| |
|
1. Social Inclusion
|
This Council:
|
| 1.1 |
NOTES that it is the vision of the ECAJ to create and support a community in which
all Australians, including all Jewish Australians:
(a) feel valued and their cultural differences are respected;
(b) have a fair opportunity to meet their material and other needs; and
(c) are equally empowered as citizens to participate in and contribute to all
facets of life in the wider community;
|
| 1.2 |
NOTES that as Australians we take great pride in what we see as the uniquely
Australian values of social egalitarianism, "mateship" and a "fair go";
|
| 1.3 |
REAFFIRMS our profound commitment on behalf of the Australian Jewish community
to the dignity of difference, gender equality, and a belief in the equality of
humankind;
|
| 1.4 |
PROUDLY AFFIRMS our ongoing commitment to reconciliation with indigenous Australians,
to a multiculturalism that draws people into, rather than separates them from,
Australian life, and to an Australia that is inclusive for all Australians and respects
gender equality;
|
| 1.5 |
ACKNOWLEDGES that in the Jewish community, social exclusion may result from a number
of factors including: lack of educational or vocational opportunities; low levels of income;
mental or physical illness or disability; or immigration without social support, and that
such exclusion most often results in individuals being prevented through no fault of their
own, from building a better future for themselves and their families;
|
| 1.6 |
NOTES that poverty amongst Australian Jews is no less prevalent than in other sectors of
the Australian community and that aspects of inequality from which poverty stems and which
require further investigation and support are:
Work opportunities particularly in the case of immigrants, families with young children,
large families and religiously observant families and older people and people with a disability;
Access and Equity in the utilization of services - where members of the community do not
have access to contacts, groups and opportunities which empower them to access the mainstream
Jewish community and the wider society. This can arise from the inability to speak English, or
lack of education and information, or lack of sufficient income to participate;
Social stigmas where individuals experience social exclusion from the community as a result
of mental illness, disability, or choice of lifestyle;
|
| 1.7 |
ACKNOWLEDGES that across Australia there are numerous Jewish organizations whose role is to
assist members of the Jewish community to overcome social exclusion and ameliorate poverty.
There are community services, aged care services, and disability services, and there are
educational institutions and synagogues that, inter alia, contribute to this work;
|
| 1.8 |
RECOGNISES that the role of the ECAJ is to encourage organizations across Australia to:
identify and rectify gaps in services that ought to be provided; encourage such organizations
to seek opportunities to reach out to and provide services for those who are marginalized,
and to engage Federal government departments to assist the community to ensure that the most
comprehensive services are provided;
|
| 1.9 |
RECORDS its belief that the maximum benefit across Australia will only be achieved by the
Jewish community working at both national and State levels;
|
| 1.10 |
SUPPORTS the development of projects, especially in smaller and regional communities,
which bring hope encompassing a range of policy and program domains at many levels:
education, training, employment, affordable childcare, assistance with housing, a range
of disability and aged care services - support for care-givers; and above all - building
up at community levels a network of supportive services, amenities and accessible
transport facilities and social mentoring which reduce stigma and social exclusion from
the networks and vibrant life of our community;
|
| 1.11 |
WELCOMES the efforts of the Federation of Jewish Aged and Community Service Organisations
in assisting to achieve these objectives.
|
| |
|
2. Racism in Australia
|
This Council:
|
| 2.1 |
DEPLORES all manifestations of racist action and speech, including antisemitism;
|
| 2.2 |
SUPPORTS the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission and other public
programs to educate Australians regarding the irrationality and evil of racism;
|
| 2.3 |
CALLS ON leaders of all mainstream political parties to consistently articulate
a vision of Australia which embraces cultural diversity and in which respect for
the dignity and rights of each Australian is guaranteed;
|
| 2.4 |
CALLS ON all mainstream political parties to place racist divisive and extremist
candidates in the last positions when allocating electoral preferences;
|
| 2.5 |
CALLS ON political, civil and religious leaders to play public, leadership roles
in emphasizing the unacceptability of racism;
|
| 2.6 |
Welcomes the appointment by the Australian Government of a Race Discrimination
Commissioner within the Australian Human Rights Commission separate to other
Commissioner roles.
|
| |
|
3. Anti-Racism Legislation
|
This Council:
|
| 3.1 |
NOTES the activities of extremist organizations, the currency of certain racist myths,
the proliferation of racist material on the internet and the tolerance given to racist
commentary by some sections of the mainstream media;
|
| 3.2 |
NOTES the incidence of racial vilification and racially-motivated violence in Australia;
|
| 3.3 |
AFFIRMS that effective responses to racism include moral and political leadership from
public figures, legislation to give victims of racism legal remedies, and on-going public
education;
|
| 3.4 |
COMMENDS those public figures who have taken a leadership position against racism,
including antisemitism;
|
| 3.5 |
CALLS ON the Federal Government to strengthen legislative measures to combat racial
vilification in the public domain and especially on the internet and to provide more
streamlined, expeditious and effective remedies to individuals and groups who are
the targets of public acts of racial vilification.
|
| 3.6 |
COMMENDS the Federal Government for recognizing the need to reform the previous
"urging violence in the community" offences in the Commonwealth Criminal Code
BUT NOTES WITH DISAPPOINTMENT that, despite the Minister's assurance that workable
provisions would be enacted to address this need, the relevant provisions of the
National Security Legislation Amendment Act 2010 are unlikely to be at all workable
because:
- the elements of the proposed offences have been formulated so restrictively
that it will be effectively impossible for a prosecutor to prove those elements
to the criminal standard; and
- the availability of defences under section 80.3 to charges under these
sections is completely misconceived;
|
| 3.7 |
EXPRESSES ITS DISAPPOINTMENT that the Federal Government enacted the "urging violence"
provisions in the National Security Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 in the same form
in which they appeared prior to the inquiry conducted by the Senate Legal and Constitutional
Affairs Committee in 2010 and without apparent regard for the written submissions and
recommendations made by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Australian Human
Rights Commission and others to that inquiry;
|
| 3.8 |
CALLS ON the Federal Government to review as a matter of urgency the provisions of
Subdivision C ("Urging Violence") of Division 80 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code and
to adopt the recommendations for reform of the legislation made to the Senate Legal and
Constitutional Affairs Committee by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in its written
submission dated 21 April 2010.
