I was one of those people.
WHEN?
There was no way of really
seeing the detained people as the perimeter fence is almost a kilometre away
from the detention centre.
What started out as a peaceful protest ended up as an assault on the asylum
seekers by ACM, who used tear gas and water cannons on the detainees whose
only crime was to respond to our waves and calls from across the paddock.
WHY?
This site is a response to
the experience of that day, as
well as a comment on the shameful treatment of refugees.
It is also a reaction to the closing of borders and lack of human compassion which has characterised governments on the world stage - particularly post S11.
This work attempts to question what 'terrorism' actually constitutes,
and how the contingency of its definition is reliant on cultural perspectives
which are diverse and antagonistic.
Xenophobia, paranoia and fear has closed the doors of many nations, leaving
millions of people without a safe haven.
In essence, 'Highway of shame' is a response to the conditions that create
refugees - war, poverty and starvation.
WHERE?
Far from the cities
and rural communities of Australia, in the far outback,
there are concentration camps
where asylum seekers are held
without trial, sometimes for years waiting for a visa.
Woomera is one such place, and perhaps suffers the most inhumane conditions
of all the camps. There have been numerous reports that there are atrocious
conditions in these camps and the dire mental,physical and psychological state
of the
asylum seekers has lead to
many incidences of self harm
and suicide, because of the desperation these people
feel.
WHAT?
On September 22 over 200 people travelled to Woomera
to show solidarity and support to the 500+ detainees, which
included women and children
- over 40 of which have no parents and in the same camp as the adults.