Dear
The
Australian Human Rights Commission report of 2014 found that 'mandatory and
prolonged immigration detention of children is a clear violation of
international human rights law'. There
is overwhelming evidence of its harmful impacts. Over 100 children have been detained on
Nauru, many for five years.
Will you
show respect for their human rights and answer the call from many refugee
support associations to bring them and their families to Australia by November
20 – Universal Children's Day?
Yours
sincerely,
Member, Rural Australians for Refugees
Dear
Given that
indefinite detention of people seeking asylum from war and persecution is a
clear violation of international human rights law:
1.
Will you support the Andrew Wilkie Refugee Protection Bill?
2.
Will you support community efforts to bring the children and their
families held in Nauru to Australia by November 20 this year – Universal
Children's day?
Yours
sincerely,
Member, Rural Australians for Refugees
Dear
(treasurer and shadow treasurer?)
Labour and
LNP governments have spent over 5 billion dollars since 2012 on indefinite
off-shore detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution and\or war. This has been estimated to be over 20 times
the cost of resettling a refugee in Australia.
I call upon you to draw a line in the sand, and declare an amnesty for
all refugees and asylum seekers currently detained. The policy is a clear violation of
international human rights law. It is in
breach of our responsibilities under the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Will you
cease off-shore detention and redirect the billions of dollars to refugee
settlement, health, education, and reducing the government debt?
Will you
begin by supporting community efforts to bring
the children and their families held in Nauru
to Australia by November 20 this year – Universal Children's day?
Yours
faithfully,
________________________________________________________________
David
Coleman
Minister
for Immigration
(on Thank
You note paper. Added to the Thank You:
….....for choosing compassion over fear
Dear David,
There are
currently over 100 children detained on Nauru. Some have been there for over 5
years.
Prolonged
detention of children is clearly a violation of human rights law. Universal Children's Day is on November
20. Please choose compassion and bring
these children and their families to Australia by that date.
Sincerely,
________________________________________________________________
Dear
I write to
express my deep concern over the situation of children on Nauru. Universal Children's day is coming up on
November 20th. I urge you to
use your influence so that by that date all children and their families will
have been brought to Australia.
Let
compassion come to the fore and human rights violations there cease.
Yours
faithfully,
_________________________________________________________________
Dear
I am
writing to urge you to respond to my deep concern and abhorrence of the
situation of the children on Nauru.
November 20th is marked as Universal Children's Day and I
strongly feel that our government should act in such a way that all children
and their families be off Nauru by that date.
How dare we deny these children the safety and security of the childhood
you and I and others have enjoyed here in Australia?
Please
confirm that you will support Children Off Nauru by November 20.
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________________
David
Coleman
Dear David,
Did you
know:
•
Over a hundred children are detained on Nauru (some already for five
years)
•
This not humane and is really
expensive!!
•
This doesn't fit with 'human rights law'
Please show
your respect and bring them and their families to Australia by November 20th
(2018) as requested by their advocates.
Regards
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Dear Ms.
Plibersek,
The purpose
of the correspondence is to beseech you to:
1.
Support the Andrew Wilkie Refugee Protection Bill and...
2.
Support grass-roots, community efforts to bring the children and their
families held on Nauru to Australia by November 20th 2018, Universal
Children's Day.
You know
more than anyone, as the daughter of parents who chose to leave their country
of origin to seek a better life for themselves and their growing family. It is the tradition of Australia to accept
brave, resilient, aspirational individuals that have continued to build our
society and character.
Like
gardens, ecosystems and social groupings, strength lies in diversity. Will you commit to affording the opportunity
to these children that your parents gave to you?
I look
forward...
There can
be no keener revelation of a society's soul that the way in which it treats its children.
Nelson
Mandela 8 May 1995
_______________________________________________________________
Dear Prime
Minister,
As the 'new
generation' leader of Australia, your actions towards asylum seekers will be
under greater scrutiny than previously.