|
| |
|
4. Aboriginal Reconciliation
|
This Council:
|
| 4.1 |
RECOGNISES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first Australians,
with unique cultures, languages and spiritual relationships to the land and seas;
|
| 4.2 |
PURSUES a vision of an Australia that provides equal rights and life chances for all;
|
| 4.3 |
AFFIRMS the fundamental importance of reconciliation as the basis of an Australian Community
which respects the diversity of values, cultures, ideas and the contribution of all people;
|
| 4.4 |
SUPPORTS Reconciliation Australia's National Program of Action which encourages organizations and
individuals to turn their good intentions into action;
|
| 4.5 |
AFFIRMS that the ECAJ will continue to develop and implement a Reconciliation Action Plan that
includes actions, timeframes for implementation and performance measures;
Areas for action may include the ECAJ using its networks to:
raise Community awareness and understanding of the historic, social and economic factors
which contribute to the current levels of disadvantage confronting many Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people and communities.
influence governments and businesses to address the systemic issues that keep many Aboriginal
and Strait Islander people and their communities in poor health and poverty.
support human rights based approaches to economic and social development programs in Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander communities; and
lead inter-faith alliances to develop and provide targeted financial and capacity building
support to selected projects which strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations'
governance, management, service delivery and professional development.
|
| 4.6 |
ENCOURAGES the Jewish community in Australia to increase its knowledge and understanding of the
identity and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and reflect this awareness
in our social relationships and our support for their advancement;
|
| 4.7 |
CALLS UPON the governments, business and civil communities and people of Australia to take action to
reduce the relative disadvantage many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may face by
improving education, health, housing, employment, governance, social and communal relationships
and law and justice;
|
| 4.8 |
CALLS ON Jewish organizations around Australia to speak out in favour of reconciliation, actively
participate in the annual events, Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week
|
| 4.9 |
SUPPORTS amendments to the Australian Constitution which will:
- articulate the fundamental values of Australian society;
- recognise the distinct identities and rights of Indigenous Australians arising
from their prior and unique relationships with their lands, territories and resources;
- repeal current provisions in the Constitution which are based on racial discrimination
(sections 25 and 51(xxvi));
- provide for the insertion of an enforceable guarantee of racial equality that would apply
generally to the Parliament's power to legislate (the racial equality guarantee);
- empower the Australian Government, notwithstanding the racial equality guarantee,
to pass laws with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for their
benefit and advancement;
- empower the Australia government to negotiate and conclude agreements with Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples on matters that affect their communities, and for the terms
of such agreements to apply notwithstanding any inconsistency with existing State or Federal laws,
in accordance with this Council's written submission dated 26 September 2011 to The Expert Panel on the
Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians.
|
| |
|
4a. Honouring William Cooper
|
This Council:
|
| 4a.1 |
RECALLS with gratitude and respect that on the 6th December 1938, several weeks after
the campaign of anti-Jewish violence during Kristallnacht in Germany, William Cooper,
the Secretary of the Australian Aborigines' League and an elder of the Yorta Yorta people,
headed a delegation of Aboriginal people to the German Consulate in Melbourne to deliver
a petition which condemned the "cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi
government of Germany." This was the only known private protest anywhere in the world
against the Nazi regime following Kristallnacht;
|
| 4a.2 |
RECALLS FURTHER that:
- the action taken by William Cooper and his supporters occurred at a time when
Aboriginal people themselves were denied citizenship and other basic human rights in
Australia and were frequently subjected to appalling physical, social and economic privations; and
- William Cooper was a fearless advocate for Aboriginal people in seeking direct
representation in parliament, enfranchisement and land rights on their behalf;
|
| 4a.3 |
NOTES with pride and satisfaction that the memory of William Cooper has been honoured by the
Jewish community in Australia in ceremonies with his descendants in Melbourne and Sydney.;
|
| 4a.4 |
APPLAUDS:
- the action taken by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Israel to commemorate the courage
of William Cooper by displaying a plaque in a Memorial Garden in his honor; and
- the establishment by the International Institute for Holocaust Research at Yad Vashem
of an academic chair (professorship) for the study of the Resistance during the Holocaust in
tribute to William Cooper;
|
| 4a.5 |
CALLS UPON the Australian government as soon as possible to introduce a suitable form of national
commemoration of the life and work of this great Australian.
|
| |
|
5. Multiculturalism
|
This Council:
|
| 5.1 |
AFFIRMS its support for Australia's policy of multiculturalism, which has
served Australia well as a basis for the social harmony which for all
Australians to enjoy;
|
| 5.2 |
Welcomes the Australian Government's commitment to multiculturalism
as a policy which respects the right of all Australians to express their individual
cultural identity, and to maintain and share their cultural heritage, within an
overriding commitment to Australia and the basic values of Australian democracy
and the rule of law;
|
| 5.3 |
COMMENDS the Government's policy of ensuring access and equity in the provision of
government services, including the provision of mechanisms to address the barriers
faced by immigrants who are not yet familiar with Australian culture and language; and
|
| 5.4 |
WELCOMES the establishment of the Australian Multicultural Council as a body dedicated
to articulating and promoting a distinctively Australian model of multiculturalism in
accordance with clause 5.2.
|
| |
|
6. On-Line Services and the Internet
|
This Council:
|
| 6.1 |
NOTES the value of the Internet in communicating information, knowledge and
ideas but notes also that the Internet is increasingly being abused by
individuals and organisations for the purpose of propagating racism including
antisemitism;
|
| 6.2 |
RECOGNISES the complexities involved in any system of regulation of on-line services;
|
| 6.3 |
AFFIRMS the view that any communication by traditional means which is unlawful
is and should be equally unlawful if it is effected through on-line services;
|
| 6.4 |
SUPPORTS moves to bring in a Code of Practice for Australian Internet Service Providers
and other regulatory measures for the Internet based on the principles that:
Nothing that it is unlawful to print or broadcast should be able to escape legal
prohibition merely because it is published or communicated through on-line services.
No person, entity or organization should be punished for an act they could not
reasonably know has been committed.
The right to freedom of speech must be respected, bearing in mind that in democratic
societies this right (as with all other rights) is not unlimited and, for example, does
not permit the commission or promotion of unlawful acts, or other behaviour harmful to
the community or any section of the community.
Governments have a responsibility to counter the activities of those who harass and/or
promote contempt and hatred for any section of the community.
