Papers
October 11th, 2004 by gina.revill
After a very satisfying Sunday morning reading the papers and a long walk in the forest (with two other people, three guns and a machete) I am ready this morning to drive up into the wild northern lands for a week to work with my lovely colleague Sarah. Can’t wait…
Comments
I hope they were machine guns! You were never one to “embelish” things!
Mumsy
October 11th, 2004
Hope you brought a warm rain coat - it’s cold and wet up here:-(
Linda H
October 12th, 2004
While you’re reading the papers, look for any sign of info from NZ about the continued solitary confinement of Ahmed Zaoui - for two years - on secret information that our inept Secret Service claims to have - despite the courts here having declared him a refugee, and saying that he must be given his human rights. The Govt here has just appealed this decision to the Supreme Court. Can you believe this?
Stevie the Pirate
October 13th, 2004
I’ve heard of him Steve-horrible isn’t it? The new terrorism laws are scary. I’ll let you know if I ever see anything.
As for Yorkshire-are you up here Linda??? Might see you across the moors!
Gina
October 13th, 2004
You didn???t think you could make comments about internationally sensitive, highly secret government stuff without us knowing did you?
We’ll be watching you from now on Mr Stevie.
In New Zealand we strongly believe in the freedom of speech, civil liberties and freedom of movement.
But that has to be balanced with the safety of the country. We cant let just any body do or say or wander around here, especially if they pose a threat to our democracy…. Some how.
We certainly can???t be disclosing what this chap has done to deserve incarceration with out trial, any one would think that the Government is answerable to the people for its actions or something, God forbid.
Any way when you get an unsubstantiated request from certain powerful countries its far better for us to put some one away and ask no questions that to stand up for silly civil rights stuff don???t you think
Secret Police
October 14th, 2004
Get your hand off it, Stevie.
Zaoui is being prevented from passing through our borders and entering the country. He can depart anytime by going back the other way and leaving our shores. So dry your tears over his incarceration.
If you want a refugee to campaign for, why pick a grinning, overweight one? There are plenty of miserable-looking, skinny ones who have been waiting longer than Zaoui to get into New Zealand. And not many of those poor bastards left a teaching job in Malaysia, with weekends playing football, to try their luck here.
If your chum decided to go back to Malaysia, say, the dangers for him are that he may not get his job back (right away, anyhow). Add to this the possibility of a clogged artery from all the junk food he packs away, and a stubbed toe from playing soccer, and you have the beginnings of a real situation on your hands.
Anytime you want to start thinking, think about how we might otherwise have spent the million bucks (of taxpayers’ money that Zaoui and his po-faced vegan lawyers have already blown) on New Zealanders who need it.
Anthony Revill
October 15th, 2004
I’m loving it. Now I know why I was put with this family. I am reading through comments and I get to one that no one dears answer back on. I knew who’s name would be at the bottom. I couldn’t agree more Anthony. Sorry, I am still wiping away tears. I don’t know all the ins and outs, but if a country feels that someone could affect our way of life as we know it, nothing wrong with sending them back. As long as they are not mistreated in the mean time.
And as for your rights Gina, if you keep going for walks like that, your rights will never be violated.
David Revill
October 16th, 2004
I agree totally with Anthony & David. As Winston Peters said, Zaoui already got one of the country’s top judges sacked-and that was from inside the prison!!! Imagine what he’ll get up to on the outside.
Jo-Anne Revill
October 18th, 2004
Anthony,
Ahmed Zaoui cannot simply leave NZ. This is a useful story for politicians looking to score points cheap points with sectors of the public willing to believe anything that generally supports their existing opinion.
- He has no travel papers
- He has no country to go to, no legal status in Malaysia
- Malaysia and Vietnam are not signatories to the refugee convention and under international law NZ can deport him to either.
I know you’re just trying to put some humour into your post, but making personal insults of a refugee who is unable to respond is a bit low.
The cost of this case is completely due to the faulty legislation (which Labour’s Lianne Dalziel criticized at introduction) and current Government’s refusal to alter the legislation, insisting that the faulty process follow it’s full and slow trajectory.
The costs of the Crown lawyers are approximately 3 times those of the defense lawyers, who no doubt would be better off financially getting fat cheques from arranging immigration for rich businessmen instead of defending New Zealand’s human rights record. It would also help if the crown stopped appealing decisions, such as the latest which simply confirmed Ahmed Zaoui’s human rights must be taken into account in any review of the security risk certificate issued against him.
This case can be as complicated as you like, but it’s really real simple:
- As a relatively well off nation NZ has agreed to accept a limited number of refugees
- Some refugees will enter under the United Nations quota scheme, some will simply arrive and ask for asylum.
- Those who simply arrive and ask for asylum must be screened to ensure they are genuine refugees.
- The Refugee Status Board and the Refugee Status Appeal Authority reject over 80% of those who apply. The RSAA found that Ahmed Zaoui was a genuine refugee.
- Our SIS believes that if Ahmed Zaoui enters the country, it will look bad to countries overseas.
- If the SIS have information that Ahmed Zaoui might actually be a danger, then they must present the evidence and give him the opportunity to defend himself. This is minimum standard of justice that applies to even the worst criminals.
- If the SIS do not have any information, then they should stop trying to cover their earlier mistakes and admit they have nothing. Put up or shut up.
Alex Davidson
November 4th, 2004
Hey, Alex.
["Ahmed Zaoui cannot simply leave NZ."]
He can, whenever he wants. I already covered that. If he asks for a ride to the airport so as to get on a plane, he’s gone.
["This is a useful story for politicians looking to score points cheap points with sectors of the public willing to believe anything that generally supports their existing opinion."]
Does this also apply to those politicians who “support” your own “existing opinion”.
Let’s deal with your points:
["He has no travel papers"]
What? He destroyed them himself, Alex, en route to NZ.
Another amusing aspect of this is the look of wounded innocence on the face of a man who knows how to procure numerous forged passports.
["He has no country to go to, no legal status in Malaysia"]
Bollocks. He was living there, a Muslim country, with a job and his wife and kids. He can return anytime. I already covered that.
["Malaysia and Vietnam are not signatories to the refugee convention"]
With this you confirm the fact that he was fine living in Malaysia, because he certainly wasn’t taking refuge there.
["making personal insults of a refugee who is unable to respond is a bit low"]
“A bit low”? Lower than what? Lower than a high horse yet still above a snake’s belly? You feel upset because you’re trying to apply your own moral standards to me, which is futile (and a waste of your time). I’m only saying this for your own good.
Then there’s my freedom (granted by me) to criticise anybody who is receiving money that’s being taken from my wages. Your chum has to account to me, not the other way around.
["which Labour's Lianne Dalziel criticized at introduction"]
The same Dalziel who was kicked out of cabinet and lost her portfolios because of her lying and incompetence? But I guess if this particular politician backs your stance she’s all right, eh?
["human rights"]
An empty phrase used by academics and school-teachers. It hasn’t any bearing on real life or the real world. Appealing to human rights is as effective as praying to the local taniwha to protect you.
Anthony Revill
November 21st, 2004
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