Should genuine asylum seekers be called illegals?

[donnashuggy]

If they arrive by boat? Scott Morrison thinks so:

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/minister-wants-boat-people-called-illegals-...

[poddster]

Donna I was under the impression that you likes to call a spade a spade, have I been mistaken all this time?

As far as anyone arriving by any means what so ever and not having the proper entry permits that are here illegally. so yes they are illegals.

Asylum seekers have proper channels that they can and should pursue to be considered asylum seekers that includes entry permits.

[cezm]

I don't believe so ... but then the attitude of many, the attempt to dehumanise those in need of help, and the politicising of refugees' and asylum seekers' plight sickens me ...

[grandmoon]

Untill now the Department had referred to them as Unauthorized Arrivals. 

It has been the media that started calling them Illegals.

[azureline**]

It is not illegal to seek asylum.

[icyfroth]

I think the keyword here is "genuine"

[poddster]

Az It is illegal to enter a country without the proper entry permits for any reason what ever.

There are proper legal channels for seeking asylum.

[alexander*beetle]

This may help clarify some confusion over illegals and asylum seekers.

The Australian Human Rights Commission is the legal way in which Australia is bound to act on behalf of these refugees/ asylum seekers: What are Australia’s human rights obligations towards asylum seekers and refugees?

Australia has international obligations to protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees who arrive in Australia, regardless of how or where they arrive and whether they arrive with or without a visa.

While asylum seekers and refugees are in Australian territory (or otherwise engage Australia's jurisdiction), the Australian Government has obligations under various international treaties to ensure that their human rights are respected and protected. These treaties include the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These rights include the right not to be arbitrarily detained.

As a party to the Refugee Convention, Australia has agreed to ensure that asylum seekers who meet the definition of a refugee are not sent back to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened. This is known as the principle of non-refoulement.

Australia also has obligations not to return people who face a real risk of violation of certain human rights under the ICCPR, the CAT and the CRC, and not to send people to third countries where they would face a real risk of violation of their human rights under these instruments. These obligations also apply to people who have not been found to be refugees.

[**meep**]

Is this what you are referring to?

In an email to detention centre staff, obtained by Fairfax Media, a department official writes: ‘‘The department has received correspondence from the minister clarifying his expectations about the department’s use of terminology. Accordingly we as [sic] that our service providers also adhere to the below instructions."

These include calling all people who arrive in Australia by boat ‘‘illegal maritime arrivals’’, a marked change from the more moderate language used under the previous government.

If that is what  you are referring to, he probably justifies it by this:

UNHCR - Atricle 31 - Refugees unlawfully in the country of refuge:

1 The Contracting States shall not impose penalties on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of Article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorisation, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.

[donnashuggy]

I don't think you can justify calling genuine asylum seekers illegals.