Past Events

Semester 2, 2007

The AIA UNSW speaker's forum on Human Rights and Australian Identity in the age of terror was a fantastic success. Over 250 people turned up for the complex, wide ranging and candid discussion of human rights and anti- terror legislation.

The speakers; Malcom Fraser, John Dowd and George Williams advocated the need for more proportionate anti-terror legislation, the practical need for a bill of rights and the value multiculturalism has in promoting a society tolerant of "difference."

In examining the current position on anti-terror legislation, it was generally agreed that greater transparency and accountability is necessary to prevent misuse of government power. In an age where human rights are becoming increasingly vulnerable, Australia needs to protect the fundamental freedoms enshrined within liberal democracy in order to prevent terrorism from taking hold of our lives.

The recording of the event is available here (Right click and click 'save file as' to download)

View photos of the event


Over the last few weeks, the situation in Myanmar (Burma) has escalated to severe abuses of human rights. The harsh crackdowns on peaceful protests by the Buddhist monks are only the tip of the human rights iceberg of abuse in the country. Other documented human rights abuses include forced labour, child labour and discrimination against the minority Rohinyga and Karen populations.

It is time for the world to take action to end human rights violations in Myanmar once and for all. More Information.


Take ACTION


In response to urgent developments in Myanmar, AIA UNSW held a campaign stall urging the student population to take action in support of human rights.

Over 94 students and staff signed letters to the Foreign Minister of Myanmar calling for the release of detained protestors and the recognition of their human rights. Red wristbands were also distributed as a sign of support for the peaceful protests of the Buddhist monks.

Myanmar action stall - our enthusiastic volunteers (from left-right): Sen, Maia, Alana and Mel!


Speakers event on Wednesday 3rd October in the UNSW Law Theatre

The September 11^th terrorist attacks have often been remembered as 'the day the world changed'. Prime Minister John Howard claimed that it was as much "an attack on Australia as it was on America." It was, in his opinion, an attack on "the very values on which this nation is built." What are these values? What legal requirements are needed to protect them? How effective is the current security response? Have our fundamental human rights been compromised? How can a multicultural Australia create a 'just' balance between social cohesion, civil liberties, and counter-terrorism?






Come and hear the opinions of our esteemed panel on Australia's involvement in the 'War on Terror', and the changing status of human rights in Western society. Hear from the following speakers:


Full details can be found on the events page.



"Extraordinary Renditions: International Law in the 'War on Terror'" featuring Dr Ben Saul - Director of the Sydney Centre for International and Global Law, USyd and John Pace - Former UN Human Rights Chief in Iraq 2003 - 2005, was a notable success.

With not only a strong student but also academic presence on the day, we are reminded that awareness of human rights violations including extraordinary renditions is reaching all levels of the University population.

With his extensive legal background, Dr Saul was able to provide a thorough explanation of extraordinary renditions and certain legal technicalities. Mr Pace followed this with specific examples from Iraq and Chile from his personal experiences.

AIA UNSW thanks both the speakers for their enlightening and impressive contributions to the discussion.

For those who are interested in such discussions, AIA UNSW urges you to attend our moderated panel titled "Human Rights and Australian Identity in the 'War on Terror'" on 3 October. Check our Events page for more information over the coming weeks.


John Pace
Former United Nations Human Rights Chief in Iraq 2003-2005.

John Pace has worked at the United Nations since 1966 and served as Secretary to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for sixteen years. Through out his outstanding career, he headed various sectors of the human rights programme and undertook several missions in various parts of the world, most of which focused on serious human rights concerns.

Interviews with John Pace:

US Violating Geneva Conventions, Jailing Innocent Detainees (Democracy Now exclusive). February, 28th 2006.

Looking beyond Iraq's bloody horizon (Sydney Morning Herald). July 15th 2006.

Dr. Ben Saul
Director, Sydney Centre for International and Global Law, USyd

Dr Ben Saul is a barrister and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney. Dr Saul has published widely in the areas of anti-terrorism law, humanitarian law, international criminal law and human rights law. He is active in Australian debates on terrorism, sedition, torture, refugees and human rights. Dr Saul served as a legal expert to various UN committees monitoring rights of Palestinian peoples and internal displacement in Sudan. Dr Saul has also been involved in high profile public interest litigation; notably on HIV/AIDS drug pricing in South Africa, mass human rights violations in Peru and the treatment of former Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks.

