Easter 2005 weekend convergence

Read a RAC media release issued prior to this event

Prior to the Convergence, detainees had commented in Baxter News on the prospect of loss of privilege during the protest, and asylum seekers gave their opinion about sharing their accommodation with Cornelia Rau.

Always good at street theatre, the Sydney contingent starts arrive - when there's a sizeable audience already there to witness their arrival.

"Hey ho, hey ho,
Amanda Vanstone's got to go."

Melbourne activist Grace catches up with Jane of Adelaide. Jane came from England in a boat. Grace, a £10 Pom, came in 1967 in a plane, her fare paid by Australian taxpayers. The Australian government thought white English people would keep the place "racially pure." Jane and Grace both work hard to put that little myth to bed.

I want to thank all the people involved in RAC for organising everything. It was an awesome experience to be a part of, and that's thanks to the hard work and commitment of you guys. I have been totally inspired by you all, and am planning to be much more involved in RAC in the future.

Rai Jones, Eltham

Before going I didn't really have any expectations or deep understanding of the issue. I just thought it was very inhumane to lock families and people in a prison system when they have been charged with no crime.

I don't like how the government is portraying refugees. I think they are playing on racist fears generated through terrorist claims and the tradition of racism in Australia's political history.

When I went, I met an amazing group of dedicated and compassionate people. I also met an amazing group of brutal, dominating policemen who were determined to treat us like criminals.

I am really happy to have had a chance to see the issue firsthand.

I think the protest made a statement to Australia that there are people who are compassionate and caring enough to go to some effort. Everyone who I have spoken to since the protest has said they don't think kids and families should be locked up! But, as is always the way, few actually get off their butts and do anything.

It really enhanced and defined some of my attitutes. I learned that we do live in a police state. The police response was overwhelming and abusive. We had a legal right to protest!

I learned that the state does lie to us (police media release saying there were 120 hardcore protesters). I learned there is a risk in using the mainstream media as an activist tool. I thought the media were invasive and incosiderate. They did not care why we were there. They just wanted action, violent shots. They feed the system of TV and media that has most of the Australian population trapped and stiffled.

It was amongst the saddest and most inspirational weekends I have had. I am now more motivated to contiue attending my local peace network meetings and I am proud to be one of the few people in Australia who is spending time outside of work commiting myself to improving this world which can be very negative at times.

Zach Worrall, 26, Upwey

I was so glad to be part of the Baxter trip with you all. It was wonderful camping up there in the desert and walking to the detention centre to bring the message to the refugees that we know about their imprisonment and are vehemently opposed to it.
Rosemary Wilson, 69, Mitcham

As a kid I was generally "good", well behaved, rarely in trouble with parents or teachers, and never with police. I never felt oppressed, just did as I pleased. Conveniently what I had learned to want and do was exactly what I was supposed to want and do. This weekend was an example of what freedom meant. We were not committing crimes which endangered the lives or safety of anyone. Only challenging the mental comfort of society. And we were faced with hundreds of police, some in riot gear, and some on horses. I have never felt so aware of my oppression. That the banner with "freedom" written in several languages was attacked by police only forced this feeling home stronger.

On Sunday morning when we walked with the "freedom" banner and balloons, the STAR police arrived in riot gear, blocking the road. We linked arms and slowly proceeded. I found myself in the front row, ready for my first confrontation with a police force. My hands shook uncontrollably. There was a moment of stand-off 10cm from their faces. I looked into the vacant eyes of one man. I realised they were not men right now. They were uniform and training. Nothing more. A scary thought. Then they pushed into us. And this is the beautiful moment for me. We didn't move. I fell back into the arms of people behind me and was held. It was a bit squishy, but such a strong feeling of having hundreds of people supporting me. And then we walked through their line towards the detention centre. It was wonderful to feel that oppression weaken for a few moments. Thank you to everyone.

Sarah Brooke, 23, Moorabbin

Always write it down when it happens, while it's fresh in your mind...

And keep the sun off your head...

picture by Borja Romero

I travelled to the Baxter protests unsure of what I could help achieve.

The dehumanisation of refugees by victorious and acquiescent federal politicians is both abhorrent and symbolic.

I left Baxter more depressed than when I arrived, having seen the desert compound and its unwelcoming guards with my own eyes.

But I left spirited that against the odds we'd delivered a message to those forced to subsist for years in Australia's isolated camps.

