1819 News’ Post

Were you appalled by an advertisement published this week in the Herald Sun? It was misinformation. It was fresh proof of the willingness of some people to spread misinformation for short-term political again. No matter about the human beings behind ‘refugee and asylum issues’. No matter about the truth.   But people seeking asylum, refugees and their rights matter. The truth matters. Power built on untruth is not stable.   More than 10 years ago, when the Kaldor Centre was just being established, our Director, Jane McAdam AO, wrote an opinion piece setting straight the many inaccuracies then being peddled about people seeking asylum. As she noted then: ‘However logical these conclusions might seem, the problem is that they are based on flawed premises. If we don't have accurate information, then we can't help but draw false conclusions.’   Regrettably, a culture of misinformation has become increasingly common since that time, and with the spread of social media, far more difficult to combat. It’s up to all of us to try to shift the narrative and the nation.   Our mission at the Kaldor Centre then, as it is now, is to provide clear, simple and accessible information about refugees and people seeking asylum – and, in particular, what the law requires.   Do you have questions? Pop them in the comments and we will try to answer them with the law and evidence-backed research. Meanwhile, here’s that oped from October 2013. https://lnkd.in/evZiTRxp

Media should promote the correct information for unity. Since mainstream media published the news of Albanese's net overseas migration intake causes housing crisis, I feel the sentiment of anti-migration/migrants. Again migrants (coloured people) to be blamed and victimised. Do we really want the division or the unity? The correct title should be "Slow economy growth due to geopolitical issue, Albanese's administration should reduce net overseas migration" or "Albanese's administration should increase supply of housing" It was wrong to blame Albanese's administration because of the backlog and it was morally wrong to blame migrants (coloured people) With Gratitude and Blessings Yuliana Gunawan (not interested in politics but very weary of migrants safety) My condolences for the death of moral and integrity Note : the stats are based on ABS, I just calculated the average intake of migrants (a holistic and impartial approach) Diversity Council Australia Ltd, Media Diversity Australia, Julian Hill, Giri Sivaraman கிரி சிவராமன், SSI,Simon Matuzelski

Migrants who've crossed the southern border into the U.S. are on the move, sometimes by choice, often not. Now Denver, Colo., Mayor Mike Johnston says he has to cut some city services to pay for programs to help the new arrivals. Johnston, a Democrat, told us the challenge really began last year when a type of protected status for Venezuelan immigrants expired. Click here for the full story from NPR: https://lnkd.in/gbyhj-hW #RationalMiddleImmigration #USMexicoBorder #BorderPatrol #MigrantIssues #AsylumSeekers #StoneyCreekPublishing #SouthernBorderCrossing #DenverMayor #ImmigrationChallenge #VenezuelanImmigrants #MigrantSupport #USImmigrationPolicy #BorderCrisis #ImmigrationDebate #RefugeeCrisis #ImmigrantRights

The current #media ecosystem is particularly susceptible to #disinformation. When targeting #migrants, disinformation can have an impact on public opinion, increase hatred against vulnerable minorities, undermine social cohesion, and sow distrust towards the government. Which are the main false narratives targeting migrants? 🚨 Migrants are violent or criminal One of the most common disinformation narratives about migrants is the one that depicts them as a danger for European societies. Migrants are the target of false news portraying them as violent, dangerous, criminal, or as strongly conflicting with Western values. These false stories are designed to misrepresent all migrants as inherently prone to violence, falsely labelling them as naturally inclined to illegal activities and resistant to democratic and social norms, hence reinforcing prejudices against them. 💸 Migrants are draining our resources and receive better treatment than local citizens In addition to portraying migrants as dangerous, another major disinformation narrative depicts them as profiteers or parasites exploiting the European countries hosting them. According to this narrative, migrants would be an unaffordable cost for the host countries as well as a disadvantage for their citizens. This exacerbates resentment, with false stories that often portray migrants as exploiting the resources of their host country to make a comfortable living. Interesting European Digital Media Observatory analysis comparing disinformation narratives targeting migrants from the Global South and Ukraine. Are arguments and techniques used the same? 👉 https://lnkd.in/exygKKNG #narratives #PublicOpinion

#Safe and #regular #migration of all #migrants is crucial for preserving the rights and well-being of individuals on the move and it is the only way to minimize illegal migration & the risks associated with it.