Are you comfortable with:
•
asylum seekers being portrayed as illegals and terrorists when the great
majority are not
•
the amount of taxpayers money that is being used in paying for the
off-shore detention of asylum seekers
•
the fact that genuine illegals do exist – they are visa over-stayers;
the government does not treat them in the same way.
•
Your complicity in the misery, ill health, psychiatric illnesses,
suicidal thoughts (and attempts) by innocent children in detention that you, as
a christian, should be ashamed of.
As Prime
Minister, you have the power to right these horrible wrongs.
Are you
prepared to have all the children and their families off Nauru by November 20 – Universal Children's
Day?
Yours
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________________
Dear
As a
constituent of yours, I am writing to you to point out the ridiculous
disfunction between Australia's self-image as a country known for its
compassion, concentration of caring citizens, promotion of human rights and its
shameful Nazi-esque treatment of asylum seekers.
Asylum
seekers are illegally imprisoned by the Australian Government, causing
ill-health, developmental problems in children, psychiatric illnesses and
violence. I feel embarrassed to admit to
being Australian in the face of this inhuman treatment of people who have done
no wrong.
I'd like to
bring the following points to your attention:
1.
Asylum seeking is not illegal. It
is a UN sanctioned human right to seek asylum.
So what kind of a country locks people up indefinitely for exercising a
human right?
2.
Illegal immigrants exist. They
are visa over-stayers. Australia does not lock them up.
3.
Why are we spending billions of dollars on offshore detention? Process asylum claims while asylum seekers
are living in the community as happens in civilised countries.
4.
If the Government is unmoved by the prospect of illegally locking up
innocent people, surely there must be some compassion for the children. Do you feel comfortable with your
responsibility for the self harm and suicide attempts of asylum seeker
children? I certainly don't!
Please
exercise the power that your constituents gave you and push for policy changes
to protect the asylum seekers that your government is currently treating in a
manner that is inhuman, illegal, unethical and attracting opprobrium from
civilised people throughout the world.
Will you
support the removal of these asylum seeker children from Nauru to Australia by
November 20th?
_____________________________________________________________
Dear Scott
Morrison,
I have been
watching the pain and suffering of the refugees still off-shore with great
frustration. After reading hundreds of
letters and hearing many forms of protest, I felt I would try a different tack
with you as our new prime minister.
I have been
looking into the position of your church on the treatment of refugees and may
have found a thread of hope.
Hillsong
states that 'the current refugee crisis is something we simply cannot
ignore'. They also say that 'As a church
we are supporting World Vision Australia and Preemptive Love, funding the
provision of lifesaving humanitarian assistance to displaced people across
Syria'.
This proves
to me that your church would support your decision to stop the suffering
offshore. My request is that you extend
your humanitarian efforts to the asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. Many of these are children, and some as young
as seven have lost all hope and attempted suicide. As a new prime minister, please ensure your
place in history; listen to the Australian public.
Will you
lessen the suffering and bring all refugees to Australia where they can
continue their lives?
Thank you,
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Letter to
local member
'There can
be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which we treat our
children'
(Nelson
Mandela)
Dear
Our actions
today affect children worldwide. Whether
we are spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or stealing the childhood
and dignity from refugee children, we have a responsibility as citizens of the
world to protect and cherish our children – all children.
'Each of us
as citizens has a role to play in creating a better world for our children'
(Nelson Mandela)
Consider
our children.
Will you
help to bring off-shore asylum seekers to Australia by Universal Children's Day
– November 20th?
Thank you,
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Dear Scott,
(Morrison)
Congratulations
on your recent appointment.
I am
looking to you to deal with the situation of children on Nauru. November 20th is Universal
Children's Day. What a great opportunity
is presenting itself for a celebration if the children and their families could
be off Nauru by that date! Apart from the human element to clear these off
shore detention centres, much taxpayer money could be saved and steered in
other demanding directions.
I see your
position as a great opportunity to bring happiness and security to a vulnerable
group of the world's population, a group that deserves all the privileges you,
I and fellow Australians enjoy.
Are you
prepared to take up this issue of the children?
It could become a hallmark of your Prime Ministership.
(or, of
your christian humanity as Prime Minister?)
