PETITION
To the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, the Honourable
Senator Amanda Vanstone.
Petition in the case of forcibly returned asylum seekers in Lombok, Indonesia allowing them
permanent protection in Australia.
Asylum seekers fleeing persecution in their homelands arrived at Ashmore Reef in
Indonesian fishing boats in 2001 and asked for asylum. The Australian navy was ordered to
return them to Indonesia. Now about 87 asylum seekers, including children, live in Lombok
on scant charity provided by IOM paid for by the Australian Government. They are not
accepted by the Indonesians and are without the basic human rights of work, travel or
study. They have been described as people “without a life or future… adults denied their
human rights, stripped of their human dignity and falling apart.”
The present petition calls on the Minister to allow the asylum seekers in Lombok to return to
Australia to live, study and work in our community while they are assessed for refugee
status.
PRINT NAME
ADDRESS
P/Code
Authorized by Rural Australians for Refugees, South Gippsland Branch
Return to: Felicia Di Stefano 125 Bateson Road, Glen Forbes, 3990. Phone: 5678 3294
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