Roadside
demonstration report
Next Market :
Bellingen, Saturday 21st July
The Wendy Sharpe
paintings
Our open letter to
the Labor Party
News from our
national RAR committee
A mother's
heartfelt plea
Roadside demonstration report
We had a great
turnout for last week's roadside demonstration in Bellingen. A big thank you to
the eleven supporters involved. We made a big impact with our three large
banners and assorted placards and the response from motorists was overwhelming
positive.
Our next demo will
take place on 12th July in Coffs Harbour, by the side of the Pacific
Highway, opposite the Base hospital, from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Please
come and join us if you can.
Next Market :
Bellingen, Saturday 21st July
Our next market stall
will be at Bellingen market on Saturday 21st July from 9.00 am
until 1.30 pm. You will find us at site C35, and the entry point is via
Gate C/D on Park Street. As usual we'll be talking to market-goers, handing out
leaflets, selling merchandise and collecting signatures on our open letter to
the Labor Party. If you are able to join us for a while, then please let Mike
know by email at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.
The Wendy Sharpe
paintings
We are delighted to
report that we have received a reasonable offer for the painting
entitled Lili Koi with Pink Light. Our intention therefore is
to sell the painting to the bidder unless we receive a higher bid by 5.00
pm on Thursday 5th July. This leaves us with the framed watercolour
painting entitled Antarctic Landscape with Bird. If you are
interested in buying the painting, then please let Mike have your bid as soon
as you can. It's a great opportunity to purchase a painting by a famous artist
who has won multiple prizes, including the Archibald and the Sulman prize. We
will have the painting on display at the Bellingen market, but if you would
like to see a photo of it in the meantime, please get in touch with Mike.
Our open letter to
the Labor Party
Thank you to all our
supporters who have signed our latest open letter. So far we have collected
about 900 signatures, and we would like to get to 2,000 by the closing date
of 6th August. A number of RAR groups from around Australia have been
sending their completed sheets to us, often with warm words of appreciation.
This from a parish priest in South Australia: "May your work and
endeavours bring about a compassionate and humanitarian approach for people
traumatised by life experiences exacerbated by punitive policies which inflict
more anguish upon them."
News from our
national RAR committee
Our national
committee continues to work immensely hard on behalf of asylum seekers and
refugees. Our President and Vice President were in Canberra again recently,
meeting with officials and MPs to spell out to them our policy on the treatment
of refugees and asylum seekers, and pressing them on the most recent government
plan to cut off benefits from asylum seekers living in the community whilst
their claims for protection are assessed. The committee has also published an
excellent ten-point plan, which you can find on our blog. It's well worth a
read. (see posts below)
A mother's
heartfelt plea
The mother of
Fariborz Karami, who died by suicide on Nauru very recently, has pleaded with
the Australian Border Force to allow her to bury her son "anywhere but
Nauru or Iran" in an excoriating letter which was published in the
Guardian on 28th June. Mansour Beigi, Fariborz's mother,
writes:" Do you know me? I am the suffering and miserable mother who
repeatedly begged you to help. Frequently, I implored you to assist me. An ill
mother who could not stand to see her children in this situation any more.
Often, I told you and I wrote to you that my sons are depressed and exhausted
"please help a sick and feeble mother". But instead of support, you
replied that if I couldn't tolerate it, I should return to my
country........ My 26-year-old son had his last breaths in your mouldy
tents and closed his beautiful eyes to your abomination, injustice and
disgusting policies"
Mansour's other son,
12-year-old Ali, is mentally very unwell, and doctors have stated that, as he
is an acute mental health risk, he should be moved from the island.
You might feel
moved to email Minister Dutton at: minister@border.gov.au.
Check out the index of subjects on our blog http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au
It includes
articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.
This newsletter is
sent to >580 recipients
Our Face book
is at https://www.facebook.com/Rural-Australians-for-Refugees-Bellingen-and-Nambucca-Districts-269696303205083/timeline/
(482 likes)
Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
Email address bellingen.rar@gmail.com
The National RAR
web site is at www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au
The National RAR
facebook site is at RAR Facebook
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