In these respects, the Internet should not be regarded differently to other means
by which speech and ideas are disseminated.
|
| |
|
7. Refugees and Asylum Seekers
|
This Council:
|
| 7.1 |
NOTES with grave concern the increase in the number of people around the world
who have been made refugees as a result of war and civil conflict;
|
| 7.2 |
NOTES that a small number of these refugees seek asylum in Australia;
|
| 7.3 |
RECOGNISES the difficulties faced by successive Australian Governments in balancing
the Government's obligations to its citizens to carry out proper screening (including
health and security checks) on all potential new entrants to Australia, in particular
unauthorised arrivals, and the Government's humanitarian obligations under the
International Convention on the Status of Refugees (1951) (the Refugee Convention)
and the 1967 Protocol to the Refugee Convention, as well as under customary
international law;
|
| 7.4 |
RECALLS WITH SHAME that especially prior to, but also during and immediately after,
World War II many thousands of Jewish refugees attempting to flee persecution in Europe
were denied entry into other countries or forced to engage "smugglers" to try to
escape to freedom;
|
| 7.5 |
RECALLS that the Refugee Convention came into existence in belated recognition by the
international community of the great wrong that had been done by ostensibly civilised
nations in refusing to grant asylum to Jewish refugees fleeing from Europe prior to and
during World War II, and as a principled and compassionate response to the moral
imperative of assisting European Jews in seeking new homes after the Holocaust;
|
| 7.6 |
NOTES the important and positive contribution that Jewish and other refugees, from many
countries, have made to Australian society and the development of Australia;
|
| 7.7 |
NOTES that in the past, after proper processing of their claims by Australian officials,
the vast majority of those seeking asylum in Australia have been found to be genuine
refugees who had fled their country of usual residence because of a well-founded fear
of persecution;
|
| 7.8 |
ACCORDINGLY CALLS UPON the Australian Government:
- to process applications by persons seeking asylum in Australia as expeditiously
as possible and in a spirit of compassion, regardless of whether those applications
are made through the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
- to work constructively with other governments and appropriate non-government
organisations, to ameliorate the plight of refugees around the world and in Australia;
- to implement in good faith and with humanity, Australia's important legal and moral
obligations with respect to refugees;
- not to hold women and children asylum seekers in mandatory detention while their
applications for recognition of their refugee status are processed; and
- to desist from actions that are likely to result in persons who seek asylum in
Australia being sent to countries which are not parties to the Refugee Convention;
|
| 7.9 |
URGES all Australians to engage in discussion of the issues in a considered and respectful
manner and without resorting to pejorative generalisations, which are unhelpful and can
be misleading and unfair;
|
| 7.10 |
WELCOMES the announcement in October 2010 by the Prime Minister and the Minister for
Immigration and Citizenship that the Australian Government will expand its existing residence
determination program (also known as community detention) and begin moving significant numbers
of children and vulnerable family groups out of immigration detention facilities and into
community-based accommodation and that the Australian government will commission two new detention
facilities, at Northam in WA and Inverbrackie in SA, to help ease the pressures on existing facilities.
|
| |
|
8. Accommodation of Religious Practices
|
This Council:
|
| 8.1 |
NOTES decisions by a number of instrumentalities which recognise and support
the right of all staff to meet their religious and ceremonial obligations,
regardless of religious, ethnic or cultural background;
|
| 8.2 |
RECOGNISES the right of all Australians to observe religious and ceremonial obligations;
|
| 8.3 |
SUPPORTS the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission in enhancing religious freedom in Australia;
|
| 8.4 |
CALLS UPON government and employer organizations to respect and accommodate, as a
matter of policy, the right of employees to meet the obligations of their faiths; and
|
| 8.5 |
CALLS UPON the Australian Government to make provision in Australia's industrial relations
legislation to ensure that religious and ceremonial obligations can be observed without
attracting the threat of loss of employment.
|
| |
|
9. National Framework of Human Rights
|
This Council:
|
| 9.1 |
NOTES the decision of the Australian Government to abandon the proposal to
introduce an Australian Charter of Human Rights;
|
| 9.2 |
NOTES that the Australian Government has published a 'National Framework of Human Rights'
which, among other things, proposes 'harmonisation' of State and Federal laws prohibiting
racial and religious discrimination and vilification;
|
| 9.3 |
NOTES the significant differences that exist between Federal and State law on these issues
and between the laws of the various States;
|
| 9.4 |
CAUTIONS the Australian Government against embracing any concept of 'harmonisation' that
might result in the adoption of a 'lowest common denominator' legslative regime which would
wind back hard-won legal protections that are now in place in some jurisdictions in Australia
but not in others including, but not limited to, Western Australia's criminal sanctions against
racial intimidation and harassment.
|
| |
|
10. Persons Accused of International Crimes
|
This Council:
|
| 10.1 |
NOTES the affirmation by the Australian Government in 1987 that Australia
must not serve as a haven for individuals who participated in crimes against
humanity during the course of the Nazi Genocide;
|
| 10.2 |
RECOGNISES the difficulties encountered in the trials of alleged Nazi war
criminals thus far conducted in Australia;
|
| 10.3 |
RECOGNISES that major legal and political obstacles needed to be overcome to
establish extradition treaties with some of the countries which were the scene
of the crimes of the Holocaust;
|
| 10.4 |
RECOGNISES that extradition of Nazi war criminals to the countries of their
origin and where their crimes took place is not a substitute for effective
Australian legislation but is a welcome complement to it;
|
| 10.5 |
SUPPORTS the process of developing extradition treaties between Australia
and all countries in which individuals may have participated in genocide,
crimes against humanity and war crimes prior to arriving in Australia; and
|
| 10.6 |
CALLS UPON the Australian Government to amend Australia's citizenship laws so
as to allow for individuals who were born outside Australia and who, at the time
of entering Australia, concealed their involvement in genocide, war crimes or
crimes against humanity in any context, to have their Australian citizenship
removed, regardless of the length of time they have held citizenship.
|
| |
|
11a. People With Disabilities and Their Carers
|
This Council:
|
| 11a.1 |
NOTES the active role undertaken by the Australian Human Rights Commission in
advocating for the rights of people with disabilities and their carers;
|
| 11a.2 |
WELCOMES the efforts of the Australian Government to develop a national disability
insurance scheme;
|
| 11a.3 |
NOTES that through Jewish Care and other Jewish community organisations, support
for people with disabilities and their carers is a major Jewish community priority;
|
| 11a.4 |
RESOLVES to support all efforts to achieve a sustainable and effective national
disability insurance scheme;
|
| 11a.5 |
COMMENDS the work of the AUstralian Human Rights Commission in advocating for
the rights of people with disabilities and their carers; and
|
| 11a.6 |
CALLS ON the entire Australian community to extend the fullest respect and dignity
for people with disabilities and their carers.
