Letter from the refugees on the Tampa tabled in the Federal Court, 02.09.01

To the Australian government, human rights organisations and Australian ladies and gentlemen,

We hope you accept regards and warm feelings of the miserable and oppressed Afghan refugees turning around Christmas island in the middle of sea, while having no shelter, clothes to change after ten days and even toilet and bathrooms.
Respected Australian government and gentlemen and ladies! You know well about the long time war and its tragidic [sic] human consequences, and you know about the genocide and massacres going on in our country and thousands of men, women and children were pit in public grieveyards [sic], and we hope you understand that keeping in view all aforementioned reasons we have no way but to run out of our dear homeland and to seek a peaceful asylum. And until now so many miserable refugees have been seeking asylum in so many countries. In this regards before this Australia has taken some real appreciatiable [sic] initiatives and has given asylum to a high number of refugees from our miserable people. That is why we are whole-heartedly and sincerely thankful to you.
We hope you do not forget that we are also from the same miserable and oppressed refugees and now turning around Christmas island inside Australian boundaries waiting ãpermitä to inter [sic] your country. But your delay while we are in the worst conditions has hurt our feelings. We do not know why we have not been regarded as refugee and deprived from rights or refugees according to international convention (1951). We request from Australian authorities and people, at first not to deprive us from the right that all refugees enjoy in your country. And in the case of rejection due to not having anywhere to live o the earth and every moment death is threatening us. We request you to have mercy for the life of (438) men, women and children.

Yours sincerely,
Afghan refugees
Now off the coast of Christmas Island
30/8/2001