Opinion: When Giving Water to Thirsty Migrants Becomes a Crime By: Ahmed (Stakoza) Arafa, Egyptian peace activist and human rights defender Do you remember the last time you saw someone thirsty on a hot day and offered them a cool glass of water? It is a simple act of kindness that comes naturally to most of us. Yet, in some parts of Europe, offering that same glass of water to a migrant could land you in jail. In Europe, a dark trend has emerged where basic human decency is criminalized, casting a shadow on the principles of compassion and solidarity at the heart of the European Union. It is important to remember that in Europe, people on the move face dire circumstances, enduring border violence and prolonged suffering that strip away their dignity. Forced to make perilous journeys, often under trains or on boats, their choice is born out of desperate necessity to escape conditions worse than the challenges ahead, holding on to the hope of finding a sanctuary to rebuild their shattered lives. As difficult as these choices are, the alternatives are even more harrowing. Consider this scenario: a volunteer, driven by empathy and a commitment to human rights, offers water, food, or shelter to migrants in need. They then face harassment, legal persecution, and even imprisonment. This disturbing trend not only obstructs humanitarian work but also challenges our very shared humanity. As an activist deeply involved in supporting those on the move, I have witnessed first-hand the consequences faced by individuals and organizations who, driven by empathy and a commitment to human rights, find themselves entangled in legal battles over providing the most basic necessities – water, food, and shelter. for more: https://n9.cl/h8mot Tamooda is a media platform launched in partnership with ARDD, to be a platform for free expression, concerned with understanding the renewed and upcoming Arab regional and global issues and transformations, and to offer a modern presentation of the visions and hopes of the Renaissance. Tamooda

🚨 251 organisations write to the PM expressing outrage at the #RwandaBill Community Policy Forum & 250 other civil society organisations have signed an open letter to Rishi Sunak following the passage of the Government’s #RwandaAct 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHhyHz_b We have come together to make a stand against the Government’s #RwandaPlan, which we say breaks international law and “abandons our duty to share in the global responsibility towards those forced to seek safety”. We deem the Rwanda Act “a shameful and performatively cruel law that will risk people's lives” and affirm that the Government is rewriting facts following the Supreme Court’s ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country to which to send refugees. The letter has been signed by organisations from across UK civil society, including: Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Human Rights Watch, Freedom from Torture, Refugee Action, Refugee Council & Migrants' Rights Network. “While this is a targeted attack on refugees and migrants, an attack on one group is an attack on all of us.” ✊🏼 Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill to become law after late-night showdown https://lnkd.in/eTQvbaea

🔥 NEW REPORT: At least 117 people faced judicial proceedings in the EU for helping migrants in 2023. The majority were charged with facilitation of entry, stay or transit or migrant smuggling (depending on how the crime is defined in national law).   The figures stem from our media monitoring of different national news outlets throughout 2023. This is most likely an undercount, as official data is lacking and many cases go unreported and undetected. Still, these data confirm a concerning, ongoing trend observed in previous reports: at least 102 people were criminalised in the EU in 2022 and at least 89 were criminalised between January 2021 and March 2022.   🚔 Our media monitoring found that the majority of people criminalised were in southern Europe, but cases were also reported in other countries.   Acts that were criminalised include: rescuing or helping migrants in distress at sea; providing shelter to migrants; promoting inclusive policies at local level; trying to stop a deportation, and providing migrants with food, water, and clothes.   The average length of the proceedings is 3.5 years, but many last even longer.   🛶 Not only solidarity with migrants is being criminalised under counter-smuggling legislation, but also the very act of migrating. In 2023, at least 76 migrants in Italy, Greece and Spain were criminalised for the sole act of crossing borders irregularly.   At least seven of the people criminalised in 2023 were children at the time of the facts.   Migrants were charged with facilitation of irregular entry for actions including driving a boat, being on boat, and resisting a pushback at sea. The accusations fail to capture the underlying motivations behind these actions, which often include reuniting with family members, covering the cost of the passage, seeking livelihoods, and supporting others.   💰 Our media monitoring also recorded at least 15 cases of non-judicial harassment, concerning 17 individuals and 12 NGOs. In one third of the cases, the person/organisation concerned was issued an administrative fine for their actions in support to migrants. Other non-judicial forms of harassment included confiscation of material, police harassment or detention. 📖 Read more in our report: https://lnkd.in/dK_Y3ZwS #migration #humanrights