|
| |
|
12. Jewish Education
|
This Council:
|
| 12.1 |
NOTES with great pride, that Australia has a strong record for provision of
day school education and that the Jewish Community maintains a number of independent
day schools throughout the nation which are essential to Jewish learning and our
community's continuity;
|
| 12.2 |
STRESSES the importance of Jewish day schools and other Jewish education providers
having high quality Jewish Studies and Hebrew curricula;
|
| 12.3 |
RECONFIRMS the responsibility of leaders of Australian Jewry to seek to ensure that
no Jewish child is denied full-time Jewish education due to financial considerations;
and the continued responsibility of leaders of Australian Jewry to support organisations
that provide Jewish education of children who are outside of the Jewish day school
system to ensure Jewish continuity for all;
|
| 12.4 |
NOTES with great pride, that Australia has a strong record for provision of day school
education and that the Jewish Community maintains a number of independent day schools
throughout the nation which are essential to Jewish learning and our community's
continuity;
|
| 12.5 |
NOTES that the provision of Jewish education to Jewish students who do not attend
Jewish day schools, particularly through the Academy BJE and NSW Board of Progressive
Jewish Education in New South Wales and the United Jewish Education Board in Victoria,
is essential to ensuring Jewish learning and our community's continuity for those
outside of the Jewish day school movement and organisation;
|
| 12.6 |
EXPRESSES support for the Zionist Federation of Australia initiated "Teaching Israel"
program and CALLS ON all Jewish Day Schools and Boards of Jewish Education and Boards
of Progressive Jewish Education to substantially increase the teaching of modern
Israel and contemporary issues facing Israel and world and Australian Jewry in programs
offered from Year 6 to Year 11; and
|
| 12.7 |
RECORDS its appreciation to the Federal Government for its initiatives in granting funds
to independent schools (including Jewish day schools) to assist them to meet their security
costs and in granting tax deductibility for gifts to funds established by them to meet such
costs.
|
| |
|
14. Secure Schools Funding
|
This Council:
|
| 14.1 |
RECALLS its concern during 2009 at the lack of a consistent and equitable national
approach in the allocation of funds to Jewish Schools in Round 1 of the Government's
Secure School Funding Scheme;
|
| 14.2 |
NOTES that on 12 November 2009, the National Co-Chairs of the Australian Council
of Jewish Schools (ACJS) met with the Minister for Home Security, the Hon.Brendon O'Connor
MP in Melbourne for the purpose of discussing the allocation of funds in Rounds 2, 3 and 4
of the Funding Scheme;
|
| 14.3 |
NOTES WITH SATISFACTION that the Minister for Home Security indicated, on a currently
preliminary basis, that he would welcome an equitable allocation of the Funding Scheme to
Jewish schools based on a minimum allocation in the same amount per school with the remaining
amount to be based on the enrolment numbers at each school, subject to the Government being
satisfied that the expenditure was for the purposes of the Funding Scheme;
|
| 14.4 |
RECOGNISES AND AFFIRMS that future funding for Rounds 2, 3 and 4 on that basis would
not only be equitable but would provide a consistent basis for the allocation of Secure
Schools Funding nationally;
|
| 14.5 |
RESOLVES to convey to the ACJS the ECAJ's appreciation for the effort and approach
and encourages its final implementation.
|
| |
|
19. Government Measures to Combat Antisemitic Violence
|
This Council:
|
| 19.1 |
COMMMENDS the steps taken by Australian police forces to provide visible protection
for Jewish communal gatherings;
|
| 19.2 |
NOTES the improvement in measures taken by law enforcement agencies to identify
and prosecute individuals responsible for arson attacks on synagogues, assaults
and harassment;
|
| 19.3 |
NOTES that still too often the perpetrators of other acts of antisemitic violence
against people and property remain unidentified and therefore remain at large;
|
| 19.4 |
CALLS ON state and federal law enforcement agencies to urgently upgrade their
capacity to pursue and apprehend the perpetrators of acts of racist violence and
vandalism and to fund both public and Jewish communal strategies to achieve those
ends; and
|
| 19.5 |
RECORDS WITH APPRECIATION the Federal Government's legislation in 2008 designed
to alleviate the costly security burden borne by Jewish communities Australia-wide
by enabling donations for the purpose of the provision of security to Jewish
institutions to be tax deductible.
|
| |
|
20. Recording of Incidents of Antisemitic Violence, Vandalism and Harassment
|
This Council:
|
| 20.1 |
NOTES the importance to the Jewish community of the availability to its national leadership
of accurate data concerning the nature and extent of antisemetic violence, vandalism,
intimidation and harassment in Australia;
|
| 20.2 |
NOTES that the only communal bodies which are in a position to act on behalf of the entire
Jewish community in each state and territory are the constituents of the ECAJ, which in
Victoria is co-ordinated with the ADC;
|
| 20.3 |
STRESSES the importance of state constituents making known to the Jewish and wider
communities their role in collating information relating to antisemitism;
|
| 20.4 |
REAFFIRMS that all community organisations should promptly forward reports of
incidents of antisemitism to the Constituent bodies of the ECAJ.
|
| |
|
22. Relations with Other Ethnic, Religious, Ethno-Religious or Cultural Communities
|
This Council:
|
| 22.1 |
RECOGNISES the distinctive character of the Australian Jewish community as part
of the Jewish people, with a shared history, tradition and linguistic and religious
heritage, and as a vital and vibrant component of multicultural Australia;
|
| 22.2 |
RECOGNISES the pluralistic nature of Australian Jewry and the complex nature of
the various ethnicities of Australian Jewry due to diverse language, cultural origin
and national background;
|
| 22.3 |
ACKNOWLEDGES the right of any Jewish organization to identify as an ethnic,
religious, ethno-religious or cultural organization through the choice of the
membership of that organization or through its specific aims, objectives and
programs consistent with policies and programs of the government relating to
ethnic affairs;
|
| 22.4 |
VALUES the friendly cooperation and cordial relationship between Australian
Jewry and other ethnic, religious, ethno-religious and cultural groups and roof
bodies within Australia;
|
| 22.5 |
ENCOURAGES close liaison between Jewish organizations, ethnic communities councils
and other Australian groups in the pursuit of common policies in the best interests
of the whole Australian community.
|
| |
|
23. Interfaith Relations
|
This Council:
|
| 23.1 |
CONGRATULATES members of the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims
and Jews, the Anglican Jewish Australian Dialogue, The National Dialogue of the
Uniting Church in Australia/ECAJ and Australian Catholic Bishops Committee/ECAJ
Annual Conversation on the conduct and outcome of their meetings;
|
| 23.2 |
APPLAUDS the development in Sydney of the Women's Interfaith Network which now has
four branches;
|
| 23.3 |
WELCOMES the development of multi-faith events and contacts between bodies representing
many diverse faith groups;
|
| 23.4 |
APPLAUDS activities which improve the basis for dialogue between Jews and Christians;
|
| 23.5 |
AFFIRMS past efforts at improving Jewish-Muslim relations, particularly those which have
recognised common concerns in areas such as religious liberty, racial tolerance and recognition
of religious rights;
|
| 23.6 |
SUPPORTS dialogue and cooperation between Federal, State and Territory representatives of the
Jewish community and all other Faith communities with a view to common action for communal
tolerance and inter-community cooperation;
|
| 23.7 |
CALLS on all religious groups to respect the dignity and right of all people to maintain
their own religious traditions;
|
| 23.8 |
APPLAUDS the work of APRO, The Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations;
|
| 23.3 |
SUPPORTS the expansion of the dialogue process to include other partner organisations
representing religious communities.
