Thank you so much Nadia. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Sunny is fictional. But the generosity of the Vancouver Indian community is not. It is true and documented. The Shore Committee rose between 70 000 and 100 000 to pay for court costs, the final installment of the charter, and provisions—which the immigration officers wouldn’t let through. They didn’t turn their backs on strangers in need and neither should we. Read the post just above to understand. I will find every possible government email I can for everyone to USE! Anyone have any ideas??
Jess

Tanya, you did a great thing by bringing this to our attention. Awareness is everything.

I had no idea about this camp. I don’t think our media has even covered it at all. And this is something that deserves front page coverage. I am disgusted to think that such things could happen in this day and age. I’m guessing that if it can happen in Australia, then it can happen here. In the end, with the War Measures Act, anything is possible. We should act now and show Australia that we citizens of the world do care. Here are a few ways to start:

READ AND SIGN THIS PETITION:


http://www.petitiononline.com/mandaean/petition.html



Fax this number:
United States
(202) 797-3168



Call this number:
United States
(202) 797-3000



Write Major General Simon V.L. Willis:

Head of the Australian Defence Staff Washington HADS(W)
and Australian Defence Attaché
Major General Simon V.L. Willis, CSC



In May of 1939 Hitler tested the world. He sent a ship (St.Louis) with 930 Jewish refugees to see who would care about them, to see who would open their doors to them. No country cared. No country opened their doors and eventually the ship had to return to Europe and the passengers had to face the Holocaust. Many paid the ultimate price because of the world’s silence and indifference. I see this camp as a sort of test. If no one cares, if the world stays silent, perhaps many others will spring up.

Thank you for using your gift.

Jess

This took me a while...so please use them. All you have to do is prepare a draft e-mail and cut and paste these addresses in the TO field.

Note: You can place about 45 addresses at a time…so here are clusters for your convenience…these are all MPs and senators…took me a few hours to get these it will take you two minutes to let them KNOW the world is watching even if the UN and the Press are not)


(1)Tony.Abbott.MP@aph.gov.au,D.Adams.MP@aph.gov.au, A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au,John.Anderson.MP@aph.gov.au,Peter.Andren.MP@aph.gov.au,Neil.Andrew.MP@aph.gov.au, Kevin.Andrews.MP@aph.gov.au,Larry.Anthony.MP@aph.gov.au, John.Burt@aph.gov.au

(2)Fran.Bailey.MP@aph.gov.au,Bruce.Baird.MP@aph.gov.au,Bob.Baldwin.MP@aph.gov.au,Phil.Barresi.MP@aph.gov.au,Kerry.Bartlett.MP@aph.gov.au,Kim.Beazley.MP@aph.gov.au,Arch.Bevis.MP@aph.gov.au, B.Billson.MP@aph.gov.au,Bronwyn.Bishop.MP@aph.gov.au, Julie.Bishop.MP@aph.gov.au,lauriebreretonmp@aph.gov.au, Mal.Brough.MP@aph.gov.au,Anna.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au, Anthony.Byrne.MP@aph.gov.au,A.Cadman.MP@aph.gov.au, Ross.Cameron.MP@aph.gov.au,Ian.Causley.MP@aph.gov.au, Bob.Charles.MP@aph.gov.au,Steven.Ciobo.MP@aph.gov.au, John.Cobb.MP@aph.gov.au,Ann.Corcoran.MP@aph.gov.au, David.Cox.MP@aph.gov.au,S.Crean.MP@aph.gov.au, J.Crosio.MP@aph.gov.au,Michael.Danby.MP@aph.gov.au, A.Downer.MP@aph.gov.au,T.Draper.MP@aph.gov.au, Peter.Dutton.MP@aph.gov.au,Graham.Edwards.MP@aph.gov.au,Annette.Ellis.MP@aph.gov.au,K.Elson.MP@aph.gov.au,Craig.Emerson.MP@aph.gov.au

