Justice for refugees and people seeking asylum would mean:
Humane and dignified treatment of asylum seekers and refugees in accordance with our international obligations.
Allowing people who arrive by boat seeking asylum in Australia to live and work in the community while their claims are being processed rather than being forcibly detained in Australia or sent overseas to Papua New Guinea, Nauru or other countries.
A system which provides permanent protection and does not discriminate against refugees on the basis of their documentation or means of arrival.
Saving lives at sea by providing fair and speedy assessment of asylum claims in Indonesia and Malaysia and the guaranteed, timely resettlement in Australia of those found to be refugees.
A much more generous approach to accepting refugees in accordance with the wealth of our country and for a country which welcomes refugees for their positive contribution to Australia’s economy, culture and society.
Australia’s current policies are violating human rights and are contravening the United Nations Refugee Conventions.
This March for Justice for Refugees was organised by the Refugee Advocacy Network, a broad coalition faithbased groups, unions and community organisations. Want more info? http://refugeeadvocacynetwork.org/
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Sister Brigid Arthur from the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, patron of the Australian Refugee Taskforce & member of the Refugee Advocacy Network.
She recently went to Labour Opposition leader Bill Shortens office in Melbourne along with about a dozen priests, pastors, ministers & lay leaders to pray for justice for refugees. They were soon evicted by around 25 AFP & local police.
A similar group held a prayer vigil in PM Tony Abbotts office in Sydney & were arrested for ‘breaching the peace’! They invited office staff to join prayers for 1,023 child refuge seekers in detention centres & demanded their release.
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Adam Bandt is the Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens & popular Member for Melbourne.
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Zakia Baig – Initiated the Australian Hazara Womens Friendship network (in Dandenong) in response to the growing needs of the local Hazara community, worked for womens rights in Pakistan till forced to leave after increasing threats on her life.
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Anna Burke – Labour MP, elected Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives in 2007 & successfully retained her seat in 2010. She’s putting pressure on her fellow MP’s to treat refugees decently & to close the offshore prisons.
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Pastor Tri Nguyen – Tri recently walked for 35 days from Melbourne to Canberra, towing a large wooden replica of the boat in which he & his family fled from Vietnam in 1979. Thanks to former Prime minister Malcolm Fraser, he & his family were given asylum.
Tri did the walk as a “quiet protest” on behalf of current asylum seekers. He presented his boat to Parliamentarians as a “thank you” to Australia for the refuge he & his family were given.
.
———————————————————————————————————–
.
.
REFUGEE WEEK – Melbourne
March for Justice for Refugees – 22June’14
Lucy Honan (RAC) – Is a long time activist for the Refugee Action Collective … www.rac-vic.org
altsoundings 