|
| |
|
25. Religious Broadcasting on the ABC
|
This Council:
|
| 25.1 |
RECALLS the importance for the ABC to maintain the resourcing of religious programming,
so as to provide insights into religion and the place of religious movements in public
life and to provide Australia with an informative and stimulating religious programming
mix including in its move to successful digital growth, and to commit publicly to those
objectives;
|
| 25.2 |
RECALLS that together with other faith communities, in February 2009, it expressed
its concern at the reduction in religious programming on ABC Radio National;
|
| 25.3 |
NOTES that at that time, the Managing Director of the ABC said that the ABC had no
plans to scrap the religion unit or to scrap specialisation in reporting, but that it
proposed to continue to modify programmes, and that in addition to other programming
slots, religion will feature in "Background Briefing" which will reach a broader
audience and allow for in-depth reporting;
|
| 25.4 |
FURTHER NOTES the assurance that the effects of the religious programming decisions
made in 2008 are being considered within the review of ABC radio currently underway.
The appointment of a new head of radio in mid-2009 will be of significance to the review.
The review will provide scope to better articulate questions on specialities, digital
media and rural broadcasting;
|
| 25.5 |
CALLS UPON the Committee of Management to monitor progress in relation to these matters
and report to the Council.
|
| |
|
29. Gett Refusal
|
This Council:
|
| 29.1 |
RECALLS the concern expressed by the ECAJ at the continued failure to alleviate the
plight of victims of wilful Gett refusal;
|
| 29.2 |
APPLAUDS the efforts over some years by the Joint Task Force of the ECAJ and the
Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia to develop useful proposals;
|
| 29.3 |
NOTES that the British Parliament has now joined the legislatures of Canada, South Africa
and New York in passing laws to provide remedies aimed at releasing those spouses who are
"chained" by wilful Gett refusal;
|
| 29.4 |
URGES the Australian Government to legislate in the terms of the Report of The Family Law
Council of Australia which recommends to the Attorney-General that the joint legislative
proposal of the ECAJ and ORA should be enacted as Australian law;
|
| 29.5 |
WELCOMES initiatives by the rabbinate to draft a form of pre-nuptial agreement for Jewish
couples that is enforceable under Australian law and encourages Jewish couples to sign such
an agreement requiring compliance with Beth Din instructions relating to the granting of a
Gett in the event of a civil dissolution of the marriage.
|
| |
|
30. Shechita
|
This Council:
|
| 30.1 |
NOTES that the slaughtering of bovine and ovine animals according to methods authorised by
halacha (shechita) has been an integral part of Jewish life for 3,000 years and that shechita
has for centuries been accepted in civilised societies as a humane way of slaughtering
such animals for consumption;
|
| 30.2 |
AFFIRMS the united view of Rabbinic authorities in Australia that according to halacha:
- the pre-slaughter stunning of animals renders such animals unfit for Kosher consumption; and
- the post-slaughter stunning of ovine animals renders such animals unfit for Kosher consumption;
|
| 30.3 |
FURTHER NOTES that Australian law has always permitted the slaughter of animals and poultry according
to shechita and, in particular, has never required the pre-slaughter stunning of animals or the
post-slaughter stunning of ovine animals;
|
| 30.4 |
WELCOME the decision of the Primary Industries Ministerial Council on 28 October 2011 to
"continue discussions with the religious groups in order to settle an applicable risk management
framework" without requiring existing laws and regulations permitting shechita
to be changed and without accepting proposals to require the pre-slaughter stunning of animals or
the post-slaughter stunning of ovine animals;
|
| 30.5 |
AFFIRMS the united view of Rabbinic authorities in Australia that according to halacha:
- the banning of shechita is historically associated with attempts to delegitimise
Jewish religious practices and has long been a manifestation of antisemitism; and
- allowing recreational hunting in New Zealand, with animal death and injury in numbers
far greater than are affected by shechita, is indicative of a double standard being
applied to the Jewish community vis a vis animal welfare.
|
| 30.6 |
NOTES that Jewish communities around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, have committed
themselves to cooperating with animal welfare officers to ensure that Kosher slaughter meets the
highest industry standards and conforms to Jewish Law and that:
- The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act protects the rights of individuals to manifest their
religion including the right to uphold traditional practices and adhere to religious dietary requirements.
- The New Zealand National Animal Welfare Advisory Council itself recommended that an existing
exemption to allow for shechita be continued by the Minister for Agriculture.
- Jewish communities have lived and flourished in New Zealand for over 160 years.
- The ban on shechita causes real hardship to the Jewish community in New Zealand and
threatens its long-term viability as a community.
|
| 30.7 |
CALLS UPON the New Zealand government to reverse its ban on shechita with immediate effect and
to commit itself to working with the Jewish community to ensure that Jews are able to practise their
religion including local slaughter of livestock according to Kosher dietary requirements
|
| |
31a. Counteracting Hatred and Discrimination Against
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Persons
|
This Council:
|
| 31a.1 |
RECOGNISES that the Australian Jewish community is part of the Jewish people worldwide,
with a shared history, culture and religious tradition and is at the same time diverse
and pluralistic, with its members holding different views on a range of issues;
|
| 31a.2 |
CALLS FOR mutual respect for the human dignity of all members of the community, despite
any strongly held differences; recognition that disagreement is possible in ways that
do not vilify other persons or their views; and avoidance of any public or private conduct
that incites hatred, ridicule or contempt of another person or class of persons on the ground
of their sexual orientation or gender identity; and, in accordance with the foregoing principles;
|
| 31a.3 |
OPPOSES any form of hatred of any person on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity;
|
| 31a.4 |
ACKNOWLEDGES that there is still much work to be done to remove intolerance of and unlawful discrimination
against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the Jewish community and the wider Australian
community, and to provide adequate services and support for them and their families; and
|
| 31a.5 |
CALLS ON persons and organisations in the Jewish community to support that work both in our community
and in the wider Australian community.
