Canberra Convergence: Bring David Hicks Home

by Stuart Rees

February 6th 2007 - over five years since citizen David Hicks was imprisoned, shackled and put in solitary confinement in Guantanamo Bay. February 6th was also opening day for the new session of Federal Parliament.On the lawn before the Parliament, home of a democracy, symbol of justice, temperatures rose to the high thirties. In a neighbouring church, Federal politicians in their suits and dresses were singing hymns, seeking blessings and praying. A stench of hypocrisy reached three hundred citizens gathered on the parliamentary lawn to seek justice for David. Orange banners with black lettering demanded, >Close Guantanamo=, >Bring David Home.= In an iron cage guarded by Ned Kelly, Prime Minister Howard was shackled, clothed only in parliamentary prison clothes B loin cloth made from the Australian flag. He pleaded for mercy and said he would be better behaved next time. The cage attracted journalists. The crowd was not sure what the prisoner meant.

A warm up speaker for the rally on the lawn asked the media to cease giving Attorney General Ruddock so much opportunity to claim that he knewabout human rights. In future they should ignore him. Better still remove his mask and laugh him to scorn.

To the podium came politicians committed to the principles of human rights, Senator Kerry Nettle for the Greens, Senator Kate Lundy for Labor and three Democrats, Senators Lyn Allison, Andrew Bartlett and Natasha Stott Despoja. Their common themes were clear. Five years of Ruddock=s cruelty must be ended. Five years of pompous indifference from Lord Downer of Baghdad must be ended. Five years of Howard=s subservience to President Bush has to be ended. Bring David Hicks home. Natasha Stott Despoja promised a motion in parliament to test how many Coalition members would vote to end this injustice. To vote in support of the motion they would need a spark of courage, a touch of humanity and at least a modest idea about justice. If they had forgotten the meaning of courage and of justice, they could heed the example of the dignified Terry Hicks, David=s father, or the brave advocacy of American defence counsel Michael Mori.

Mahmdou Habib, David=s ex prisoner colleague, followed the Senators to the microphones. He confirmed that he was the subject of US rendition, experimental medical treatment and torture.

The speeches concluded. The heat rose. The protesters marched to the American Embassy. The prison-oriented violence so central to American ideas about security was

immediately obvious. On the walls surrounding a handsome mansion were two metre high railings. Twelve cars ringed the compound. The words >Protective Services= decorated half of the cars. Are those the >services= to which citizen Hicks was entitled ? Confronting the crowd were thirty police, grim faced, protecting American diplomats, bureaucrats and secret service personnel. At the Embassy entrance were statuesque sentries in akoubra hats- today=s private security guards. They stood beside six plain clothes characters in dark glasses and white shirts, legs wide apart, arms folded, looking simultaneously sinister and indifferent, cocky and bored. They took pictures of the crowds. They did not answer the protesters= questions >Have you been renditioned, what was it like ?=, >Why not do something valuable with your lives ?= >Do you tell your wives that you love violence and injustice ?= The crowd chanted, >Swop Howard for Hicks=, >Imprison Ruddock=, >Bring David Home.= A Get Up Truck with a large >Close Guantanamo Bay, Justice for David= billboard attracted the lens of television cameras. The drummers in the crowd ceased their drumming. The protesters looked parched but satisfied. They would have been ashamed not to have come.

Back in the church politicians were still singing and praying. The clergy escorted them from their pews. Outside they queued for white cars to take them to their large office, that people=s house on the hill. The earlier stench of hypocrisy thinned but persisted. The Prime Minister confessed to members of his party that the Americans have not done a great job in handling the Hicks case. Ruddock parroted his master, said Hicks should be charged, should be held accountable.

Back on the parliamentary lawn an Indigenous Elder from the Gulf country observed, >Howard still cannot find the courage to say >I=m sorry, I=ve colluded in another terrible injustice, I must ask for David Hicks to be brought home!=

Stuart Rees is Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney and Director, Sydney Peace Foundation