(3)Warren.Entsch.MP@aph.gov.au,Martyn.Evans.MP@aph.gov.au, Pat.Farmer.MP@aph.gov.au,Laurie.Ferguson.MP@aph.gov.au,M.Ferguson.MP@aph.gov.au,J.Fitzgibbon.MP@aph.gov.au,J. Forrest.MP@aph.gov.au,C.Gallus.MP@aph.gov.au, T.Gambaro.MP@aph.gov.au,Joanna.Gash.MP@aph.gov.au, Jennie.George.MP@aph.gov.au,P.Georgiou.MP@aph.gov.au, Steve.Gibbons.MP@aph.gov.au,Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au, Sharon.Grierson.MP@aph.gov.au,Alan.Griffin.MP@aph.gov.au, Barry.Haase.MP@aph.gov.au,Jill.Hall.MP@aph.gov.au, Gary.Hardgrave.MP@aph.gov.au, Luke.Hartsuyker.MP@aph.gov.au, Michael.Hatton.MP@aph.gov.au,David.Hawker.MP@aph.gov.au,Kelly.Hoare.MP@aph.gov.au,J.Hockey.MP@aph.gov.au, Kay.Hull.MP@aph.gov.au, Greg.Hunt.MP@aph.gov.au,Julia.Irwin.MP@aph.gov.au, Sharryn.Jackson.MP@aph.gov.au, Harry.Jenkins.MP@aph.gov.au,Michael.Johnson.MP@aph.gov.au,David.Jull.MP@aph.gov.au, Bob.Katter.MP@aph.gov.au,De-Anne.Kelly.MP@aph.gov.au, Jackie.Kelly.MP@aph.gov.au, D.Kemp.MP@aph.gov.au,Duncan.Kerr.MP@aph.gov.au, Peter.King.MP@aph.gov.au,Catherine.King.MP@aph.gov.au

(4)M.Latham.MP@aph.gov.au,Carmen.Lawrence.MP@aph.gov.au, Sussan.Ley.MP@aph.gov.au,Peter.Lindsay.MP@aph.gov.au,J.Lloyd.MP@aph.gov.au,Ian.Macfarlane.MP@aph.gov.au,Jenny.Macklin.MP@aph.gov.au,Margaret.May.MP@aph.gov.au,Stewart.McArthur.MP@aph.gov.au, R.McClelland.MP@aph.gov.au,Jann.McFarlane.MP@aph.gov.au,Peter.McGauran.MP@aph.gov.au,L.McLeay.MP@aph.gov.au, Bob.McMullan.MP@aph.gov.au,D.Melham.MP@aph.gov.au,F.Mossfield.MP@aph.gov.au,J.Moylan.MP@aph.gov.au, John.Murphy.MP@aph.gov.au,G.Nairn.MP@aph.gov.au,B.Nelson.MP@aph.gov.au,P.Neville.MP@aph.gov.au, Michelle.Obyrne.MP@aph.gov.au,Gavan.Oconnor.MP@aph.gov.au,Michael.Organ.MP@aph.gov.au,Chris.Pearce.MP@aph.gov.au, Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au,Rogerpricemp@aph.gov.au, Geoffrey.Prosser.MP@aph.gov.au,C.Pyne.MP@aph.gov.au, Harry.Quick.MP@aph.gov.au,Don.Randall.MP@aph.gov.au, Bernie.Ripoll.MP@aph.gov.au,Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au, Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au,R.Sawford.MP@aph.gov.au, Alby.Schultz.MP@aph.gov.au,Con.Sciacca.MP@aph.gov.au,Bruce.Scott.MP@aph.gov.au,P.Secker@aph.gov.au

(5)Bob.Sercombe.MP@aph.gov.au,Sid.Sidebottom.MP@aph.gov.au,Peter.Slipper.MP@aph.gov.au,Stephen.Smith.MP@aph.gov.au, Tony.Smith.MP@aph.gov.au,Warren.Snowdon.MP@aph.gov.au,Alex.Somlyay.MP@aph.gov.au,Andrew.Southcott.MP@aph.gov.au, S.Stone.MP@aph.gov.au,Wayne.Swan.MP@aph.gov.au,Lindsay.Tanner.MP@aph.gov.au,Cameron.Thompson.MP@aph.gov.au, Kelvin.Thomson.MP@aph.gov.au,Ken.Ticehurst.MP@aph.gov.au,David.Tollner.MP@aph.gov.au,W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au, W.Tuckey.MP@aph.gov.au,Danna.Vale.MP@aph.gov.au, Maria.Vamvakinou.MP@aph.gov.au,Barry.Wakelin.MP@aph.gov.au,Mal.Washer.MP@aph.gov.au,Kim.Wilkie.MP@aph.gov.au,daryl.williams.MP@aph.gov.au,Tony.Windsor.MP@aph.gov.au,T.Worth.MP@aph.gov.au,Christian.Zahra.MP@aph.gov.au,webmanager@aph.gov.au,web.resp@aph.gov.au,web.senate@aph.gov.au,Visitor.Services@aph.gov.au,web.reps@aph.gov.au,webcast.manager@aph.gov.au,parlinfoweb@aph.gov.au,web.library@aph.gov.au,louise.dauth@aph.gov.au,JHDWeb.Admin@aph.gov.au,Mark.Vaile.MP@aph.gov.au,higgins@aph.gov.au,table.office.reps@aph.gov.au

