In the previous entry I quoted Julian Burnside as having stated that, in regard to the role of America and Australia at the Nuremburg Trials:
"...that Australia contributed far beyond its proportionate population and global influence at these trials."
When in fact he was referring to Australia:
"...participating significantly in the preparation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
At Federation Square



Federation Square is one of the most impressive aspects of Melbourne, in my humble opinion. It is a cubist-appearing collection of art galleries, museums, public television studio, conference center, cafes and restaurants, and most impressively, an open-air gathering place. It is a specifically-built public space designed for people to gather together. It is ringed by the venues just mentioned, straddles the Yarra river, and at one end has a giant television screen with the city beyond.
Thousands of people pack it to watch live music, televised soccer in the middle of the night from Europe, or a host of other arts and cultural offerings. I was in the city the other day and on the giant television there was a broadcast of a panel discussion taking place inside the complex itself. It was a discussion about human rights broadly and about David Hicks in particular. He is unknown in the US but he is the lone Australian being held at Guantanamo Bay. He has been held for over five years, half in solitary confinement, allegedly tortured both physically and mentally and has only now been charged with a crime.
The Age reports:
"The 31-year-old Adelaide-born Muslim convert, who has been in US custody since he was captured in Afghanistan in late 2001, was charged yesterday with providing material support for terrorism and referred to stand trial by a special military commission at the detention camp in Cuba."
His appointed attorney is a US Marine named Michael Mori. Mori spoke eloquently at the panel discussion and he explained, in great detail, how charges have been invented after the fact, how the US has a trial system set up that they won't use on their own citizens to avoid bad publicity but it's good enough for everyone else, how it puts the burden of proof on the defendant, and essentially how the process has been a hypocritical exercise on the part of the US Government that violates international human rights laws. England told the US that they would not allow their citizens to be held in Cuba as it was against international law, and the US let their British prisoners leave. Australia has decided to allow the US to do with Hicks as it sees fit, much to the disgust of many people in Australia.
One of the most emotional moments for me was when a lady stood to ask a question for Major Mori. Very calmly she said, "Thank you for all you've done to help one of our citizens." And with that the entire place, both inside and out, erupted in applause. For me it was a moving gesture to see human decency and compassion actually be applauded. It was sad that these people all reacted out of a feeling that their own government cared less for Hicks than a young, inexperienced American serviceman given the responsibility of fighting for the rights of a foreigner.
Another speaker was Julian Burnside, a Queen's Council (high ranking lawyer), and he made two of the most eloquent points of the day. He stated first that human rights are meant to protect humans, whether or not they are "good" humans. He accused Australians of applying that standard to people they can identify with, and those who are somehow outside the accepted norms of society are easily ignored. He secondly pointed out that he found one of the greatest tragedies of the entire affair was that the US showed the world how to handle such matters with great dignity and fairness during the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, and that Australia contributed far beyond its proportionate population and global influence at these trials. Unfortunately both countries have turned their backs on the very ideals they helped to establish.
Thousands of us sat in the open air on a lovely summer night and watched, cheered, and discussed what each of the speakers had to offer. A collection of people from every walk of life, together because of a concern for the human rights of someone they didn't personally know, and probably wouldn't even like if they did.
This was a good night in a fine city.
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