truth, it's hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God ... it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God'.

With such heresy, Jesus would be burnt at the stake or crucified ... well, maybe today it would mean a lethal injection or spending the rest of his life in Guantanamo Bay for being some sort of radical, unpatriotic, terrorist hell-bent on dismantling the capitalist state and undermining Christian values.

What has changed since Jesus was crucified by the establishment 2,000 years ago?

If Jesus appeared today; a long-haired, brown-skinned, kaftan-wearing God-freak, preaching the prioritisation of the poor over the rich, love over hate, peace over war; he'd be ridiculed, abused, crucified.

Ironically, it's rebirthed capitalist Christianity that is the heresy, defending greed and hatred. Those who speak up for love and peace are the true fundamentalists, preaching and delivering the fundamental message of Christ.

For more than 2,000 years, however, the message of love and generosity has been overshadowed by those willing to kill to defend power and wealth in the name of God. Throughout the generations this heresy has been rebadged and sold to the masses in one form or another. And it continues to this day, masquerading as a multitude of Christian doctrine, such as prosperity teaching, Christian or family values, conservatism. Meanwhile, wars are waged in the name of it. Wars against the poor, the homosexual, the abortionist, the Muslim, the Communist and so on.

History is a great teacher, but only to those willing to learn. The rest will repeat the tragic mistakes of the past.

From Nanny State to Police State

For years, the Liberal Party and its supporters have accused the Labor Party of running a nanny state. Every time that legislation was introduced with the aim of protecting people from themselves or others, the 'nanny state, nanny state' squeals from the right-wing were deafening. Whether it was workplace health and safety laws, anti-discrimination laws, anti-vilification laws, even anti-fat laws which now require restaurants to state the calorie content of its food, the right wing accused Labor of wrapping society in cotton-wool.

The extreme right-wing Liberal National Party that now rules Queensland under Premier Campbell Newman, claimed that it was going to reduce red and green tape because Queensland was over-governed, over-regulated, over-legislated.

To de-nannify Queensland, Newman and his side-kick, Attorney-General Jarrid Bleije, introduced new laws:

• Name and shame juvenile offenders who commit a second offence ⁽¹⁾
• Sex offender law amendments which removed power of the courts to decide whether a sex offender should be freed, and gave it to the Attorney-General ⁽²⁾, in breach of the Westminster Convention. The Court of Appeal has rejected these amendments as invalid. Bleije is considering challenging the Court of Appeal ⁽³⁾.
• 'Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment' Act, which outlaws dozens of motorcycle gangs, makes it a crime for three or more people to be gathered together and allows for an additional 15 to 25 years jail on top of the head sentence, for a member of an outlaw gang who is convicted of a violent crime ⁽⁴⁾. Persons convicted under the VLAD Act may be sentenced to a dedicated prison, spend 23 hours per day in a cell and wear a pink jumpsuit ⁽⁵⁾. The legislation is very broad and doesn't just apply to bikers ⁽⁶⁾.
• There also anti-Union and anti-democracy laws, aimed at weakening the rights of workers, including banning Unions from using membership funds to undertake advertising campaigns without a referendum ⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾, and banning employers from deducting union membership fees from their wages ⁽⁹⁾.

Anyone who doubts the danger of Newman's fascist laws or who believe that it only targets the worst of the worst biker gangs, should take a look at what happened in Queensland on 14 December 2013. Every year bikers hold a toy run, in which they deliver toys to needy children. Newman and Bleije unleashed the Queensland Police on the charity toy run which was being conducted by Christian biker group, the Tribe of Judah. Unconfirmed reports on Facebook and Twitter claim that more than 700 bikers were stopped under the VLAD Act. Channel 10 reported that there were 300 charity bikers stopped ⁽¹⁰⁾.

Either way, this is an incredible abuse of police power. If the bikers were distributing drugs, weapons or other contraband that would be understandable, but they were distributing toys to the most needy children in Queensland society. Children who likely will have a very bleak Christmas. Children who may well be desperate and destitute. Merry Christmas kids. Your government is just waiting for an excuse to send you to jail, so don't load up on toys or other things that you might enjoy.

Instead of the Newman government attempting to fix social problems, they target the most needy. Even the 'name and shame' laws are not aimed at rehabilitating, but at victimising the victims of poverty.

Labor may have run a Nanny State according to right-wingers, but the LNP is blatantly and boldly operating a fascist Police State; one in which the liberties of all citizens are under threat.

What's next? Ban freedom of speech? Ban the media, or bloggers, or Facebook, Twitter and other social media users from making comment?

Newman and his cohorts are operating a fascist government which is getting more and more extreme.

At risk of invoking Godwin's Law, it isn't too much of a stretch to remember the words of the German Baptist preacher, Martin Niemöller who stated,  'When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent, I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent, I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak up, because I was not a trade unionist. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out'.

All Queenslanders should be concerned and speaking up against these draconian and totalitarian laws. 