Ben Saul on torture:

Torture as calculated policy (Counterpunch.org). December, 21st 2005.

Semester 1, 2007

AIA organised a successful speakers panel 'Global Justice: Evolution of Human Rights Law'. Our speakers included:

• Emeritus Professor Ivan Shearer (Vice-Chairman, United Nations Human Rights Committee)
• Dr Andrew Lynch (Deputy Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, Director of the Centre's Terrorism and Law Project).
• Ms Katie Wood - AIA Campaign Coordinator.

The speakers discussed in depth various aspects of international human rights law from the UN conventions to its applications within Australia.

Click here to listen to the event.


AIA UNSW is extremely proud to have collected over 280 signatures in our campaign for human rights and security. Everyone from students to academics were able to feel what it was like to stay in a Guantanamo Bay cell due to the replica cell displayed at UNSW.

Photos on the day!


From tuesday to thursday of week 6 we held an information stall at the library lawn and we are pleased to announce that another 170 petitions where collected!! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and spoke to us.


The Amnesty week 5 BBQ was a huge success and greatly promoted this years campaign, human right and security. UNSW students showed their suport for Amnesty's initiative by signing over 130 Rendition Petitions!

The 06 Execs want to thank everyone that attended the AGM and welcome the newly elected executive committee for 2007.

The minutes for the AGM are available here.

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Amnesty for a Week - Semester 2, 2006
Art and Multimedia Exhibition

Thank you to everyone that came to our Amnesty for a Week events! We managed to collect over 200 petitions for the abolishment of the Temporary Protection Visa system at the BBQ and speakers forum. Graham Thom from Amnesty International Australia's refugee network offered knowledgeable insight into 'Why Amnesty helps the refugees'. The Art and Multimedia Exhibition managed to fill the TAP Gallery with people and fantastic artworks! Congratulations to Grace Kingston from COFA who won the People's Choice Award on the night! We winded down the week with a low-key drinks/comedy videos night at the Cougar Bar.

Lots of people at the gallery!


Grace Kingston and her work 'Cry Baby' (oil/linen).


Runner up piece by Lesley Coates - 'Stop Violence Against Women' (oil/enamel).

More past events:

2006

• Birthday BBQ + letter writing campaign. To celebrate Amnesty International's birthday this year we held a BBQ with free cake and fairy bread. The original focus of the letter writing campaign was to be on comfort women, however, at the last minute we received an urgent action campaign regarding to proposed changes to the refugee and asylum seeker laws. In a victory for activism, the proposals were widely condemned.
• Social dinner.

2005

• We jumped straight into campaigning in Semester 1, focusing on the Stopping Violence Against Women campaign. A speak out was organised on the library lawn on the issue of violence against women in Australia featuring Kate Schouten (UNSW Student Guild Women's Officer) and Pam Sanseverino from the Salvation Army's domestic violence unit. From the speak out we collected hundreds of signatures for our petition calling on the Australian government to adopt a National Plan of Action towards violence against women. This was run in conjunction with a poster blitz featuring confronting statistics about violence against women globally.
• Semester 2 took the focus of Human Rights and Security. Repeating a successful formula, another speak out was organised featuring Dr Ben Saul and Anoushka Perram, the Amnesty International Australia refugee network convenor. The speakers provided legal and human rights insight into a very politicised and controversial issue.
• An urgent action was raised regarding the Van Tuong Nguyen anti-death penalty campaign. Despite the hectic nature of Week 14, AI UNSW organised a letter-writing stall calling on the universal abolition of the death penalty.
• The Freedom Music Festival.
• Social dinner.

2004

• AI UNSW held its inaugural AGM in March.
• Our first event was a free cake stall to celebrate Amnesty International's birthday as well as to raise awareness of the organisation by giving out Amnesty stickers and pins. It was great to see the number of people taking interest in the organization especially those who have never heard of Amnesty International before.
• An exclusive advanced screening of the Oscar winning film 'Crash' was organised as a cross campus social event.
• By Semester 2 we felt confident enough to embark on our first campaign: refugee rights. We organised a speak out on the library lawn with guest speakers Merlin Luck (from Big Brother), two former child detainees and a representative from the Refugee network. It was very rewarding to see the wide interest and positive feedback we received to this event.
• Freedom Music Festival - an Amnesty International Australia event to raise awareness of human rights through music. The festival featured local and international artists and was so successful that it was held again, in more venues, in 2005 and 2006.