Government, ASIO need to explain interference in refugee visas process

In reaction to reports that the former Immigration Minister Scott Morrison deliberately obstructed the processing of visas for refugees in 2013, Amnesty International Australia’s Refugees Coordinator Graham Thom said,

“This is another example of Australia’s cruel and punitive approach to people arriving by boat to seek our protection. This is despite the recommendation from the Minister’s own Department that under Australia’s international obligations, these people were entitled to permanent protection.

“The Government needs to explain why these measures were taken and why it is appropriate that Australia’s security agency, ASIO, was being used in this way.

“Now that the Home Affairs Department has been established, giving the current minister Peter Dutton carriage of both Immigration and ASIO, Minister Dutton should rule out using ASIO as a pawn in the implementation of his cruel immigration policies.  

“Amnesty International Australia is calling for clarity from ASIO as to whether they complied with the then Minister Scott Morrison’s request for them to delay applications, and we are calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to intervene to rectify the assessments for all the refugees affected and grant them the permanent protection they deserve.”

Arms sales expansion plan exposes Australia to profiting from human rights abuses

Responding to reports that the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that he wants Australia to become one of the world’s top 10 arms exporters to target markets including the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region, Amnesty International Australia’s Crisis Campaigns Coordinator Diana Sayed said:

“When the Government talks about expanding arms exports to the Middle East, where exactly does it mean? Syria? Saudi Arabia? And when it talks about the Indo-Pacific, is it contemplating Myanmar? The Philippines? We are seriously concerned about indications that the Australian government intends to become a major arms exporter to volatile regions that have appalling human rights records.

“Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne floated this idea back in July, when he said he was looking to increase Australia’s weapons exports to the United Arab Emirates, among other target markets. At the time, Amnesty pointed out that Australia held itself up as a leader in the successful negotiation of the Arms Trade Treaty and that, as a global arms control leader, it is deeply concerning that Australia would express an intention to expand arms exports to the United Arab Emirates, while they are part of a Saudi-led Coalition committing shocking abuses in Yemen, or indeed to Saudi Arabia itself.

“We have been asking the Australian Government for some time now to publicly report the exact nature of all arms transfers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to date and to its allies in the war in Yemen, and to cease the authorisation of any future arms transfers while there remains a substantial risk these arms will be used to fuel human rights abuses. While there is reluctance on the Government’s part to exercise transparency in its arms exports trade, it is unthinkable that it would even contemplate expanding it.”

Background

Australia is obliged under the Arms Trade Treaty not to authorise weapons transfers to countries where there is an overriding risk these weapons could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.

PNG: Sick asylum-seeker restrained and force-fed

Responding to news that an asylum-seeker being treated at a hospital in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), for a serious medical condition, has been restrained for three days and is being force-fed by hospital staff after he went on hunger strike for 20 days, Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International’s Pacific Researcher said:

“Forcing medical treatment and feeding a patient without his consent, unless it is medically necessary, may violate the right to health and the right to be protected from torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. He has gone on hunger strike to protest the poor medical treatment he has received in PNG and his need for further medical treatment, which cannot be provided in the country.

“The Papua New Guinea and Australian authorities must address the underlying concerns raised by the asylum-seeker, and must transfer him to a hospital in Australia where he can receive the appropriate treatment he urgently needs.”

Background

The asylum-seeker is currently at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and is subject to a court order to facilitate force-feeding and current medical treatment. He claims that he has been slapped by hospital staff attempting to force-feed him.

He was previously sent to Australia for medical treatment before being returned to Manus Island. He has been informed by medical professionals that his condition cannot be treated in PNG, yet Australian officials have refused to transfer him to Australia for further treatment. He has been at the Pacific International Hospital for just over a month.

Around 800 refugees and asylum-seekers have been held on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea for nearly four and a half years by the Australian government in restrictive conditions that are cruel and degrading.

