Bring David Hicks Home Vigil : Melbourne Indymedia

The vigil heard a condemnation of recent statements by Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer that rejected concerns over the Guantanamo detainee's mental health based upon a recent visit of an Australian-based US official with no medical qualifications, and which lasted for just five minutes.

According to a report in the Age (http://ncane.com/6h6), one of the USA Embassy "officials briefly met Hicks as part of a tour of Guantanamo last week and an assessment of his mental state was passed on to Mr Downer."

Terry Hicks has responded to Downers comments in the Age report:
"They had a five-minute conversation where David was reluctant to pass on any information or really talk to them. So in five minutes they did a hell of a big assessment on him," Mr Hicks said.

"I asked (the ambassador) what qualifications did these people have? Well they had none. A five-minute meeting by someone who's not accredited with being a psychiatrist (who then) can go to an Australian official and say 'I just spoke to David and he's quite fine', well, hang on a minute, five minutes, that's absolutely stupid.

Mr Hicks said he asked the ambassador for an independent assessment of his son from a qualified psychiatrist who was not affiliated with either government or military.

"I still believe after the conversation we had in July with David that's he's not well," Mr Hicks said "And then of course he declined to speak with us (this month), which told me he isn't well because David usually grabs a chance to talk."

The vigil was addressed by CFMEU official Martin Kingham, who condemned and equated the erosion of civil liberties, with the severe penalties and restrictions the Howard Government has imposed on workers in the construction industry.

The vigils will continue on a weekly basis on Fridays at midday in Melbourne until David Hicks is brought home. No vigil will be held on Friday 26 January as it is a public holiday.

You may recall a comment yesterday about HREOC if you don't here it is once again for your perusal...

HREOC?
by Parrot Press Friday January 19, 2007 at 01:35 PM

Detention centres' living conditions improve, HREOC says

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission says living conditions have improved in mainland immigration detention centres.

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Goes to show you what HREOC is good for doesn't it!

Maintaining despicable inhumane human rights for selected people who are treated like animals in a cage!

HREOC should continue to be condemned as another arm of government, which is all that it has been and is! Good for sanctioning despots!

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Seems like they took our call yesterday and today we get this from them...

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HREOC renews call to end mandatory detention

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has renewed its call for an end to Australia's mandatory immigration detention laws.

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However this is not because they have realised the error of their ways but more likely how stupid that previous statement was and this is imho is just another cover up and face saving exercise by the government arm to cover their mistake and not a genuine attempt to something about human rights and equal opportunities at all.

So don't take the bait so easily.

By the way what did they do for David Hicks lately????? 5 years aye?

Lots of support there guys, well done!
Let's bring him home and give him a big hug for being so Aussie.
Me, I was off watching Borat for the 4th time laughing at prostitute, homo, jew jokes, yeah, sexy time!!

Von Dousa QC is a joke of a President of HREOC...very soon you know why Australia is mired in Human Rights abuse

Protests are good, but the whole commnity needs to be involved for those in the country it`s not possible to come to a protest, what about the good old bumper sticker `FREE DAVID` or similar to get a lot more people involved?

Great work. It is time for David to be brought home.

Bring David home campaigners will converge in Canberra on Tuesday 6 February on the opening of federal parliament. Our aim is to make justice for David Hicks the number one issue on the national political agenda.

From 11am elected representatives will be invited to address the crowd outside Parliament and say how they stand.