References

1. Marissa Calligeros, Brisbane Times, 'Queensland to name and shame young offenders', 26 September 2013, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-to-name-and-shame-young-offenders-20130926-2uexk.html. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

2. Amy Remeikis, Brisbane Times, 'Bleije bypasses courts on state's worst sex offenders', 16 October 2013, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-to-name-and-shame-young-offenders-20130926-2uexk.html. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

3. Brisbane Time, 'Jarrid Bleije announces review of dangerous prisoner laws', 8 December 2013, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/jarrod-bleijie-announces-review-of-dangerous-prisoner-laws-20131208-2yyyf.html. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

4. Queensland Government, Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory, Media Statements, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice The Honourable Jarrid Bleije, Tuesday, October 15, 2013, 'Tough penalties for criminal gang members', http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/10/15/tough-penalties-for-criminal-gang-members. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

5. The Guardian, 'Pink for punks: Queensland plan to embarrass bikies in jail', 21 October 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/21/pink-for-punks-queensland-bikies. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

6. Anna Capellano, Independent Australia, 'Are you a vicious lawless associate?', 8 November 2103, http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/are-you-a-vicious-lawless-associate,5876. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

7. Stand for Qld, 'Fact sheet on Newman LNP Government extreme anti-Democracy Bill', http://standforqld.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Q-Watch-Fact-sheet-on-LNP-Bill-V2-BY1.pdf. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

8. Amy Remeikis, Brisbane Times, 'Newman government rachets up 'war' on unions', 8 August 2013, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/newman-government-ratchets-up-war-on-unions-20130807-2rgw7.html. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

9. Alex Scott, Together Union, 'New industrial legislation by the Newman government', 11 June 2013, http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2013/s3854365.htm. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

10. Sarah Greenhalgh, Channel 10, 'Bikies spread Christmas cheer', 14 December 2013, http://tenplay.com.au/news/brisbane/2013/12/14/bikies-spread-christmas-cheer. Last accessed 15 December 2013.

Australia v Indonesia - Ego over economics

Give aid, reward with trade.

And the stand-off with Indonesia continues following the revelation that Australia had tapped the phones of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife, Ibu Ani Yudhoyono, and a number of other Indonesian officials in 2009.

Australia claims this was in response to the deaths of a number of Australians from terrorist attacks in Indonesia.  Australia and Indonesia already cooperate with each other in combating terrorism, so it is doubtful that bugging the phones of the President and his wife, would have been of benefit.

Understandably, President Yudhoyono is outraged, as is the rest of Indonesia, and has called for a formal response and an apology from Australia. Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, is refusing to apologise and has yet to formally respond to President Yudhoyono.

Whether Abbott should apologise or not is debatable. As has been pointed out numerous times, most countries spy on each other. However, Abbott should at least call Yudhoyono and discuss the matter. This is the basis of international diplomacy.

As a result of this insult, Indonesia has suspended military and people smuggling cooperation with Australia, placing additional pressure on Abbott's hyperbolic and hysterical 'Stop the boats' campaign. Cooperation with Indonesia is essential to the success of any policy regarding asylum seekers.

In opposition, Abbott often ran from the difficult questions. There is the embarrassing footage of Abbott being lost for words when confronted by a journalist over his comment, 'Shit happens' regarding the death of a soldier in Afghanistan. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wT9XS_TvzQ).

Now that Abbott occupies the highest office in the country, he is still running from difficult discussions. In relation to the spying allegations, he has hidden behind Parliament in order to make a few casual statements.

In the meantime, Indonesian anger against Australia grows while Abbott keeps his head firmly planted in the sand, hoping it will blow over.

Conversely, in Australia, there are those who agree with Abbott and angrily claim that we should cancel aid to Indonesia, as though Indonesia needs Australia more than the other way around.

It may be prudent to consider who needs who.

Remember, the crisis that Australia's farmers faced when former Prime Minister Julia Gillard banned live exports to Indonesia? The ban crippled Australia's cattle farmers.

Australia is the largest source of international aid to Indonesia, and will provide an estimated $683 million during 2013/14. In 2012/13, Australia provided approximately $541.6 million in aid. Certainly not small potatoes.

However, mutual trade between Australia and Indonesia accounted for $11.1 billion in 2012. Indonesia is Australia's 12th largest trading partner. Of this, Australian exports accounted for approximately $4.8 billion and Australian imports for 6.3 billion, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/fs/indo.pdf).

Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world. Its economy is growing rapidly, with real GDP growth of 6.3% in 2013. It is one of Australia's most important economic trading partners, and has huge potential for increased growth. Particularly, as Australia's aid money is used to raise the economic standards of Indonesia. Aid = better economy = increased trade = better economy etc. It's not rocket science.

Australia benefits significantly from the relationship with Indonesia. It does no good for Abbott to preference ego over economics and diplomacy.

After winning the 2013 election Prime Minister Abbott claimed that the 'adults are back in charge' of the government.  Well, it's time for Prime Minister Abbott to pull on his big-boy pants, phone or visit President Yudhoyono and resolve this issue as soon as possible.