Just over 100 refugees and asylum-seekers were sent to Port Moresby in 2017 for medical treatment, some have remained there for nearly a year. Amnesty International spoke to over 30 refugees in Port Moresby in November 2017, many of whom said they had been waiting for months for medical treatment or had been told their conditions cannot be treated in Papua New Guinea because of limitations in the health care system, including lack of equipment or available specialists.

Asylum-seekers in Papua New Guinea are those who initially sought asylum in Australia, but have not had the right to fairly present or appeal their claims, even though they may have received an initial negative assessment from PNG immigration authorities. More than 800 refugees and asylum seekers remain trapped in PNG under Australia’s cruel policies of ‘offshore processing’.

26 January. The date that divides the nation.

Rodney Dillon is a Palawa man from Tasmania and Amnesty International Australia’s Indigenous Rights Advisor

For some people, 26 January means a day of barbecues, of fireworks, of friends and family. A day to celebrate this country. Australia Day.

Rodney Dillon standing in front of a beautiful Indigenous artwork with blues, reds, yellows.
Amnesty’s Indigenous Rights Advisor Rodney Dillon

This year, like every year, I wish I could tuck into some prawns, watch those fireworks, and join in the celebrations on that day.

But for me, my family, my friends, and pretty much everyone I know, 26 January is a date of grief and mourning, not a day of celebration.

Many years ago, I realised I couldn’t celebrate Australia on 26 January. Sometimes I come to work that day like any other. But usually I join with most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and an increasing number of non-Indigenous people, to take to the parks and the streets to protest the ongoing human rights abuses of our people.

That date is the anniversary of the colonisation of this country 230 years ago. It’s the date that began all the killing, the rapes, the slavery, the incarceration, the wrenching of children from their mothers’ arms and the theft of our beautiful land and waters.

26 January means sorry business for our people.

Every year that Australia Day is held on the anniversary of colonisation is another year that Australians try to pretend our history of brutality didn’t happen.

But what if Australia Day was a day that united us, rather than divided? A day where we all could come together to celebrate this huge, beautiful, unique land and waters, and our diverse cultures?

What if Australia Day were moved to any of the other 364 days in the year that didn’t mark the start of all this pain? A date that meant something to everyone, whether your ancestors came here 65,000 years ago, 230 years ago, or you migrated here last week.

There are so many options for dates that could unite us as a country.

There’s 3 June, Mabo Day and the date the High Court of Australia recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were living in this country before it was invaded. There’s 1 January, the date of Federation.

And there’s my favourite, 1st of September, the first day of Spring and the time when the days start getting longer and warmer. We currently know it as Wattle Day, because it’s when our green and gold national flower is out and blooming all over the country — a unique Australian beauty that we can all celebrate.

The call to #ChangeTheDate is getting louder, and will continue to grow each year. A national day that should be about togetherness will instead be marred by divisiveness until the date is moved — and this will stall the progress of reconciliation.

I believe in reconciliation for this country. I was heartened by the bridge walks in the year 2000, when hundreds of thousands of people walked in support of reconciliation.

People gather in Sydney to support Indigenous rights and acknowledge Invasion Day. Sydney, 26 January 2016.
People gather in Sydney to support Indigenous rights and acknowledge Invasion Day. Sydney, 26 January 2016.

I feel that same spirit today, in the growing movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people calling for our national day to be held on a date when we can all celebrate the amazing survival and resilience of the world’s oldest culture.

A movement of people who see the opportunity for us not only to share 230 years of knowledge, but to share 65,000 years of knowledge.

I’m proud that my employer Amnesty has adopted a position and an online petition that the date should be moved, calling on the Federal Government to consult with the community to choose a new date for Australia Day so it can be celebrated by all.

It’s an acknowledgement of the human rights abuses that have happened against our people, and are still happening today.

It’s a sign that we need to tell the truth about 26 January, about Australia’s history of atrocities, for us to be able to heal and move forward, together.

My hope is that our elected leaders will also show the vision to do the right thing and move the date, so we can all move forward in the spirit of reconciliation.

This article originally appeared in the Koori Mail.

