PRESIDENT’S REPORT
TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
AUGUST 21, 2003
Dear Council Members:
The year since our last annual general meeting has been a very busy one for
the Council. As most of you will be aware, one of the major activities in
which we were involved over the year was the defence of the Council’s
victory in the High Court in having the policy of indiscriminate detention
of asylum seekers declared unlawful. This ruling was challenged by the New
Zealand Immigration Service in the Court of Appeal. Unfortunately, that Court
ruled against the Council’s position and thus put the stamp of approval
on the Immigration Service’s detention policy. Following that ruling,
the Immigration Service was awarded costs against the plaintiffs, including
the Council. In the last communication received from our lawyers, we were
informed that the Service intends to pursue costs against us. We hope that
the Service’s recognition of the valuable role played by the Council
in having the issue of detention aired, and in a wide range of other matters
relating to refugees and asylum seekers, will persuade it to abandon any
effort to collect such costs from us, particularly as the Council has no
income source of its own.
Asylum Seekers
The other major issue tackled by the Council during the year has been the
question of benefit support for persons who are claiming asylum, during the
period that such claims are pending. In many cases, those persons have no
means of support, cannot work, since they are not granted work permits, and
thus are left to the mercy of charity, or to the ravages of the street. In
conjunction with the Combined Beneficiaries Union, the Council has brought
several test cases before the Benefits Review Authority, and has also been
involved in discussions with officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare,
with a view to amending current benefits policy to provide for asylum seekers
while their applications languish in limbo. Our efforts continue on this
project.
Unlike last year, thankfully, there was no Tampa crisis during the year under
review. The major event in the area of asylum seekers was the arrival of
Professor Ahmed Zaoui, a member of the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front,
to seek asylum here. On presenting his asylum claim shortly after his arrival
in December, Professor Zaoui was arrested and has been held in the maximum
security Paremoremo prison since then, as presenting a security risk. The
Council arranged for him to receive regular visits in prison, by our
Vice-President, Dr. Wahib Zaza, to ascertain the conditions of his detention
and to ensure that those conditions conform to international standards and
norms. Professor Zaoui’s lawyers have, as you know, presented a successful
claim on his behalf to the Refugee Status Appeals Authority. The Professor
remains in prison pending a political determination as to whether or not
he should be released. We hope that his status will be resolved shortly.
Members of the Council’s Executive spearheaded a series of meetings
held during the course of the year with officers of the New Zealand Immigration
Service. The purpose of these meetings was to present and to resolve issues
and problem areas faced by refugee communities, as well as incoming asylum
seekers. Representatives from other concerned groups, such as The Auckland
Refugee Council, Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Foundation were
invited to participate in these meetings as required.
Conferences
I represented The Council in December 2002 at a conference in Canberra, Australia
on Setting the Agenda for A Multi-Cultural Australia. Much of the information
and the ideas generated in the conference can be of use here in New Zealand,
and we plan to incorporate from it those elements which can assist us in
our work.
The Council also participated in Tri-partite consultations with representatives
of the NZIS and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),
in October 2002 and March of this year.
The Council’s affairs
The Council is very grateful for funding assistance received over the year
from The Community Organisations Grants programme of the Department of Internal
Affairs. This assistance, together with funds received earlier from Auckland
City, the J. R. McKenzie Trust, and the Lotteries Grants Board permitted
us to maintain an office throughout the year, and to support the continuing
work on behalf of our target communities.
I am pleased to say that the Council was able to persuade the IRD to remove
a debt of some $3000 in taxes claimed against us. This debt arose prior to
the time that we were granted charitable organisation status. Thanks to the
tireless efforts, over many months, of Executive Committee Member, Mike Darke,
the IRD finally agreed to remove the liability from their books.
The Council’s worldwide web site is now established. Members and others
may obtain all the latest news and developments from the Council by accessing
its website at www.supportfind.com/rcnz.
We have also arranged for the Council to do a weekly broadcast on issues
of interest to refugees and asylum seekers. The programme, “New Roots”
will be aired on Access Community Radio, Planet 104.6 FM, between 2:10 and
2:40 p.m. Wednesdays, starting next Wednesday 27 August.
Refugee Welfare
Last year I reported that there was a potentially troubling development with
respect to the provision of basic needs to asylum seekers in the Auckland
area, through the Auckland Refugee Council. I am pleased to say that through
the joint efforts of our Council and the Auckland Refugee Council, those
developments have now been resolved.
Conclusion
This was another year of challenge for the Council. The Council continues
to move forward in its work and, I am pleased to say, is increasing its impact
on those issues of concern to refugees and asylum seekers. We intend to continue
our close liaison with the New Zealand Immigration Service and hope look
forward to receiving from that agency the cooperation that has been forthcoming
in the past.
Once again I extend a special invitation to former refugees who have found
comfort within the society to involve themselves in the Council. It is only
through your work and efforts that we can hope to keep Aotearoa/New Zealand
the humane place of refuge it has been for those who need to find safe harbour
away from their native lands. I look forward to all of us cooperating and
joining together to meet the challenges of the future.
Thank you all.
Sgd: N. Rasalingam
Dr. N. Rasalingam
President |
