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I was victimised for being an Asian Muslim: Haneef Bangalore, July 30 Addressing a press conference late this evening along with his lawyer Peter Russo and cousin Imran Siddiqui, the doctor alleged he was a victim of an Australian conspiracy but said he reserved his right to sue the Australian government. Haneef, who returned home yesterday after a 25-day-long incarceration in Brisbane, reacted to the Australian Prime Minister’s statement that no apology would be forthcoming by saying the Australian government should apologise to the peace loving people of India if not to an individual. Meanwhile, Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo launched a spirited case for taking on the Australian government even as he said it was too early to announce this as he had not discussed it with his client yet. He said Haneef’s was a clear case of victimisation. “He was detained for an inordinately long time. We have a system in Australia that says this does not happen. They emptied out every item of his human belongings. He did not have any place to live. If all this does not make a person a victim, I do not know what does,” he added. Russo, when asked about the Aussie PM’s reaction on the issue, said he could not embark on a criticism of the leader of his country. When asked about the Aussie police and how they handled the case, he said, “You have to understand the police has to work under certain guidelines. It’s like this everywhere in the world. There are good ones, and there are bad ones.” He added that he felt Haneef had a strong case for the restoration of his visa. Meanwhile, Haneef when asked about his future said he still needed time to think about it. He thanked Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, whom he met earlier in the day, for offering him a job at a government hospital in the city. He said while he was grateful for the offer, he would like to keep his options open. During the conference, his cousin stopped Haneef from answering a number of questions, including whether he would sell the rights of his ordeal. Imran was also vague on whether Haneef had been paid for the Channel Nine interview. Talking about the ordeal, Haneef said, “It is like a rebirth,” adding, “It reminded me of the final day… the day when you will be all alone in the grave with no one to talk to you. What remains at this time is what you have done in your life, what name you have earned.”
Australia will not apologise: Howard Melbourne, July 30 Howard also dismissed Muhammed Haneef’s assertion he was victimised and claimed that Australia’s international reputation has not been harmed by this ‘mis-start’ to its new anti-terrorism laws. “Australia will not be apologising to Dr Haneef,” Howard told reporters in Sydney. He said “mistakes happened from time to time and when dealing with terrorism, it was better to be safe than sorry.” Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews also said he would not be apologising to Haneef. “Dr Haneef was not victimised,” Howard said defending Australia’s handling of the case before the charges were dropped last Friday for lack of evidence. The Aussie premier’s remarks came hours after Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo said in Bangalore the Australian government owed Haneef an apology and the Indian doctor asserting that he was traumatised and victimised by Australian authorities and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Howard’s rejection of a judicial inquiry on the ground that the case demonstrated the country’s legal system worked followed demands by Australian Opposition leader Kevin Rudd and Queensland premier Peter Beattie. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in Sydney it was quite common for suspects to be investigated by police and later released without charge. “What do you expect them (police and prosecutors) to do — fall on the ground and grovel? Eat dirt? I mean, get real,” the unusually combative minister told reporters.
May make secret info public
Under fire for cancelling Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef’s visa on character ground, Australian Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews is expected to make public some of the secret information based on which he took the
decision. Andrews is still seeking legal advice on whether he can release the information, but it is believed that his office is optimistic and will make it public within 24 hours, SKY news channel reported
today. However, as more ministerial mistakes emerge, there were increasing calls for the minister not only to apologise, but to resign as
well. Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo, who had accompanied him to India, also joined the line of lawyers and public interest advocates to release the secret information he used to cancel Haneef’s visa. Australian authorities appeal to foreign doctors
Melbourne, July 30 Beattie feared Australian Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews’ handling of Haneef’s case could jeopardise Queensland’s recruitment campaign for foreign-trained doctors, an ABC report said on Monday. “I appeal to all of those foreign-trained doctors who we need to provide day-to-day medical services to Queenslanders to stick with us,” he said.
Health services in Australia are heavily dependent on overseas-trained doctors which comprise over a quarter of the medicos in the country. In Queensland, the figure is as high as 50 per cent.
“I think the fact that the high profile position my government has taken on this indicates that we are still committed to the principle of a fair go,” Beattie said.
The Queensland Premier has severely criticised the Howard government and the Australian Federal Police over the handling of the case.
Authorities in the state had also announced an advertising campaign to discourage racial backlash against Asian doctors which followed the detention of Haneef.
— PTI
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