Afghanistan: Amnesty International stands in solidarity with Save the Children following Jalalabad attack

In response to today’s attack on Save the Children’s offices in Jalalabad, which has left several people dead and a number of others injured, Biraj Patnaik, Amnesty International’s South Asia Director said:

“We stand in solidarity with our colleagues at Save the Children following this dreadful news, which comes after a wave of violence against civilians including the deadly assault at the Intercontinental Hotel.

“It is an organisation that has worked tirelessly in Afghanistan for more than four decades, delivering outstanding work during some of the country’s most turbulent periods.

“Bombing and shooting people who are working for no other reason than to help improve the lives of young Afghans is a cowardly and despicable act. Deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime.”

12 inspiring human rights activists to follow in 2018

For people standing up for human rights, social media is an outlet to make their voices heard. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are all proving more and more popular when it comes to activism across the world, providing a space where people come together, exchange ideas, learn from one another, organise and have their say.

If you want to have your finger on the pulse when it comes to inspiring activism on the ground, here are some accounts to follow in 2018…

Activists of New York City

Since President Trump took power, New York City has become one of the main stages of protest against what is seen as a rollback of human rights. So, if you want to know what’s happening on the ground, check out Activists of New York. It’s a “documentary photo project about activism, protests and social justice movements in New York City”.

Cindy Trinh, a lawyer turned photographer, is the mastermind behind the project. “It is a documentation on what is happening in the streets of New York, as the events happen,” Cindy reveals.

“As you see what is happening in the news and we see the response to these tragic events happening, I wanted to document what activists are doing in response to these events.”

The photography is beautiful, the message powerful – and she’s covered Amnesty International’s Human rights Conference in the USA!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVa6mkyHzRq/

Befeqadu Hailu

Befeqadu, also known as Befekadu Hailu, is an award-winning Ethiopian writer, activist and blogger who has been imprisoned solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression. Befeqadu, along with other members of the Zone 9 blogging group, was arbitrarily arrested and charged with terrorism in 2014 due to his online and offline activism and campaigning on human rights in Ethiopia. Although he has now been released, Befeqadu is still facing trial for a charge of “inciting violence through writing”.

He’s a prolific writer – he came third in the 2012 Burt Award for African Literature for his novel Children of their Parents (2013) and was awarded the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists in 2015. He tweets about human rights in Ethiopia.

Twitter: @befeqe
Blog: www.befeqe.blogspot.com

Behrouz Boochani

Kurdish journalist, filmmaker and human rights activist Behrouz Boochani is using social media to protest against his detention by Australian authorities on Manus Island, a remote part of Papua New Guinea where refugees are being held. Behrouz fled Iran after the authorities detained several of his colleagues. But in 2014, when he arrived in Australia, authorities forcibly transferred him to the infamous detention centre on Manus Island, where he is one of around 700 refugees being held in the camp. Over the past four years, he has been detained in the refugee centres, where he has been targeted by authorities for his role in peaceful protests.

Behrouz bravely documents his continuing ordeal for a number of media outlets, penning a heart-breaking diary about the reality of what it’s like to be detained on Manus Island, and advocating for the rights of himself and others. He is also co-director of the film “Chauka Please Tell Us the Time”, filmed entirely on his phone camera within the refugee detention centre. Take a bit of time to scroll through his Twitter and Facebook, and you will see an activist brave enough to shed light on one of the major human rights crises of our time.

Facebook: @BehrouzBoochaniJournalist/
Twitter: @BehrouzBoochani

Charlie Dark

Charlie is a DJ and poet from London, UK. He is the founder of the successful Run Dem Crew, formed in 2007. Run Dem Crew is a running club, but with a difference – they are a multifaceted organisation dedicated to changing and empowering the next generation. The organisation works with young people all over London providing mentoring, advice and opportunities for exploring the city in a safe and inclusive environment.

Charlie is also part of the Amnesty Collective: a diverse group of young artists, activists and influencers using their platforms to speak out about issues that are important to them.

