A sad day for asylum seekers and refugees
General meeting on Sunday 26th May at 11.30 am
Our next market stall: Valla Beach market, Saturday 1st June, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
Donations
Letter from our RAR national president
A call for help from Sanctuary Australia Foundation
A sad day for asylum seekers and refugees
The weekend election result is a serious setback for refugees and asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru, and for asylum seekers already in Australia awaiting the determination of their claims for protection. For asylum seekers and refugees, the re-election of the Coalition government means yet more of the same:
- The continuation of the punitive and inhumane policy of indefinite detention on Manus and Nauru, which has already claimed the lives of at least twelve people, and caused hundreds of detainees to self-harm and to develop serious mental health problems. They will now feel more than ever that they have been abandoned by the Australian people. It is hard to imagine how desperate they must feel.
- The cruel policy of granting genuine refugees living in Australia only temporary protection, when what they desperately need and deserve in their troubled lives is permanent protection without the fear of eventual deportation.
- The heartless policy of depriving many thousands of asylum seekers living in Australia on short-term visas the support that they need to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table as they begin to rebuild their shattered lives, to learn English and to prepare for employment. Many of these asylum seekers are now destitute as a result of the government’s decision to withdraw the limited support that they received under the Status Resolution Support Services. Organisations such as the Asylum Seekers Centre are stretched to the limit in trying to assist them.
- …….and much besides. The full details are clearly set out in the document “I Choose Humane”’ which we circulated some weeks ago.
We now face a further three years of campaigning to persuade the government and the people of Australia that the terrible treatment of refugees and asylum seekers must end, and end quickly. Let us resolve that we are up to the task, and that we will not give up until the government’s policies, which shame us all, are finally abandoned.
Let us continue to “Choose Compassion” and demonstrate to our refugees and asylum seekers that we will not abandon them.
General meeting on Sunday 26th May at 11.30 am
A final reminder that we will be holding a general meeting, followed by lunch, on Sunday 26th May, starting at 11.30 am. All our supporters are invited to attend, and it would be wonderful to see some new faces. This is a really important event, coming so soon after the election. We will review our campaigning to date, discuss where we go from here and share ideas about future fundraising. Please make an effort to attend if you can, and help us to shape our group’s future.
The meeting will be held at 39 Rogers Drive, Valla Beach. Please let Mike know of your intention to join us by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com or phone him on 6569 5419. Please bring a plate to share if you can. Drinks will be provided.
Directions: Turn off Giinagay Way onto Valla Beach Road. Just before the water tower, turn left into Kuta Avenue. Proceed for about 450 metres. Rogers Drive is the third turning on the left. Number 39 is at the bottom of the hill on the left -hand side. You can park in the driveway or on the street, though the street parking is a bit limited. Alternatively, you can park in the Robert Louden car park, which is about 80 metres from the house. To access the car park, drive along Valla Beach Road as above, but continue past the water tower and take the next turning on the left, which is Henderson Street, and which leads into Cockburn Street. The car park is located at the bottom of the hill. Leave the car park by the concrete path at the side of the house on the corner, and you will emerge onto Rogers Drive. You will see number 39 on your right.
Our next market stall: Valla Beach market, Saturday 1st June, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm
Our next market stall will be at the Valla Beach market on Saturday 1st June from 9.00 am until 1.00 pm. We will be handing out our first post-election leaflet, talking to market-goers, selling merchandise on behalf of the Asylum Seekers Centre, enjoying one another’s company, and demonstrating by our presence that we are not abandoning our refugees and asylum seekers. If you can join us for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.
Donations
In last week’s newsletter we reported that donations towards the cost of the recent half-page advert had exactly matched the cost. Since then, however, we have received further contributions amounting to $180, which, as we promised earlier, will be donated to the ASC. A huge thank you to everyone who was able to contribute.
At our rally just over a week ago, we placed a bucket on the ground in the hope of attracting donations for the ASC, and we had some success. In addition, a couple who were passing through Coffs Harbour saw our gathering, came to join us and took away one of our leaflets. They later emailed to say that they had read Behrouz Boochani’s book “No Friend but the Mountains”, from which excerpts were read out at our rally. They wrote that they were appalled by our government’s treatment of people on Manus and Nauru, and that they would like to make a donation to our cause. We were completely amazed at the weekend to discover that this generous couple had transferred $1,000 into our account.
Letter from our RAR national president
I know that all people who value justice, human rights and support of people seeking our protection will be shocked at the results of the election. The return of a Prime Minister and a Minister of Home Affairs who have been so brutal in their statements and decisions about people seeking our protection is not in accordance with RAR objectives.
RAR members know that our support of justice, human rights and support of people seeking our protection is right and that ultimately will succeed even if it takes longer than we anticipated.
Indi which was successful in returning another Independent Helen Haines is an example for us. Indi organised a great grass roots campaign that demonstrated the power of the people in the face of a negative, mean and untruthful campaign.
RAR's greatest strength is our grassroots organisation, we must build on this by expanding our groups and membership especially in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. AND each group have the objective of establishing an RAR Youth Group in their community. During the next 12 months we need to consolidate, plan, build our strength, know the facts and inform ourselves and the public.
Convene your meetings over the next few weeks and send back your views so that they can be circulated. Thank you again for all each and everyone of you has done to support our cause.
WE WILL SUCCEED BECAUSE OUR OBJECTIVES ARE ABOUT JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
-- Marie Sellstrom
Rural Australians for Refugees Australia
RAR is a member of the Australian Refugee Action Network
A call for help from Sanctuary Australia Foundation
Several of our supporters are currently helping primary school refugee children to develop their English-speaking skills in a local primary school. SAF are now seeking volunteers to support a small number of high school students who need assistance with their literacy and homework. As Fiona Mcaulay reminds us: “Young people who come to Australia at high school age face many challenges and their assessments and homework can be confusing and very stressful. We have a number of students who are keen to succeed in their studies and contribute to our community, and they need a little extra support.”
If you can offer your help, e.g. a weekly visit, then please contact Mark Hallam at Sanctuary Australia Foundation, either by email at: info@
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