Thank You
….. for choosing compassion over fear
(on Thank You note paper)
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Dear Scott
(Morrison)
Congratulations
on your new role. Wishing you all the
best in your work to steer our country towards compassion and peace.
Universal
Children's Day is on November 20. Can I
suggest you bring the 100 or more children who are on Nauru (and their
families) to Australia by that date as a symbol of Australia's new direction in
following the other civilised countries in our world in regard to international
human rights.
Sincerely
________________________________________________________________
Dear Josh,
I treasure
my memories of a happy childhood. I was
loved, safe, supported, educated and lucky to live in Australia from age 11,
having arrived by boat.
I've always
treasured Australia as a country that chooses compassion as a major organising
force – with a good social service and free education.
Could you
please clarify why such a large portion of taxpayers' funds is being used to
cruelly detain children on Nauru, in contravention of international human
rights?
These
children will never be able to treasure their childhood or love this
country. But perhaps you can change this
for them.
November 20
is Universal Children's Day.
Work to
bring these children and their families – by that date – to Australia.
They would
forever be grateful – and so would I.
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Dear Tanya,
Please do
what you can to bring the children on Nauru to Australia by 20 November –
Universal Children's Day.
The soul of
our society is in your hands.
Sincerely,
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Please
support the efforts of many organisations struggling to support the asylum
seekers detained on Manus Island and in Nauru.
At present, there is a big push to get the children on Nauru, and their
families, to Australia by November 20, Universal Children's Day. A number of these children have engaged in
self harm or attempted suicide, behaviours which testify to inhumane
conditions. I can only write letters,
demonstrate in the street, attend vigils.
But you can do so much more as an elected member of parliament/minister
for immigration/minister for Home Affairs etc.....
Will you
help to make Universal Children's Day an even more momentous day for the refugees on Nauru, for
your government, and for Australia?
Thank you
___________________________________________________________
Dear Mr.
Coleman (Minister for Immigration)
Indefinite
detention of people seeking asylum from war and persecution etc. etc....
As the
newly appointed minister for immigration, you have the opportunity to give this
portfolio a more positive and optimistic stamp.
Peter Dutton's tenure has been dark and ominous. Australia deserves better. Will you:
1.
Support the Andrew Wilkie....
2.
Support community efforts to bring the children....
3.
Consider an amnesty for all asylum seekers and settlement in
rural/regional Australia?
Yours
hopefully,
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
to Scott
Morrison
Dear Prime
Minister,
I
understand that you are a member of the United Pentecostal Church of Australia,
or one of its associated churches. In
looking into the teachings of this church I note that there is a focus on
compassionate care for those in any need. (UPCA.org.au, website: 'We also focus
on relevant teaching for life, heart-felt worship, authentic friendships, and
compassionate care for those in any need'.)
You are a
practising christian. I ask you to have compassion for the desperate people who
have been punished with detention for five years or more for having taken to
leaky boats to escape war and/or persecution.
As
an African migrant explained when asked why she had taken to a boat with her
child: when you have a lion behind you and the sea before you, you choose the
sea. Your chances with the lion are 100% death; on the sea it's 50-50.
Mr.
Morrison, you have a rare opportunity, as newly appointed prime minister of
Australia, to grant amnesty to these asylum seekers languishing on Manus Island
and in Nauru, and to close the expensive off-shore centres (which would help to
reduce Australia's debt at the same time!).
As a first compassionate act, please bring the more than 100 children
held on Nauru, and their families, to Australia in celebration of Universal
Children's Day – November 20, 2018. Many
of these children have engaged in self-harm or attempted suicide. They need the care available here in Australia.
Will you
grasp the opportunity afforded by your new role as Prime Minister to bring the
detained refugee children and their families to Australia by November 20th?
It would be a landmark event which could become the hallmark of your prime
ministership and a lasting testimony to your compassion. Finally, consider an amnesty for all asylum
seekers who have been found to be genuine refugees. They are people that I'm sure your church,
and you, would consider in need.
Yours
hopefully,
member, Refugees and Rural Australians for Refugees
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