We write to you to express our deep concerns that changes to Australia’s asylum processing system announced on April 8, 2010 violate Australia’s obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol not to discriminate in the treatment of refugees.

We write to express our concern for the continuing high levels of civilian casualties in Afghanistan and the absence of a coordinated approach by international military forces to provide assistance to civilian victims of the fighting. Many states with troops in Afghanistan recognize that prompt, adequate and equitable payments to civilians who have suffered loss is of great importance not only for the affected families, but for the message it sends the broader Afghan population and the Afghan government.

We write to you concerning the October 1, 2008 Executive Summary of the investigation by USAF Brig. Gen. Michael W. Callan into civilian casualties resulting from the US and Afghan engagement in Azizabad in Afghanistan on August 21-22, 2008 (Callan Report Summary), and, more generally, efforts to reduce civilian casualties from US airstrikes in Afghanistan.