Instagram: @daddydarkrdc

https://www.instagram.com/p/BchWLDblYI_/

Franchesca Leigh AKA Chescaleigh

Franchesca Ramsey is a comedian, activist and actress. From racism to pop culture, Chescaleigh isn’t afraid to speak out about the issues she is concerned about. Plus she’s fun and her videos are too. For her, the internet provides a space for activists to meet no matter where they are from and share what’s going on in their world.

“For a black activist, for an activist of all walks of life, the internet has become this kind of meeting place where we can exchange ideas, where we can learn from each other, where we can get inspired about new ways that we can make changes within our own communities and own homes. It’s a really exciting time for all activists.”

Instagram: @chescaleigh
Twitter: @chescaleigh

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQK4-Vhl8TZ/

Hend Amry

Libyan-American Hend Amry is quick-witted, sharp and funny when it comes to firing off Tweets. An inspiration in fact. Although she doesn’t see herself as an “activist”, she’s not afraid to challenge issues such as racism, Islamophia or inequality, tweeting funny responses with a unique spin. Hend proves that as long as we care, we all have the capability to make a difference.

“I think we are all activists when we comment on the news of the day, and bring attention to events that require our consideration.”

Oh, and her Tumblr is very funny too.

Tumblr: http://libyaliberty.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @LibyaLiberty

Kat Blaque

Kat Blaque is a feminist YouTuber, illustrator, animator and writer. Her videos are honest, authentic and bold, with a focus on gender, sexuality, race and how they intersect.

“I’m a woman, I’m black, I’m curvy and I’m trans. There are a lot of things that I deal with. When I talk about those things, I am literally talking about my embodiment of these intersections.”

As a black, female feminist, Kat frequently faces a torrent of online harassment, but she’s bold and unafraid in her response – and her fans love her for it. Last year, Kat called out a man who was harassing her online. She blogged about it for The Huffington Post and sparked a response from many others who shared her outrage. The activists’ response triggered an investigation by the man’s employer and he was subsequently fired from his job. Result.

Instagram: @kat_blaque
YouTube: Kat Blaque

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X77L2cPongM

Mai Khoi 

Mai Khoi is an outspoken musician who has been described as “Viet Nam’s Lady Gaga”. She is a pro-democracy activist in a country where political opposition and dissent are not tolerated. Having spoken out about sexuality, LGBTI rights, violence against women, and voicing her opinions about Donald Trump, she has been targeted and harassed by Vietnam’s authorities for peacefully exercising her right to publicly express her opinion. As a result, she has been evicted without being allowed to collect her possessions, stalked, harassed and arbitrarily detained. Her concerts have also been raided.

“There is no such thing as freedom of expression here, not in any meaningful sense, anyway. You can’t sing and play your guitar on the street or organize a private show in your own house without having to first ask for permission.”

In 2016, she hit international headlines when she became the first Vietnamese celebrity to run as an independent candidate in the Communist-controlled National Assembly, but her application was rejected. In the same year, she met with then US President Barack Obama to discuss the situation of human rights in Vietnam. Much of her social media is focused on her music, but her lyrics remain critical, touching on many human rights issues of our time.

Facebook: @mai.khoi.official/
Twitter: @themaikhoi
Website: https://mai-khoi.com/mai-khoi

https://www.facebook.com/mai.khoi.official/posts/1958577387730221

Nancy Herz

Nancy is a young woman from Norway, who cares about human rights. In 2016, she wrote the article, “We are the shameless Arab women and our time starts now” – and a movement of women reclaiming the word “shameless” began. In 2017, Nancy, along with Sofia Nesrine Srour and Amina Bile, wrote the book “Shameless”, which included stories from girls who had personally experienced shaming for not conforming to gender norms. The book was a huge hit, with Nancy saying “I feel so proud when I receive messages from young girls who say I have encouraged them to speak out – that because I dare to be myself, they do too. This is what fighting against injustice is about.”

“By using our voices, we can make the space for freedom of expression bigger… it’s an ongoing struggle, but I believe that we have to keep pushing towards a world in which everyone can enjoy their basic right of living freely.”