|
| |
|
32. Israel
|
This Council:
|
| 32.1 |
APPLAUDS the efforts by successive Israeli governments to bring about a just and lasting
peace and a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
|
| 32.2 |
SUPPORTS the principle of two-States for two peoples, as the only principle upon which a
just and sustainable peace between Israel and its Palestinian neighbours can be built
and notes with appreciation that the Australian Government's policy statements have consistently
affirmed that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians can only be resolved through
direct negotiations;
|
| 32.2A |
URGES Australia to join the US, Canada, Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic, among other
democratic nations which have announced their opposition to the Palestinian bid for recognition
by the United Nations of a unilaterally declared Palestinian State, in voting against any such
proposal in the General Assembly, rather than merely abstaining;
|
| 32.3 |
NOTES with appreciation that all major political parties in Australia:
(a) are committed to supporting an enduring and just two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the right of Israel to live in peace within secure borders,
internationally recognised and agreed by the parties, and reflecting the legitimate aspirations
of the Palestinian people to also live in peace and security within their own state; and
(b) have repeatedly condemned and called for an end to Palestinian terrorist attacks
deliberately aimed at killing and maiming Israeli civilians and the continued smuggling of arms
and munitions into Gaza;
|
| 32.4 |
APPLAUDS the support of successive Australian Governments for international calls for the
Palestinian Authority to renounce and prevent violence and incitement against Israel and for
Hamas to recognise Israel, to renounce and prevent violence and incitement against Israel and
to affirm and implement all agreements with Israel that have been entered into by the Palestine
Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority;
|
| 32.5 |
REAFFIRMS Australian Jewry's strong and unshakeable solidarity with Israel and her people;
|
| 32.6 |
DEPLORES and CONDEMNS unreservedly as antisemitic all attempts to demonise or delegitimise Israel
as the State of the Jewish people by:
Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the
existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.
Applying double standards by requiring of Israel or its military forces standards of
behaviour higher than those expected or demanded of any other democratic nation or its military
forces.
Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews
killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel.
Calling for discriminatory boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel.
|
| 32.7 |
STRONGLY URGES all Jews, individually as well as communally and institutionally, to visit
Israel and schedule events in Israel.
|
Click here for
Australia and Israel: A Pictorial History
|
| |
|
35a. Jonathan Pollard
|
This Council:
|
| 35a.1 |
NOTES with concern that American citizen Jonathan Pollard, who was convicted of
espionage against the United States and sentenced to life imprisonment, has been
incarcerated for more than 25 years, far longer than others who have been convicted
of even more serious espionage offences;
|
| 35a.2 |
NOTES FURTHER that at the time of Jonathan Pollard's sentencing in 1987, secret
charges were laid against him blaming him for the crimes of a Russian mole within
American intelligence, Aldrich Ames, and that Pollard was neither informed of these
charges nor given a chance to challenge them in a court of law;
|
| 35a.3 |
ENDORSES public statements made by former US assistant secretary of defense,
Lawrence J. Korb, former CIA director James Woolsey and former head of the Senate
Intelligence Committee Dennis DeConcini, as well as a cross-section of other notable
Americans, and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, which have
described the punishment imposed on Jonathan Pollard as "grossly disproportionate" and
have called for his immediate release;
|
| 35a.4 |
CALLS UPON the Australian government to use its good offices with the government of the
United States to express its concern about the length of Jonathan Pollard's incarceration
and to urge the US President to exercise his powers of clemency by commuting Jonathan
Pollard's life sentence to the time he has already served.
|
| |
|
36. Terrorism
|
This Council:
|
| 36.1 |
JOINS in mourning the victims of terrorism in Israel and throughout the world, and
extends condolences to the relatives and friends of those who have been murdered, and
sympathy and best wishes for a full recovery to the injured;
|
| 36.2 |
SUPPORTS efforts to prevent terrorist attacks, including the enactment of effective
anti-terrorism laws, the allocation of resources for the efficient investigation of
terrorist crimes and the arrest and prosecution of terrorist suspects, and Australia's
participation in the international war against terrorism;
|
| 36.3 |
URGES the United Nations and all governments to take effective action against countries
which serve as a haven and provide bases and support for terrorists;
|
| 36.4 |
NOTES the importance of legislation designed to counter terrorism and to provide
security in a manner that properly recognises the required balance between civil
liberties and law enforcement, and recognising that the great majority of Australian
Muslims abhor terrorism;
|
| 36.5 |
CALLS ON the Federal Government to take effective measures and make appropriate
arrangements where necessary with other governments, to prevent the transmission into
or within Australia, by television or radio or through the internet, of material that
promotes any form of terrorism, and applauds all efforts that help to ensure that the
cohesion of Australia's multicultural society is not prejudiced;
|
| 36.6 |
URGES the Australian and other governments to act against Palestinian and other
anti-Israeli terrorist organizations such as Hamas, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade,
Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad;
|
| 36.7 |
CALLS ON the Federal Government to make appropriate arrangements with other governments
to develop more refined and effective norms of international law to deal with the problems
posed by armed attacks carried out by non-State actors.
|
| |
|
37. Iran
|
This Council:
|
| 37.1 |
NOTES widespread reports of systematic human rights abuses by the Iranian regime
in virtually every facet of Iran's political, social and economic life, aimed
particularly at minority religious and ethnic communities, but also at women,
students and trade unionists, including government-sponsored extra-judicial killings,
the trial and execution of minors and the use of horrific forms of torture against detainees;
|
| 37.2 |
REQUESTS the Australian Government to continue to investigate reports of this nature and continue
to make representations in support of the victims at all appropriate forums;
|
| 37.3 |
SUPPORTS the international condemnation of President Ahmadinejad's repeated statements calling for
Israel to be "wiped off the map" and his antisemitic Holocaust-denial statements;
|
| 37.4 |
SUPPORTS the efforts of the Argentine government and Interpol to arrest and bring to trial the
alleged perpetrators of the bombing of the Argentine Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires in 1994;
|
| 37.5 |
NOTES that:
- Iran became a non-nuclear weapon state party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970,
and concluded a Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1974, under
which Iran accepted safeguards (IAEA inspections) for the purpose of verifying that nuclear material
is not diverted to nuclear weapons or to other nuclear explosive devices.
