PM Transcripts

It a Matter of yreat cgbre Lo Me that; I -a~ hni u'nable to be
prw~; c cIC Lt1h0 Annual.:-Mecting. of , i-h'e ar. liamentayGopo
Amnv:; tiy lnt erriaLionAl tohight. . The: w6kk' of the ' 4rqpp is. of,
utist il1() 1rtLilnset~ xm prt~ nc irmir. u ne ~ nfo~ cic rig Amnost~ y" nterna' 6t iona'lcn) e'snf ortffot
to strengthe~ n t1e epsio of Auttliabs ib cneno
humnan rights, issues,: as a who le,-arid ' espeia'' for -the.
held & ed. detentiono f : thousands : of: pisoners of ' consc iencehedin
* prisons . hrouhdut the world.
The Government attaches a:: strongpriority to human.' rights-.
ise. Wcoprte closely-with .1Amnes1ty Intrnational and
* greatly appreciate'its information-g4ather -ing, work We.
natu r a11y. wilsh t hat . any. approaches,-oii-, humanh ,-ri'ghts. case s a re. as
ef fectiv ' aspossibl',', an id, I h've,' t. o say th'at . ther e . are
situation wher he efrsonon-government . organisations can,:
be'more effective than the e fforts of governments.
The. Governmecnt has ' pursued a" number of" casebs ofFliia'.
prisoners and has : suppjorte'd-relevant Jriitcd Nactions" -in'itiatives~ i,
, on humanh rights. We hav . e. exp ressed: co'cr a~ t h. ia rights.,
violations to a varie'ty'of sgovernments of , di fferent,.
ideological persuasi'ons a hd:. inh di ffer aes ofl th~ world,'
whose. relations : with, Austral-ia a're. of ' dif feriing d egrees of
closeness.,, We h~ ve had-a ri'rber f uds , te rot'
recent of-which was the rel'ea'se of 3 detai nees in So uth
Korea following my. visit.
While not a matter. of ' direct' concern, to-Amne sty-Int ernational.
under its-terms of ' reference,: Iw, ould ikto raise' a relat~ ed
matter whi'ch is also of seriou's~ concern to: the-Govern-ment * and to
Lhcv ALustrd]. ian conmunity as: a. whole. I* refer' to ' the forccdd and.
tragic separation of families a's result of:' . tfe-'. actions": of,
Governme'nt ' au horities which : refuse-to expedite or-al1& vW exit
arrangements for. the* ' famili'e,! of.. their na'tion'als twho . have already-
] ecfL hi countrics of origin, and-sought -um, refcgee stats
residence, or citizenship in. Australfia.,>' There,.' is, for . example'; a:
f airly. con. sLant, caseload of ; ovcc 300. family units., frm L~ ast-ern
E u rope-alone I whoI s'Ie ek' to be. : reunitced , in I-. A. I. uIs tralia.':. The'-
Government does all it can to kee p , th e se c6ases be fofe -' t'he
authorities concerned, and in. whose ' hands the rieolution ' of this
problem ultimately rests. Iwould .1ke t. aetis~ p ' tu'i'
to enlist'your conc'ern and to call. for'these' authoriti6'' t. It Showq
cornpassion', fok these families-and to* all1ow them t o be r e un i ed
in Australia.
Last October I participated in a . ceremony to light a. candle of hope
to commemorate. Prisoner of Conscience Week. These symbolic
occasions serve' the useful putpoe, of dawigitrnto
attention to the importance of observing human rigi, whthrn
the. field of political freedoms, racitsmi," sexism ' or legal . protection
We must all maintain our vi~ ilanc: e on thse is-sues through the
entire year.
I wish the Parliamenta-iry Group of Amnesty' International well in
its de]. iberations.
R. J. L. Hawke