Instagram: @nancherz

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbHnj0RnI6D/

Noan Sereiboth

Noan Sereiboth is a political blogger and integral part of Cambodia’s active political youth. He is a standing member and regular contributor to the now-suspended “Politikoffee”, a website encouraging youth debate on current political and social issues. Due to the repressive political climate in Cambodia, Politikoffee decided to suspend its activities on 27 November 2017.

Sereiboth has a strong social media presence on Twitter and Facebook, where he shares his opinion on current political events and developments in Cambodia – and it’s really worth checking out. A tweet from Politikoffee on New Year raised hopes that it will resume activities this March in a crucial year for Cambodia’s future.

Twitter: @noansereiboth

Sakris Kupila

Sakris was a teenager when he realised that the gender he was given at birth doesn’t express who he is. Since then, he has faced many challenges in Finland. First, he needed to be diagnosed with a “mental disorder” in order to change his name to one that he felt better matched his identity. Then he learned that in order to have his gender legally recognized, he would need to be sterilized.

“It felt like I was categorized subhuman based on my gender identity. I felt sick.”

Despite facing intimidation and threats, Sakris is bravely campaigning for a fairer system for transgender people in Finland, so that nobody else has to go through this.

Instagram: @sakriskupila
Twitter: @sakriskupila

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbW7r4JFPlK/

Amnesty International

Last but not least, follow us! We will be sharing loads of inspiring stories from people doing incredible work and standing up for human rights throughout the year. Plus, we’ve been campaigning globally for human rights since 1961. We work to protect women, men and children wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. And the only reason we’re able to do all the great work we do, is because of you. Make sure you’re following us this year!

Facebook: Amnesty International Australia
Instagram: @amnestyaustralia
Twitter: @AmnestyOz

https://www.instagram.com/p/BX6-SIWg8V1/

Bangladesh/Myanmar: Postponing returns arrangement provides temporary relief for Rohingya refugees

The government of Bangladesh’s announcement that it is to postpone the return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar is a welcome relief for hundreds of thousands currently living in Bangladesh, Amnesty International said today. Implementing a returns arrangement – finalised last week – in its current form would put the safety and rights of more than 650,000 Rohingya who fled a brutal military crackdown last year in serious jeopardy.

“Given the scale and horror of the abuses inflicted on the Rohingya, any arrangement on returns must first address the conditions of apartheid that the Rohingya have fled from. Many refugees no longer have homes to go to since the military burned them to the ground; nor is there any guarantee that they will be free from ongoing discrimination and violence under the apartheid regime they so recently fled,” said Charmain Mohamed, Amnesty International’s Head of Refugee and Migrant Rights.

“While it is positive that Bangladesh has acknowledged the need for further preparations and delayed the repatriation process, there would need to be a wholesale reform of Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya before any returns could truly be considered safe or voluntary. Yesterday’s announcement may temporarily protect Rohingya refugees from being returned to face further abuses – but they need a sustainable solution.”

Amnesty International’s concerns about the repatriation arrangement

Amnesty International has highlighted serious human rights concerns with the returns arrangement signed by the Myanmar and Bangladesh governments. The arrangement envisions a possible UN involvement only on the Bangladesh side and the level of authority or oversight of the UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR – to ascertain the voluntariness of returns is still unclear. On 16 January 2018, the Government of Myanmar announced that it would accept the return of 1,500 refugees every week.

While any Rohingya who genuinely wish to return to Myanmar have an inalienable right to do so, and both Bangladesh and Myanmar are legally bound to facilitate such returns, Amnesty International is concerned that the current arrangement does not ensure that their returns are safe, voluntary or dignified, as required under international law, and would in fact be coerced, and amount to refoulement.