- In February 2006, the IAEA Board of Governors submitted a report to the UN Security Council on its
difficulties with Iran and noted "Iran's many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply with
its NPT Safeguards Agreement ...."( IAEA Board of Governors Res. GOV/2006/14 (4 Feb. 2006));
- the UN Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter in Resolution 1835, has expressed
its serious concern that, "as confirmed by the reports of 23 May 2007 (GOV/2007/22), 30 August 2007
(GOV/2007/48), 15 November 2007 (GOV/2007/58) and 22 February 2008 (GOV/2008/4) of the Director General
of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has not established full and sustained suspension
of all enrichment related and reprocessing activities and heavy water-related projects as set out in
resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), and 1747(2007), nor resumed its cooperation with the IAEA under the
Additional Protocol to the NPT, nor taken the other steps required by the IAEA Board of Governors, nor
complied with the provisions of Security Council resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006) and 1747 (2007) and
which are essential to build confidence" and has imposed certain sanctions upon Iran which have failed to
result in Iran complying with the aforementioned requirements;
- the Iranian regime has admitted to the existence of a formerly undisclosed nuclear enrichment facility
in Qom, in clear violation of the current IAEA guidelines;
|
| 37.6 |
WELCOMES the Australian Government's active support for the strongest possible additional measures being taken
by the international community, including the imposition on Iran by Australia and other countries of severe
autonomous sanctions directed at the Iranian regime, over and above the sanctions imposed by the UN, so as
to ensure that Iran does not develop or gain access to nuclear weapons;.
|
| 37.7 |
URGES the Australian Government to continue to give a high strategic priority, in concert with other governments,
to counter-acting the four-fold threat that the current Iranian regime poses to international peace and security,
namely the nuclear threat, the threat of genocidal incitement, international state sponsored terrorism and the
systematic and widespread violations of the human and civil rights of the Iranian people.
|
| |
|
38. United Nations Human Rights Agenda
|
This Council:
|
| 38.1 |
CONDEMNS the way in which UN institutions and instruments have been manipulated to try to cast Israel
as a pariah state;
|
| 38.2 |
CALLS upon the Australian Government to support the reforms of the UN advocated in resolutions 38.3 and 38.4
and to insist upon the UN following a Human Rights agenda that is genuinely focused upon the pursuit of Human
Rights in accordance with the UN Charter;
|
| 38.3 |
CALLS for the abolition of the UN "Special Committees" on Palestinian issues, and "Palestinian Units" of the UN,
the predominant purpose of which is to spread anti-Israel propaganda and whose activities degrade the ability of
the United Nations to pursue its noble human rights objectives;
|
| 38.4 |
CALLS for the abolition by the United Nations General Assembly of the UN Human Rights Council and its replacement
by a new human rights body, membership of which is restricted to those countries which at the time of their
admission to membership have a democratic political system in which there is proven respect for the individual
and human rights of its citizens and the rule of law;
|
| 38.5 |
CALLS upon the Australian government to support the reforms of the UN advocated in this resolution and to insist
upon the UN following a human rights agenda that is genuinely focused upon the realization of human rights in
accordance with the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights
instruments.
|
| |
|
39. "Durban Process"
|
This Council:
|
| 39.1 |
NOTES that the UN World Conference Against Racism held in Durban in 2001 (Durban 1
Conference) was preceded by the NGO Forum which was marred by virulent antisemitic
behaviour from representatives of a number of Non-Government Organizations and which
was marked by abuse of process and outcomes prejudicial to genuine work to combat racism;
|
| 39.2 |
NOTES that the Durban I Government Conference produced outcome documents including the
Declaration which singled out Israel for criticism (while naming no other countries) and
introduced extraneous anti-Israel content under the pretext that Israel's actions are
racist, which anti-Israel content overshadowed and distorted the critically important
professed agenda of the conference;
|
| 39.3 |
NOTES that the Durban Review Conference in Geneva in April 2009 and the UN's 10th anniversary commemoration
in New York in September 2011:
- reaffirmed without reservation the 2001 Durban Declaration and Program of Action, including the section
titled "Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance," which specifically
states: "We are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation" and falsely
implies that Palestinians are victims of Israeli racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, or related intolerance;
- failed to address serious human rights abuses and genocide in various regions of
the world; and
- omitted any criticism or mention of the Hamas Charter and, in particular, those of
its provisions which incite hatred and genocide against Jews and affirm racist stereotypes about
Jews as a people.
and further notes with appreciation that the Australian Government joined the governments of a number of other
democratic countries in deciding not to attend the latter two events.
|
| 39.4 |
CONDEMNS the Durban process as irredeemably tainted with bias and racism against the Jewish people; and
|
| 39.5 |
URGES the Australian Government to join with the governments of other democratic countries in calling for the
2001 Durban Declaration and Program of Action to be fundamentally re-drafted so as to remedy the flaws enumerated
in paragraph 39.3.
|
| |
|
40. United Nations Bias
|
This Council:
|
| 40.1 |
NOTES with concern that on 24 November 2008 the then President of the UN General Assembly,
Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua, stated in the General Assembly:
"I spoke this morning about apartheid and how Israeli policies in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories appear so similar to the apartheid of an earlier era, a continent away. I believe it
is very important that we in the United Nations use this term. We must not be afraid to call
something what it is. It is the United Nations after all, that pass the International Convention
against the Crime of Apartheid, making clear to all the world that such practices of official
discrimination must be outlawed wherever they occur.
Today, perhaps we in the United Nations should consider following the lead of a new generation
of civil society, who are calling for a similar non-violent campaign of boycott, divestment and
sanctions to pressure Israel.";
|
| 40.2 |
RECORDS that the accusations against Israel are scurrilous, false and without basis;
|
| 40.3 |
NOTES that on 29 November 2006, the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan criticised the
UN Human Rights Council for its "disproportionate focus on violations by Israel" while
neglecting other parts of the world such as Darfur, which had what he termed "graver" crises
and that Annan reiterated this criticism in his formal address on 8 December 2006 (International
Human Rights Day);
|
| 40.4 |
FURTHER NOTES that at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 20 June 2007:
(a) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon criticized the Council in a statement that read:
"The Secretary-General is disappointed at the Council's decision to single out only one
specific regional item given the range and scope of allegations of human rights violations
throughout the world."
(b) The European Union, Canada and the United States were also critical of the Council's focus
on alleged Israeli violations; and
(c) Alejandro Wolff, deputy U.S. permanent representative at the United Nations, accused
the Council of having "a pathological obsession with Israel".
|
| 40.5 |
CONDEMNS the United Nations to the extent that it: applies different standards for Israel
and the Jewish people than for other countries; utterly fails to mention let alone criticise,
the campaign of terror waged against innocent civilians in Israel from the territories and
from Gaza from which Israel has unilaterally withdrawn; continues with its one-sided obsession
with Israel especially on the part of the UN Human Rights Council;
|
| 40.6 |
NOTES that these developments continue to give rise to grave concerns about the credibility
and effectiveness of the United Nations among fair-minded people everywhere;
|
| 40.7 |
CALLS UPON the Australian Government to continue to work towards fair and equitable treatment
of Israel in all UN forums.
