Since Australia's Commonwealth Government refuses to fulfil its international obligations, members of Australia's (Ab)Original government - with the endorsement of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy - have decided to issue their own passports for a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were refused entry into Australia This story relates to the recent debacle surrounding the Sri Lankan, 'Merak refugees' who claimed asylum status in Australia (as is their right under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention to which Australia is signatory) but - due to the government's personal intervention - were detained at Merak, Indonesia and never reached Australia. On 1st May 2010, Labour Day in Australia, a special Original passport signing ceremony was held in Melbourne. These passports will be delivered to the Merak refugees in a few weeks. Original Passports are recognised in many countries around the world, they have been stamped in Europe, Asia and South America. Obviously it's a symbolic gesture since Australia is one of the countries that does not recognise the government which issued these passports. However, the impact of this gesture will increase with the number of people who learn about it. "Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries freedom from persecution" -- Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It's nearing the end of 2012, and the bastion of world democracy (The United States of America) is displaying its free and open process of elections for the world to observe. As is customary every four years, the rigorous selection process has served up a number of philosopher kings and queens from which to choose. But why have so many choices when with a bit of effort you can whittle it down to two candidates and let the people pick from those? Especially when it makes for such scintillating debates. Join Juice Rap News stalwart host Robert Foster as he shares his dreams for the Presidential Debates... and then receives something of a rude awakening. - Written & created by Giordano Nanni & Hugo Farrant in a suburban backyard home-studio in Melbourne, Australia - on Wurundjeri Land. - Gratitude to our donors whose generosity has made this episode possible. SUPPORT the creation of new episodes of Juice Rap News, an independent show which relies on private donations: ‪http://thejuicemedia.com/donate- or Bitcoin: 1HMPK1zFCLopAvNEvR3aehFU1tSvHeWkTS - CONNECT with us: * Website: ‪http://thejuicemedia.com * Twitter: ‪http://twitter.com/juicerapnews * Farcebook: ‪https://www.facebook.com/juicerapnews - DOWNLOAD: * FREE MP3: https://soundcloud.com/juice-rap-news/rn16-obama-v-romney-the-final http://thejuicemedia.com/video * LYRICS available here: ‪http://thejuicemedia.com/video/lyrics - CREDITS: * MAIN BEAT: "Rivals" Produced by the one and only Red Skull Beats: http://www.redskullbeats.tumblr.com Instrumental available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYoJmoRnMbo * BARACK OBAMA performed and rapped by Ben Bizuneh: http://www.benbizuneh.tumblr.com http://www.twitter.com/benbizuneh * ARTWORK & WEBSITE wizardry by Zoe Tame of ‪http://visualtonic.com.au * VIDEO ANIMATIONS for "Legitimate Debate" by Jonas Schweizer * MUSIC & BEAT for "Legitimate Debate" composed by Adrian Sergovich * VOICES for Romney, Elmo & Cookie Monster performed by Ming Lang * MUSIC/VIDEO EDITING by Giordano * PRESIDENTIAL PUPPETRY by Lucy and Hugo * PROPS: Thanks to Zoe Umlaut of Umlautronics for constructing the miniature podia, sewing the itty-bitty collars and ties for Elmo & Cookie Monster. Thanks to the gang at Rose Chongs Costumes for styling the RMoney wig. * FILMING in L.A. of Obama scenes by Justin Small and Dustin Jones; Thanks to Steve Rea at Green Screen Downtown for assistance: http://www.greenscreendowntown.com/ * THANKS to D-Bot for many political conversations leading up to this episode; to Brother Damian for shoot assist and inspiration. And, as always, deep gratitude to Lucy & Caitlin for all the ongoing support (and patience). - CAPTIONS: Merci to Koolfy from la Quadrature du Net for creating the sync'd English captions for our episodes! - TRANSLATIONS: * Thanks to Jonas Maebe for Dutch translation * Thanks to Euclides for Portuguese translation * Thanks to Julie Chatagnon for French translation * Thanks to Matija for Slovenian translation * Thanks to Marjan Rizov for Macedonian translation * Thanks to Alf for Spanish translation (and Ricardo for addtional suggestions) * Thanks to Rafael for German translation * Thanks to Martins for Latvian translation * Thanks to Tamara for Serbian translation * Thanks to Rav for Polish translation * Thanks to Ahmad Nimer for Arabic translation * Thanks to Jonathan for Hebrew translation * Thanks to Prokhor Ozornin for Russian translation * Thanks to KM for Finnish translation ** If you'd like to translate this episode into your language, please contact us via our website ‪http://thejuicemedia.com/contact - IMPORTANT LINKS: * MUST READ (Duty of Care) article by Daniel Ellsberg, "Progressives: In Swing States, Vote for Obama" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-ellsberg/obama-swing-states_b_1979321.html * Check out DemocracyNow's "Expanding the Debate" series, in which you can hear Third-Party candidates responding to the same questions posed in the Presidential Debates - from which they are excluded by the Commission on Presidential Debates. 1) First Presidential debate including Jill Stein & Rocky Anderson: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/4/expanding_the_debate_exclusive_third_party 2) VP Debate including Green Party and Justice Party VPs: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/12/expanding_the_vp_debate_third_party 3) Second Presidential Debate including Jill Stein, Rocky Anderson and Virgil Goode: http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/17/exclusive_expanding_the_debate_with_third * "Green Party Candidates Arrested, Shackled to Chairs For 8 Hours After Trying to Enter Hofstra Debate": http://www.democracynow.org/2012/10/17/green_partys_jill_stein_cheri_honkala