The arrangement remains problematic for several reasons, including:

  • The emphasis on timeframe and quotas, which increases the risk that Rohingya would be coerced into returning.
  • Current conditions in Myanmar, where the authorities have refused to acknowledge the scale of the violations and crimes committed in last year’s crackdown or to dismantle the apartheid regime.
  • Requirements that Rohingya who wish to be repatriated provide evidence of past residence in Myanmar – an impossibility for many Rohingya, who have long been denied citizenship in Myanmar and deprived of documentation, and many of whom will have lost any documents while fleeing military violence.
  • The fact that UNHCR is not guaranteed access to potential returnees at all stages of the process.
  • A failure to explicitly acknowledge the right of the Rohingya to be protected against forcible returns to serious human rights violations.
  • A failure to explicitly acknowledge the right of the Rohingya to return to Myanmar, their country of origin, if they genuinely wish to do so.


Amnesty International is urging the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar not to contemplate the return of Rohingya to Myanmar until conditions meet the standards for safe, voluntary and dignified returns, and there have been credible measures to include refugees in decision-making affecting them.

Background

Refoulement means returning individuals to situations in which they are at risk of persecution or other serious human rights violations. The principle of non-refoulement is a cornerstone of the international refugee protection regime, and is binding on all States, regardless of whether they have signed the 1951 Refugee Convention.

 

Young people still at risk despite WA Banksia Hill inquiry

An independent inquiry into abuses at Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre is welcome, but must be accompanied by immediately moving at-risk young people out of the harmful ‘Intensive Support Unit’.

WA Corrections Minister Fran Logan announced at a press conference on Friday that Inspector of Custodial Services Neil Morgan would examine the allegations of abuse, revealed by Amnesty International.

“This is a positive step, to see that Minister Logan has listened to the concerns of abuse of vulnerable young people imprisoned in Banksia Hill, and committed to an inquiry,” said Tammy Solonec, Indigenous Rights Manager at Amnesty International.

“However, right now, young people are still being held in the harmful ‘Intensive Support Unit’, at acute risk of further trauma. Getting these young people out of this damaging environment is an urgent priority. The unit must be shut down until the inquiry releases its findings.”

“We look forward to seeing the terms of reference for the inquiry, which must look at all conditions that can cause harm to these vulnerable young people, including the practice of prolonged solitary confinement.”

“We also call for the inquiry to make very specific recommendations, so that the WA Government can be held accountable for progress on them.”

“The abuses of young people at Banksia Hill are further evidence that Prime Minister Turnbull must lead the States and Territories in overhauling the punitive injustice system, all over Australia. Our young people must instead be nurtured and supported to overcome their problems and thrive in their communities.”

Five cool human rights jobs

Full disclosure: I’m not a career counsellor. I had no idea where I was heading when I left the classroom, but now as a Communications Coordinator for Amnesty International, I can say that I’m pretty lucky to be spreading the word about human rights for a living. I witness humanity at its worst – but also its most inspiring.

Human rights are universal – and the opportunities to work to defend human rights are pretty vast. Here are just five of the cool human rights jobs I’d suggest to my younger self.

1 Human rights lawyer

Good at arguing your way out of anything? A typical day as a human rights lawyer can mean anything from assisting asylum seekers in navigating Australia’s refugee policies, to preparing cases on companies trampling Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

To tackle the big cases you will need plenty of experience first, but once you’ve earned your stripes as an all-trades lawyer, there are opportunities to start work for human rights in a pro bono (free) capacity.  

Darwin lawyer Kevin Kadirgamar, who was was awarded the 2015 Australian Young Lawyer Award for his pro bono refugee work says: “Working in migration and refugee law is both challenging and rewarding. It is an area that enables a lawyer to make a significant difference in a client’s life.”

Pros: Giving a voice to the voiceless

Cons: Working for free

2 Film-maker

Who doesn’t love movies? Wield your artistic and directorial skills for human rights – think amazing documentaries like Chasing Asylum.

bold title saying 'chasing asylum' in front of a blue-washed picture of a boat over crashing waves
©Copyright @ leapfrogfilms 2016

Creator of the award-winning Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Jessie Taylor says: “In my experience, you can talk to people as much as you want about policy and politics, but it’s very unlikely to change anyone’s mind. The only way to change people’s minds about the question of asylum seekers is for them to come face to face with the human beings.”