(6)liaison.reps@aph.gov.au,research.sen@aph.gov.au,web.dprs@aph.gov.au,committee.reps@aph.gov.au,ca.procedure@aph.gov.au,info@peo.gov.au,webmaster@peo.gov.au,dpl.publications@aph.gov.au,wai@w3.org,wai-site-comments@w3.org,wai-wcag-editor@w3.org,site-policy@w3.org,fca.reps@aph.gov.au,seminar.reps@aph.gov.au,ecita.sen@aph.gov.au,eet.sen@aph.gov.au,legcon.sen@aph.gov.au,nativetitle.joint@aph.gov.au,fadt.sen@aph.gov.au,acc.committee@aph.gov.au,medicare.sen@aph.gov.au,dpl.publictions@aph.gov.au,WebMaster@Netscape.com,enquiries@hcourt.gov.au,fms@fms.gov.au,webmaster@webenter.com.au,customer.service@fms.gov.au,query@fedcourt.gov.au,chriscod@familycourt.gov.au,Leanne.Manthorpe@aph.gov.au,L.Manthorpe@aph.gov.au,HQ@nap2.org,SerjeantatArms.Reps@aph.gov.au,info@aec.gov.au,webmaster@pmc.gov.au,hrm.reps@aph.gov.au,val.barrett@aph.gov.au,peter.ward@aph.gov.au,john.walsh@aph.gov.au,super.sen@aph.gov.au,jscfadt@aph.gov.au,cita.reps@aph.gov.au,jsct@aph.gov.au,trs.Reps@aph.gov.au,scaleplus@ag.gov.au,scalesupport@ag.gov.au,

"I Write Freedom Till I Die"

These words were written in blood by a Mandaean detainee on a wall of Woomera detention Center in Australia. To what extremes must one endure to use their very own life blood to write upon the walls in protest? The images of the Gulags in the former U.S.S.R. under the iron fisted rule of Stalin, or the concentration camps of the Nazi’s comes to mind. The vivid images of horror that burn their gruesome pictures of truth into the minds of all, still. As a race, man should guard itself against the creation of these camps again.

Sadly, however, another of these horrible places of villainy has sprung up, and to make it worse, right under the noses of democracy. The very notion that these places exist under the banner of freedom that we claim democracy to be, shakes and challenges the foundation upon which it was laid. In the country of Australia, people are imprisoned like animals, treated inhumanely, and mercilessly persecuted in prison-like concentration camps. Their crime? To flee a land of persecution and find freedom, a place to live without being terrorized and tortured. . They came to Australia to breathe the pure air of a free society where they can worship in peace; instead they were shown the cruel, iron fist of the Australian Government, who instead of helping these poor refugees made an example of them, to further propagate their political agenda of xenophobic policies. The government wrongfully imprisoned them in ‘detention centers’ (a nice term for concentration camps), tortured them mentally and physically, then cut them off from the outside world to strip them of all hope and humanity. This treatment continues to this very day, and in ever worsening conditions.

We as a community of Mandaeans, across the world and from many different countries, implore, plead, and beg on our knees that some course of action be taken by the international community to aid these tormented people. We wish them to be freed from their slave bondage by the Australian Government; either acknowledge them as refugees or allow them to go to countries which will accept them as refugees. It is the Australian Government that has imprisoned them, made them suffer inhumane treatment, and keeping them from leaving and from their loved ones. What purpose could the government have in this? Is it not more economically and socially sound to help them on their way instead of imprisoning them? The answer is simple; they wish these people to suffer mercilessly to make an example of them to others who would want to seek freedom by going to Australia. Control by threat and fear: the same policy instituted by Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler, or Saddam Hussein.

