Why do we need a Safe Haven House?
Simon Laurent, an Immigration specialist since 1996, has written in his blog that in the last year (2019) asylum seekers arriving in New Zealand have risen from and annual figure of 225 to 605. Other providers have maxed out their resources trying to cope with this huge increase in demand. In his blog he asks the question that’s been on everyone’s mind for the last decade? Is Immigration NZ (INZ) trying to deter asylum seekers? There seems to be a conflict between INZ’s role to protect our borders, and to allow desperate people fleeing for their lives to enter NZ under the provisions of the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees. In recent months INZ has required asylum seekers to get Medical and Police Certificates, from their country of origin when they apply for visas to work here while their claim is considered. No emergency benefit is payable until a work visa is issued. This new policy causes great hardship to asylum seekers who have no income. How can they survive in NZ’s expensive society? Many-times the asylum seekers (if they are converts to another religion) will not have help from family back home. The meagre amount they fled with soon runs out.
A Bit of Law
New Zealand is a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, which has been a part of NZ Law since 1960 and mentioned in the Immigration Act 2009. People who apply may be ‘recognised’ as refugees. That is, if they are accepted under the Convention, NZ has not given them refugee status – it merely confirmed a status which they had already acquired because of their background and experiences. It has been accepted by the Courts that the term refugee also applies to someone who has made a claim which has not yet been determined. Determination of some claims can take many years.
The principle of Non-Refoulment
The key principle of the Refugee Convention is non-refoulment – a refugee must not be sent back to the country where they have a well-founded fear of persecution. Again, this has always been extended to claimants whose status has not yet been formally recognised.
Otherwise, a country could be guilty of sending someone back to risk of death or serious harm, who was actually entitled to its protection. INZ has done this many times in recent years in breach of the Convention and it is very difficult to remedy when the person is no longer in NZ to obtain legal representation.
A Remand Prison is no place to hold refugees?
When INZ arrests a person who it wants to ‘deport’ or ‘refoul’, it usually holds them in Auckland Remand Prison with all sorts of people who are facing charges for criminal activity.
International Justice Advocates Limited (IJAL) has a list of ‘refugees’ who have been attacked in Mt Eden Remand Prison while awaiting deportation. In the last 20 years IJAL has researched those refouled, and found victims who were executed, given 1,000 lashes, chemically injected in the brain so they no longer knew who they were, tortured, bashed in the face until they were unrecognisable, a mother and two daughters disappeared (probably killed) and buried in the desert, and one who committed suicide by hanging in a London Hotel. Another gassed himself in Auckland. It’s these shocking stories that keep IJAL doing this work. INZ officially has no interest in following up the people it deports to see if their decision about the fate of the ‘refugees; were just. Most asylum seekers have been bashed in Mt Eden Prison by other prisoners awaiting trial or sentencing for crimes : See the Amnesty International Report.
A registered charity in NZ (CC57293)
Safe Haven Housing Trust Board is a Registered Charitable Trust with donee status, governed by Kiwi people with decades of experience in this field and with international connections to support the protection of our clients. Bryan Johnson and his team of trustees manage the organisation, and our fantastic volunteers demonstrate traditional indigenous values of ‘Manaakitanga’, ‘Kotahitanga’, ‘Awhi’ and ‘Aroha’ (hospitality, solidarity, nurturing and love) in their care of our residents. Safe Haven Housing is a compassionate solution to provide support, reliable housing, food and security to asylum seekers while they focus on presenting their cases to Immigration Authorities.
Our founding chairperson, now Patron / Kaitiaki is Kaumatua Haami (Sam) Tutu Chapman of Turangi.
Our trust includes offering services, at no cost, including legal assistance, medical help, ophthalmology and mental health support. We can also provide assistance with TESOL, driver’s licenses, job-seekers training, residency and work visas.
Our services can assist with refoulement cases/deportation prevention and provide mental health support for those struggling as victims of torture or abuse.
Charity Registration Number: CC57293 NZ
Business Number: 9429047977914.
Donations receipts qualify in NZ for a 33% tax refund up to the amount of the donors taxable income. The Trust’s IRD number is 134-785-799
This charity complies with the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009.