Pros: Travelling around the world and hearing amazing stories

Cons: Finding funding

3 Activist

So you won’t get paid in cash, but you’ll bank a lot of karma. And when you are campaigning for something you are passionate about, whether it be LGBTQI rights, refugee rights or preventing violence against women, the feel-good factor is amazing.

Rae, who volunteers in Amnesty’s Brisbane office says: “To me, being a volunteer activist is about standing up for what’s right, every time. It’s having the difficult conversation with a frustrated family member; explaining why refugees can’t go back to where they came from. It’s sitting up late at night reading article after article about Indigenous rights in Australia, because you just want to know more.

The best part about being an Amnesty activist is that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you do for a living, or how old you are. Anyone is welcome. The only requirement is passion.”

Pros: Flexible hours and work; karma points

Cons: Difficult conversations

4 Global researcher

Human rights are borderless, so if you are keen to travel and are fearless enough to investigate human rights abuses around the world, consider becoming a researcher. Being a researcher means mixing investigative journalism and research, advocacy work, a thorough understanding of law and policies and a knack for community engagement.

Research in the field © Amnesty International

Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Director Tirana Hassan, who spent the last ten years living and working in conflict zones says: “My team and I are there to document what happens on the ground and to bring it to the world’s attention – bearing witness, being on the ground and forcing action and accountability in real time – can prevent further violations from happening.”

Pros: Helping people in desperate situations

Cons: A whole new meaning to ‘never home’

5 Social media whiz

Can you imagine getting paid to spend your day on Facebook? That’s exactly what Jessie Mawson, social media specialist at Amnesty International Australia does.

To excel in this field, you’ll need sweet graphic design skills, a brain for data analytics, and a keen eye for the latest trend and the newest tech.

“It’s easy to think that social media is all selfies, memes and pictures of people’s breakfast,” says Jessie. “But, really, it can be a powerful tool for social change. It’s never been easier for good ideas to catch on and start a movement.”

Pros: Sharing the message of human rights with Australia

Cons: Trolls. Need we say more

Keep Australia Day, and move to a date we can all celebrate

Australia should move Australia Day to a date that is inclusive of all Australians and recognises the survival and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Amnesty International said today, as it released its first position statement on the issue.

“Australia Day should be a day when everyone can come together, to celebrate our unique, beautiful and diverse country,” said Rodney Dillon, Palawa man from Tasmania and Amnesty International Australia’s Indigenous Rights Advisor.

“We want to keep Australia Day, and move the date to respect human rights for all, bring people together and mature as a nation. This issue should not be about politics or wedging people against one another. We want to make the day better, by moving it to an inclusive date when we can all celebrate together.”

Tammy Solonec, Nigena woman from W.A. and Indigenous Rights Manager at Amnesty International Australia, said:

“But, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 26 January marks the colonisation of this country.

“Our history didn’t begin on 26 January 1788; it began over 65,000 years ago – and we’re still making it now. Let’s celebrate the survival and resilience of the oldest living culture in the world and change the date.”

“We have a chance to right wrongs. There are 364 other dates in the year when we can celebrate our country on a date that unites us, not divides us.”

“Let’s keep the day and move the date.”

Amnesty International’s position statement calls for the Federal Government to consult with the community to choose a new date for Australia Day so it can be celebrated by all.

The position statement is as follows:

The anniversary of British colonisation of Australia on the 26th January has been formally marked as Australia Day since 1994, but celebrations and protests on that date go back to the 1800s.

Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been subjected to violence including through the frontier wars and government policies that created harm including the removal of children, the removal of people from their ancestral lands, slavery and the denial of self-determination.

The 26th January is and will always be an important day for Australia – but there are better days to celebrate this nation. In solidarity with the call of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and groups, Amnesty International Australia supports Australia Day being held on a day other than 26 January so that all Australians can celebrate together.

Amnesty International calls on the Australian Government to start a consultation process to move towards a new date for Australia Day – one which is inclusive of all Australians and recognises the survival and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Amnesty International also allows its staff to work on 26 January and take off the public holiday another day, in solidarity with Indigenous people. As a show of support, many of the staff who chose to work on 26 January last year attended Survival Day events.