Flotillas of Hope Australia
An order to rescind the visas of Melbourne QC Julian Burnside and his legal team on the eve of their court appearance
in Nauru was preposterous said a Flotillas of Hope spokesperson, Lynda Smith.
The team, which was to appear in Court today on behalf of nearly 300 asylum seekers, was about to board their plane in
Melbourne last night to Nauru, when they received a document signed by Nauru's President and Justice Minister cancelling
their visas. However an Australian government solicitor acting for Australia and Nauru was allowed to board the 10pm
flight.
Nauru is on the brink of bankruptcy with only 3 weeks to pay a foreign debt of $230 million with reports that the
islands major assets have now been seized by receivers acting on behalf of American General Electric Capital
Corporation.
The Australian Government has vowed to stand by Nauru during it's financial crisis. Nauru receives millions of dollars
from Australia to detain almost 300 people, including one quarter of them children.
Flotillas of Hope will depart from the Australian east coast mid May for Nauru and will continue to draw world attention
to the plight of these asylum seekers and also the economic situation of Nauru which has resulted after years of
phosphate mining.