While numbers of irregular crossings are decreasing, the criminalization of 'any intentional assistance' is rising.* 📈 Platform for Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) report shows that 117 people have been prosecuted for helping refugees and migrants in 2023. ⬆ This number stood at 158 of individuals for the period between 2015 and 2018. In total. For three years. Although numbers of criminalization sustained over numbers mostly dropping.** 👐 Since our study, back in 2018,*** I am still fascinated how the EU back in 2001 managed to deviate from the UN Smuggling Protocol, which at least required 'profit'. 👮♀ Well, the EU decided, 'just to look more tough on migration' back then. But if core criminal activity can be any 'help', there are serious risks to erode not only human rights of migrants, but also of citizens, including watering down Rule of Law & Democratic principles as Dunja Mijatović has aptly warned.**** 🌐 We need a global and systemic change to see again human mobility as both opportunity & necessity. Not only necessity for those escaping wars, environmental disasters and economic collapse, but also for rapidly ageing European population, for welfare systems to be alive. 🤝 So maybe after all scare-mongering it is in our all interest to humbly to follow-through on the commitments made for the Global Compact for Migration and Global Compact for Refugees for more - humane, safe and regular migration and humanitarian evacuations. 🎊 Then, we would celebrate the intentional assistance! #HelpIsNoCrime #migration #humanrights #solidarity * Frontex's own accounts of 'irregular crossings' show an increase, mainly due the movement towards Canary Islands - 161%. Prosecutions are mainly happening in the contexts where overall border control has been beefed up, thus likely multiple attempts of crossings also increased, like for instance in the Eastern border with Belarus. Please note, that numbers of actual people stranded at the borders are much lower. + Interestingly, exits towards UK counted also. Not the least, check the nationalities, those arriving through Eastern boarder are mainly - Ukrainians, other nationalities being other war torn countries - Afghans, Syrians, Palestinians, Somali.. https://lnkd.in/eJxmGhsb. ** Check out excellent graph of Carmine Conte, PhD at p. 25 in our #RESOMA report - https://lnkd.in/eKyJi69S *** CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) study for the European Parliament - with amazing colleagues - Stéphanie Brenda Smialowski, Dr Jennifer Allsopp & Gabriella Sanchez ! https://lnkd.in/eapUNTHx **** https://lnkd.in/eXZ24dHH

Throw back. As the author of this 2016 article, I am compelled to assert that the issues I highlighted then are not just relevant but are glaring injustices that demand immediate redress. My encounter with migrants, their harrowing tales of survival amidst systemic brutality, has fueled a burning determination within me. It is utterly disheartening to witness the persistent sub-Saharan migrant crisis, with migrants continuing to endure unimaginable hardships and rights violations along their perilous journey to Europe. The European Union's hypocritical stance, turning a blind eye to the suffering it facilitates, is nothing short of abhorrent. In the face of ongoing conflicts and geopolitical machinations, the urgency of addressing this humanitarian catastrophe cannot be overstated. We cannot stand idly by as human lives are disregarded and trampled upon in the pursuit of political expediency. As a fervent advocate for justice and human dignity, I refuse to remain silent. We must vehemently demand that human rights be upheld, that dialogue be fostered, and that compassionate immigration policies be implemented without delay. My resolve is unwavering. I will continue to raise my voice, to challenge the status quo, and to fight tirelessly for a world where the inherent worth and dignity of every individual are respected and upheld. #JusticeForMigrants #HumanRightsNow #EndTheHypocrisy #NoMoreSilence #CompassionateImmigration #PowerfulOpinion #migrants #migrantworkers #flashback