10th June 2013

NZ must take lead to stop asylum seeker deaths

ChangeMakers Refugee Forum is calling on the Government to show leadership in developing a regional solution to avoid more asylum seeker deaths. ChangeMakers General Manager Tim O’Donovan says the Government’s claim that a boat carrying asylum seekers could make its way to New Zealand and the growing number of asylum seeker deaths are evidence that more needs to be done.

‘It’s not ok for our Government to be passing legislation to detain people who are attempting to arrive via boat and not be engaging with our regional partners on durable solutions to a problem which in the last week alone has claimed the lives of over 50 people.’

‘The Government’s response to date, has been to agree to take 150 refugees from Australia as part of New Zealand’s annual intake of 750 quota refugees and to draft legislation that punishes people who arrive in a boat claiming asylum. According to the Government we can expect people attempting to come to New Zealand via boat; a journey that is far more perilous than the journey asylum seekers are already undertaking; a journey that is likely to result in a far greater loss of life.’

Australia and New Zealand are signatories to the 1951 Refugee Convention but Indonesia and Malaysia are not. The Convention allows for people to seek asylum and not be punished for doing so. According to the UNHCR, Indonesia and Malaysia have faced a steady increase in the number of new arrivals but with little in the way of legal frameworks to protect them, refugees and stateless people are treated as illegal migrants, subject to detention and deportation.

‘New Zealand has a real opportunity to work with Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia to address the reasons why people are willing to put their lives at risk. We have a moral obligation to turn our attention to this issue. People are losing their lives because they are excising an internationally agreed right to claim asylum.’

ChangeMakers is clear as to why New Zealand should take the lead in this area. ‘Unfortunately, this issue has become so politically divisive in Australia the likelihood of a solution coming from Australia is extremely slim. New Zealand is in a unique position based on our geographic location, our international reputation for resettling refugees, and our positive relationships with regional partners to take the lead in developing a long term solution’ says O’Donovan.

‘We need to do more than our current piecemeal approach to the issue of asylum seekers and resulting tragedies. We need to do more than being part of the solution; we need to lead it.’

www.crf.org.nz

ENDS

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