Haneef case: international embarrassment and national disgrace - National Social/Political

While we sincerely regret the maltreatment, deprivation of liberty and other human rights violations Dr. Haneef has suffered, we owe him a great debt of gratitude for exposing the true criminal character of Howard and his conservative government. We also strongly urge Dr. Haneef to take action against the culpable for damages, compensation and a host of other injustices and illegalities. Never has Australia seen so many racists, buffoons, incompetents, criminal liars and bunglers in high office at one time. It hardly engenders confidence for the forthcoming APEC summit in Sydney; in fact, police and agency incompetence is an invitation for professional terrorists to gather in Sydney and make a ‘statement.’

Short by stature, memory and tactics, Howard forgets the long-term memory of history. But the matter is not over by a ‘long shot.’ The criminality of the government is obvious, however, nothing short of a confession from one of the offenders would satisfy the courts, hard evidence is always a problem in these matters. Perhaps a number of involved parties could be “rendered” to various CIA torture centres in Saudi Arabia or Eastern Europe for interrogation!

Collusion, beat-up, racism, xenophobia, fabrication, manipulation, Muslim bashing, bullying, scapegoating, victimisation and general shameful behaviour for which Australia is now famous thanks to Howard and his policies – the recent stabbing of an Aussie tourist in Germany is not unrelated. Howard and his ministers have made us ALL an international laughing stock and almost as hated as the yanks.

Should we now jail those criminally responsible for dragging the once good reputation of Australia through the mire; or should we continue on the conservative road to ignominy and destruction? All Australians are acutely aware of Rudd’s silence on the most critical issues affecting our reputation and future. The dreary Lib-Lab binary option is no longer viable – it's time for a Republic and real representative Australian leadership.

Restore the Australian heritage that Howard tried so desperately to destroy and re-establish good relations with the international community. Jail Howard for his crimes against humanity in Iraq, destroying Australian values with IR, and subverting national sovereignty by surrendering the nation to the yanks and the Transnationals.

Every Australian should remind themselves of the words in our anthem and ask, is there cause to “rejoice” over the conservative direction Howard has taken the nation – Rudd is NOT an alternative as he is a self-confessed conservative who serves the same interests as Howard, isn’t that right, Mr. Murdoch?

LAWYERS have stepped up their criticism of the Opposition's apparent reluctance to take on the Howard government over the case of terror suspect Mohamed Haneef, with the profession's peak body saying it should be doing more.

Law Council of Australia president Tim Bugg said the organisation was concerned about the Opposition's lack of questioning of anti-terrorism laws that allowed Dr Haneef to be detained for almost two weeks without being charged.

''I believe that the Opposition ought to be more questioning about it,'' Mr Bugg said.

The criticism follows an attack by the Queensland Labor Lawyers Association on Kevin Rudd on Monday for ''kowtowing'' to the federal Government on the Haneef case.

Mr Bugg made his comments while releasing a report on the David Hicks case by senior barrister Lex Lasry, QC, who acted as the council's independent observer at the terror suspect's US military commission trial at Guantanamo Bay in March.

Mr Bugg said there were similarities between the Hicks case and the treatment of Dr Haneef.

''There's an Alice in Wonderland quality to both these cases - first the sentence, then the verdict,'' Mr Bugg said.

''Mr Hicks and Dr Haneef both know what that feels like.''

Mr Bugg said it appeared that ''political considerations'' had come into play in the Haneef case just as they did in the Hicks case.

''The track record of both major parties is not good,'' he said.

''The Law Council was very concerned that Mr Hick's case was being overwhelmed by political considerations rather than matters of principle.

''What we are concerned about with the Haneef case is that political considerations are also coming into play there.''

Mr Bugg said the council would continue to voice its concerns about terrorism laws and the treatment of suspects ''despite suggestions from some that we are simply getting into politics''.

Mr Lasry said there was no justification for someone being held without being charged while the prosecution was trying to assemble a case, as happened with Dr Haneef.

''I think there is just simply no justification for that,'' he said.

''It was in a sense capped off by the willingness of the Immigration Minister to cancel his visa. I think anyone who has thought about it would be very concerned about those steps.''

The concept of someone being detained while a decision was made about whether a case existed against them ``strikes at the heart of some fundamental freedoms'', Mr Lasry said.

He said public concern about the treatment of Dr Haneef was partly the result of the increased awareness of the issue created by the treatment of David Hicks.

''I don't think people are accepting of what is happening to Dr Haneef. I think people are more concerned about it than they were in the early stages of the Hicks case,'' he said.

''I think they are concerned about the way it is going.''

© 2007 News Limited

Everyone is screaming where is Kevin Rudd on the most critical issues facing Australian society?

I thought you knew, he's down here on his knees with Custard on his Face! It suits him, don't you think?

What a disgrace, this pale conservative from QLD presents.

The Oz Labor Party is thoroughly shamed and totally betrayed by this sun-bleached dog turd.

Rudd is nothing, a zero, a worse sell-out than Howard.

Vote for a Republican -- the two majors serve the powers not the people.

Restore the nation to the people.

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