KEY POINTS:
Ahmed Zaoui seems to have disappeared from the news. I guess that suits both the SIS and the government who no doubt hope the embarrassment over this debacle is quietly forgotten.
Ahmed is still in limbo but at least he isn't cooped up in a cell. We should
be thankful to the good friars at St Benedict's who have taken him in as their house guest. This has allowed Ahmed an element of freedom whist he awaits his fate. But there is another nasty little story along similar lines that should make us all ashamed.
Most of us have probably never heard of Thomas Yadegary. The government would like to keep it that way because his story is one of its best kept political secrets. Two years ago this week, Yadegary was imprisoned without trial by our government and has been languishing in Mt Eden prison since. Two colleagues in my office, John Minto and Mike Treen, have been tireless activists to help him. I've taken most of the information for this column from reports that John has written over the past few months on Yadegary's plight.
Thomas Yadegary is an Iranian who arrived in New Zealand in 1993 as a political asylum seeker. While waiting for his case to be considered he studied English and trained as a chef working in the top Auckland hotels. He worked hard, paid taxes, saved money, made lots of friends and became a Catholic. He even had his photo taken with Bill Clinton on one of Clinton's visits to New Zealand.
His application as a political asylum seeker was turned down but he appealed at each opportunity, hoping and praying he would be successful. All appeals failed however and two years ago on November 1, 2004 he was detained and taken to Mt Eden prison to await deportation. One of the ironies is that because Iran is not a safe place for him he refuses to endanger his life by signing an agreement to allow the government to deport him despite huge pressure on him from immigration officials.
This is the type of human rights abuse that New Zealand governments of all persuasions have condemned in many countries around the world. It seems that different rules apply to us.
In his various appeals Yadegary has had the strong support of a wide circle of friends and his Christian community which includes support from his Catholic bishop. Amnesty International has also launched an international campaign to support him. Those who know Yadegary say he is an honest, hard-working, fun-loving person most of us would be pleased to have as a workmate or neighbour.
Before David Cunliffe was promoted to cabinet he wrote a glowing letter of support for Yadegary and said he would do all he could as an MP to support him. Cunliffe is now the Minister of Immigration and in a position to solve his plight but Yadegary's many appeals to Minister Cunliffe have gone unanswered.
A month ago the Associate Minister of Immigration, Clayton Cosgrove, rejected Yadegary's final appeal. In three brief sentences Cosgrove washed his hands of the case. Such is the influence of expedient politics on moral behaviour it seems. Yadegary's two-year legal limbo continues and he remains in jail.
Friends say Yadegary has been deeply stressed by all of this and has been under a great deal of pressure both psychologically and emotionally. Despite his outgoing personality he is often depressed and suffers recurring headaches. His friends say hope and prayers keep him going.
Critics argue that New Zealand immigration policy has always been an ugly mix of prejudice, political expediency and plain racism. The infamous dawn raids carried out against Pacific Islanders in the 1970s is the most public example. But the apparent open-door approach for self-confessed white supremacists from South Africa who fled to New Zealand as apartheid was dismantled and the appalling treatment of the young Sri Lankan girl by Lianne Dalziel when she was Minister are also vivid examples.
The government continues to make grubby history with the "hostage detention" of Yadegary. It is impossible to believe that had he been a white Zimbabwean farmer he would have been treated in such a shameful, appalling way by our country which professes support for human rights. Why is it that Labour politicians so often lose it on immigration? Why do they keep a man who has shown himself to be an asset to the community in jail and denied any semblance of natural justice? Why is he forced to soak up tax money in jail instead of working and paying taxes?
Perhaps in some contorted way the government fears it may be perceived as not pulling its weight in the war on terror if it allowed Yadegary to stay. He appeared in court on Friday morning and the judge extended his detention once again. But there is a possible glimmer of hope as the judge has asked the lawyers to come back in two weeks with more information. His supporters are crossing their fingers.
Whatever the final outcome, this episode is a travesty of natural justice, deeply shameful to New Zealand and a disgraceful abuse of human rights. We have our own little Guantanamo Bay in the heart of Mt Eden courtesy of David Cunliffe and Clayton Cosgrove.
Shame on them.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
