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"I think what we're seeing with Scott is an accelerating preparedness
by the Howard government to deal ruthlessly with anyone who dares to
speak out against its policy position," said Wilkie in Canberra.
The whistleblower was taking part in a "Non-Violent Direct Action Workshop" at Parliament House, organised by Greenpeace to show the media and the Australian public the kind of activities Parkin was engaging in during his Australian visit.
A friend of Mr Parkin's, Iain Murray, called on Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to release the reasons for his friend's incarceration and deportation.
"It's a human right that if you're arrested or detained, you have a right to know the reason for that. Scott's been detained. He's been deprived of his liberty and he hasn't even been told the reason why," he said.
"The truth is that there's about as much evidence of Scott representing a threat as there's been evidence found of weapons of mass destruction."
Scott Parkin was taken by government authorities to Melbourne airport at 6am this morning and left on a Qantas flight for Los Angeles at 10.46am. His plane is expected to land at LA airport at around midnight tonight (7:00am LA time), where he is expected to transfer to a domestic flight to Houston, Texas.
Media were denied access to Mr Parkin during his detention and trip to the airport. He managed to make a statement to a Greenpeace staff member during a rare visit in Melbourne yesterday:
Mr Parkin said, "I find this entire experience incomprehensible and am still baffled as to why my visa has been cancelled. I hope that when Australians visit the US that they are allowed to voice their critcism of government and corporate policy without fear of reprisal, and that they are freely allowed to participate in peaceful protest."
"I am a student of mass social movements in the tradition of Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr and I think that these movements have shown us the way to achieve positive social change," said Mr Parkin.
Photos of free speech protests - Melbourne & Sydney
http://photos.greenpeace.org.au/
user: photos Pword: green
The whistleblower was taking part in a "Non-Violent Direct Action Workshop" at Parliament House, organised by Greenpeace to show the media and the Australian public the kind of activities Parkin was engaging in during his Australian visit.
A friend of Mr Parkin's, Iain Murray, called on Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to release the reasons for his friend's incarceration and deportation.
"It's a human right that if you're arrested or detained, you have a right to know the reason for that. Scott's been detained. He's been deprived of his liberty and he hasn't even been told the reason why," he said.
"The truth is that there's about as much evidence of Scott representing a threat as there's been evidence found of weapons of mass destruction."
Scott Parkin was taken by government authorities to Melbourne airport at 6am this morning and left on a Qantas flight for Los Angeles at 10.46am. His plane is expected to land at LA airport at around midnight tonight (7:00am LA time), where he is expected to transfer to a domestic flight to Houston, Texas.
Media were denied access to Mr Parkin during his detention and trip to the airport. He managed to make a statement to a Greenpeace staff member during a rare visit in Melbourne yesterday:
Mr Parkin said, "I find this entire experience incomprehensible and am still baffled as to why my visa has been cancelled. I hope that when Australians visit the US that they are allowed to voice their critcism of government and corporate policy without fear of reprisal, and that they are freely allowed to participate in peaceful protest."
"I am a student of mass social movements in the tradition of Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr and I think that these movements have shown us the way to achieve positive social change," said Mr Parkin.
Photos of free speech protests - Melbourne & Sydney
http://photos.greenpeace.org.au/
user: photos Pword: green
For further information or comment
Media inquiries Paul Sheridan 0410 516 656; Greenpeace media officer Carolin Wenzel 0417 668 957; HOUSTON, TEXAS Global Exchange Communications Director Andrea Buffa +1 510 325 3653