Curtain, Woomera, and Baxter; these are three of the camps which house oppressed, refugee, Mandaean prisoners. Many others exist, scattered across the Australian continent far from any civilized city. In these camps, Mandaeans endure brutal treatment along with many other people of different creeds. The conditions of Baxter are ostentatious, they rival some of the worst ever crafted by man. First, the numbers: 239 people, 155 adult men, 32 adult women, and 52 children. Fifty-two innocent children being held by the government in camps, which make grown men break down mentally. The psychological trauma that everyone endures at these camps is devastating, but to these children, it is worse. One a single note is a picture drawn of a primitive catapult to launch someone over the razor wire electric fences. It is drawn in crayon, with the message, “It is possible, the way to freedom.” But, perhaps the worst of this is the children who are too sick to write the ones who need desperate medical attention that the Australian Government denies them. A father, who has been imprisoned for two years in Port Hedland Detention Center, writes a simple note on poor quality paper with a cheap pen. An excerpt from the letter reads:

“I have two daughter 8 and 4 years old my younger daughter is sick. she has a heart problem and asthma and need special medical care and open heart surgery. I am stuck in the camp and don't know what to do to help my family. I met with Dimia and ACM and asked them to help me. but they didn't. I asked redcross to help. but they refused so the only source of hope for me in this dark place are good Asutralian people.”

A father who is helpless to save his dying daughter of 4 years of age, all because of the Australian Government’s policy on refugees. And who are these terrible refugees that must be imprisoned under such inhuman terms. Some of these refugees are the Mandaeans. These people represent a small religious minority that has lived under intimidation and harassment by their oppressors in Iran and Iraq for centuries. However, in recent years because of turmoil and rigid Islamic rules in Iran and Iraq, the Mandaean people have been suffering a great deal of hardship such as persecution, religious repression and discrimination, violation of human rights, and inequality from both social and government authorities. These people are composed of a highly educated, skilled, and hardworking group. In recent years have left their native lands in hope of finding new homelands that will give them the protection and human rights that every human being is entitled of. The Mandaeans came to Australia’s shores where they expected to find freedom from opposition, freedom to pray in peace, freedom to go to school and learn, freedom to live unafraid, freedom of justice. Instead they were met with a government determined to use the Mandaeans along with others to deter future refugees from coming to Australia. By making his or her life so miserable, no refugee would dare to think about coming to Australia. The results of forced detention and the conditions of the camps have been documented by media sources worldwide.

These horrible conditions are not adequately described using words, for one must see the hell that these detention camps truly are. It would make anyone who has a soul cry or grow sick to his or her stomach. We implore you to aid the Mandaeans of these detention centers to send them to freedom; to be let out of this prison from which they were placed without crime. Any help will be greatly appreciated to free these detainees, and as Mother Theresa once said, “If you can not feed one hundred people, then just feed one.” When you go home tonight, to your families, and your children or grand children look you in the eye and ask you what you have done today, please have the answer be, “I have helped free a people who were suffering and made the world a better place.” Instead of, “I allowed hundreds of men, women, and children suffer under tyranny and die at the hands malice and persecution.” We can ask no more, then to aid us to do what is right and just, in the name of God and humanity.

In closing, we thank you for your time, this opportunity, and the aid you may give, leaving you with one final thought:

"I said, 'We don't come here for a room. We don't come here for clothes. We don't come here for handouts. We come here for freedom to live! I said, 'If you understand, you tell all people outside.' (A Mandaean voice from Woomera)



Sincerely,

Read your novel and loved it! I totally see it as a movie.
Nice work.
Rob

ps....have you or anyone heard of a movement called the "GADHAR" movement...any info on it?

ps2 I'm already emailing the Aussie gov and I can't believe you
got all tose emails.

I just wanted to say you have written a great and poignant novel Mr.Thind. I agree 100 % with the gentleman above. It should be turned into a very nice Punjabi movie. You should also truly consider translating the book to Punjabi and selling in Punjab as these passengers were from the Punjab. I know a small press in Punjab that would be very interested in the rights. They are called the Singh Singh Brothers and they can make your book available to this market. Please do consider the possibility as I believe it is such a nice book and would be a shame if it was only available in Canada. The UK is also a great market for your book.

Thank you, Mr. Thind, for capturing all the good in our people.

Yours Sincerely,
Wajir Singh Khalsa