|
| |
|
41. Global Antisemitism
|
This Council:
|
| 41.1 |
EXPRESSES ALARM at the escalation in acts of antisemitism throughout the world such as
racially motivated physical and verbal assaults against Jewish people, attacks upon
Synagogues and other Jewish Institutions and businesses owned by Jews, and:
(a) CALLS UPON government and community leaders in the European Union and the media
to show leadership by publicly denouncing as and when they occur, all manifestations of
antisemitism falling within the working definition produced by the European Union Monitoring
Centre on Racism and Xenophobia and adopted by the UK All Part Parliamentary Inquiry into
Antisemitism;
(b) DENOUNCES the President of Venezuala, Hugo Chavez, for descending repeatedly
into racist and bullying rhetoric against Venezuala's Jewish citizens, which has resulted
in a significant upsurge in racially motivated physical and verbal assaults against them and
their communal institutions; and
(c) DEPLORES the proliferation of grossly antisemitic material within many of the
States of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in the form of written publications,
television and radio programs and internet material, and the promotion of such material by
their governments through its inclusion in school curricula and its dissemination through
government-controlled media.
|
| 41.2 |
NOTES that a significant number of incidents have been carried out by Islamist groups who
support and engage in antisemitic violence;
|
| 41.3 |
NOTES that extremist left and right-wing organizations have encouraged their supporters to
work together with extremist elements within Muslim and Arab communities;
|
| 41.4 |
CALLS ON the UN and all countries to take all necessary steps to ensure that those
violent antisemitic incidents are not repeated and to protect Jewish citizens and
communal property and to prevent other acts of anti-Jewish incitement;
|
| 41.5 |
CONDEMNS the prevalence of anti-Jewish rhetoric in sections of the mass-media which
masquerades as political criticism of Israel.
|
| |
|
44. APRID
|
This Council:
|
| 44.1 |
NOTES the contribution to international understanding and dialogue between peoples
of the Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogues in Indonesia in 2004, Philippines
in 2006, New Zealand in 2007, Cambodia in 2008 and Australia in 2009;
|
| 44.2 |
NOTES the unique and vital role played by representatives of the ECAJ's interfaith
dialogues to this process and also to the inaugural Youth Interfaith Forum in Perth
in 2007;
|
| 44.3 |
RECOGNISES the importance of members of Australia's delegations being engaged with
representative bodies and being able to keep the broader community informed of the
outcomes of the APRID processes and to properly represent communities' views;
|
| 44.4 |
URGES the Australian Government to include a representative from the ECAJ in
all future Asia Pacific Interfaith Dialogues, as was the case until 2008.
|
| |
|
44a. Roma People
|
This Council:
|
| 44a.1 |
DECLARES that as Jews, we cannot remain silent when people are discriminated against
because they are members of a religious, racial, or national group;
|
| 44a.2 |
NOTES WITH CONCERN that whilst being one of Europe's largest minorities, the Roma
people continue to suffer discrimination in Europe, are often the victims of forced
evictions, racist attacks and ill-treatment, have reduced rates of life expectancy
and higher rates of infant mortality, and are often denied their rights to housing,
employment, health care and education;
|
| 44a.3 |
CALLS UPON the Australian government to use its good offices with European governments
to urge them to treat the Roma with humanity and with due consideration for their
human rights.
|
| |
|
44b. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
|
This Council:
|
| 44b.1 |
NOTES that:
- Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is an award-winning Bangladeshi journalist
and editor of the Weekly Blitz newspaper in Bangladesh. Because of his
beliefs in interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims and criticism of Islamist
extremism, he is on trial in Bangladesh for sedition, an offense punishable by death;
- Mr Choudhury was arrested on 29 November 2003 at Zia International Airport in Dhaka,
Bangladesh, on his way to board a flight bound for Tel Aviv, and was originally charged
with a passport violation, a charge that was only subsequently elevated to sedition;
- While previously in detention Mr Choudhury was subjected to harsh interrogation
techniques and received no treatment for a debilitating case of glaucoma;
- Mr Choudhury's incarceration lasted for17 months without legal recourse and was only
released on bail on 30 April 2005;
- Senior members of the Bangledeshi Government subsequently made continuous public promises that
there was no substance to Mr Choudhury's pending charges and that all charges would be dropped;
- On 6 July 2006, Mr Choudhury's newspaper offices were bombed by an Islamic extremist organization
after Mr Choudhury and his staff published articles in support of the Ahmadiyya Muslim minority;
- Mr Choudhury received a tip about the bombing days before and reported it to police, who refused
to take action;
- On 18 September 2006, a judge with alleged ties to an Islamic extremist party, Mohammed Momin Ullah,
ruled that Mr Choudhury will stand trial for sedition. The judge made this ruling despite the Public
Prosecutor's testimony in court days before that the government did not have evidence and would not
object to the charges being dropped;
- On October 5, 2006, Mr Choudhury was attacked at his newspaper offices by a large group of individuals,
including prominent members of the ruling Bangladesh National Party. Police protection for Mr Choudhury
was withdrawn just days before the attack. Mr Choudhury was called an ''agent of the Jews'' and beaten badly.
When Mr Choudhury reported the attack to the police, no action was taken
- On 15 February 2007, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution without opposition,
calling for the Government of Bangladesh immediately to drop all pending charges against Mr Choudhury;
return all of Mr Choudhury's confiscated possessions; cease harassment and intimidation of Mr Choudhury;
and take steps to protect Mr Choudhury and hold accountable those responsible for attacks against Mr Choudhury;
- On 18 March 2008, members of Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) abducted Mr Choudhury from his office
at gun point. He was blind-folded and taken to an RAB office and released late at night. Written complaints were
sent to the military-controlled interim government but no action has been taken by the Bangladesh authorities
against the RAB members responsible;
- On 22 February 2009, armed thugs belonging to the ruling Bangladesh Awami League entered the office of
Mr Choudhury, ransacked the entire office and physically assaulted him and other staff of the Weekly Blitz
newspaper. Although a specific complaint was lodged with the police station on the day of the occurrence, no
action has been taken by Bangladesh's law enforcement agencies against the culprits;
- The capital charge against Mr Choudhury has not been withdrawn and he remains on trial for sedition.
|
| 44b.2 |
CALLS UPON the government of Bangladesh immediately and without further prevarication or delay to:
- drop all pending charges against Mr Choudhury;
- return all of Mr Choudhury's confiscated possessions;
- cease all harassment and intimidation of Mr Choudhury; and
- take steps to protect Mr Choudhury from physical attacks and to hold accountable those responsible
for previous attacks against Mr Choudhury
|
| 44b.3 |
CALLS UPON the Australian government to prevail upon the government of Bangladesh to take the measures enumerated in
paragraph 2 immediately and without further prevarication or delay.
|