The message was simple: that Australians welcome these friends and do not accept this regime.

John U

Apparently the only time this road is blocked is when we converge on this place, and the only time all these cops are here. But despite what we're told, it's not the only time the detainees have their "privileges" denied.

RAC(Vic)

I can tell you that some people from my country have said I deserve to be deported for interfering with Australian 'internal' policies! Whatever..

One of the more embarrasing issues of Australia is the Mandatory Detention Policy.

A refugee is a person who 'owing to a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.'

Refugees run away from their countries because of wars, civil conflicts, political persecution or abuses of human rights. On the Universal Declaration of Human Rights we can read "Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution."

And what does the Australian government do about that right? They basically put these people within detention centres (elegant way to say concentration camps) for an indeterminate time. Nowadays Australia has six of these dentention centres with about 300 refugees. Among these 300 refugees there are about 85 children.

The Australian policy called Mandatory Detention Policy says that anyone who arrive Australia illegaly (when you are persecuted in your country is not always easy to get a passport to leave whenever you want) are put into a concentration camp without charges or even a deadline for your trial (or revision of your refugee status).

It is really a unique experience in your life. The place is just terrifying. Placed in the middle of nowhere, in a semi-desert area and about 30 km from the closer town, surrounded with two fences, one of them electrified, the other with barbed wire.

They don't want the people to see this camp, and furthermore if you try to escape with such a scenery you have no chance.

It is a high security prison for people (and this includes children) that have commited no crime but fleeing fear for their own lives in their countries. If we can add the desperation because they don't know when is their trial going to happen. Now there is one person who has stayed there detained for 6 years.

Because of the convergence the authorities decided to enclose the refugees during these 3 days in the barracks.

With these facts you can only go and protest. A camp with every kind of person and collectives. 500 people. From the first moment and because this diversity the non-violent actions were preferred. However, police answer with brutality. Two examples, two of the actions were to free some ballons and to fly kites. The ballons and kites were an attempt to show the refugees some support. The STAR police answer popping ballons and arresting those people who were flying kites.

But the best moment of the protest happened on Saturday night. I was going back to the camp, placed by the police authorities arbitrarily 2 or 3 km from the centre to discourage the protest. We had spent some time at the centre gates, singing, praying, with candles... Suddenly I saw some people shouting and ... they were shouting back from inside! They had made contact for the first time during the weekend.

Is terrible to hear a person shouting "Freedom" from a concentration camp in an occidental country. Even more when you know that this person is probably exposing herself or himself to a severe represion if they get caught. "The person" rapidly were at least 4 different voices. We continued this way for an hour, exchanging shouts and whistles. Making them know that they are not alone. Transmitting hope.

Our group was getting bigger and bigger as the new was being propagated. The police approached the exterior fence trying to intimidate us but it was too late for that. A lot of people (including myself) couldnt repress their tears, a mixture of excitement, impotence, happiness... And afterward we could see that one of the refugees had climbed into the roof and was waving to us and shouting.

If you are not interested, at least wonder yourself what would be your feelings or the media cover if the concentration camps were situated in China, Iran, Cuba... and you see a picture of a prisioner WITH NO CHARGES OR TRIAL DATE shouting "Freedom," or what would you think if you see policemen of these countries popping ballons or acting brutally against everybody on their way to these SO dangerous "Kite Flyers". Some people say that you can know how a society is watching how it treats to the weakest.

In this case Australian society, so proud always of their multiculturality, should feel shame and go to the next convergence so we will be 5000 protester instead of 500.

Borja Romero, 24

Borja is a visitor from overseas who preferred not to go to the tourist traps which the Australian government would prefer that he visit. Refugee Action Collective was very grateful for his contribution to the struggle for refugee freedom, and he will always be a welcome visitor at our meetings. RAC also thanks him very much for his photos.

For me Bx05 was different from Bx03. This time because of personal and health reasons I didn't go down to the gates once. Indigenous Australians know what to do when it's hot. I stayed under the shade at our camp with one or two Bungala people who camped with us, staring out across the horizon, enjoying companionable silences. Sure enough, just like Audrey predicted, several were sick when they got back. Just as well one or two of us stayed cool, calm and collected.
Grace Gorman, 58, Bentleigh

The tail end
of the solidarity march.

Read a media release
issued after this event