Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts : Newsletter for 29 April 2015 - Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

29.4.15

Newsletter for 29 April 2015 - Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

Hi Everyone

We have added our group's name to the

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON SENDING ASYLUM SEEKERS OFFSHORE

The Refugee Council finally received support from 124 groups

This newsletter is stored here for archive purposes. To read complete newsletter click below

Refugee Council Media Release ..........

REFUGEE COUNCIL JOINS OVER 100 AUSTRALIAN ORGANISATION IN JOINT CALL TO MINISTER

The Refugee Council of Australia has called for an immediate moratorium on transfers to Nauru following the tragic example of a five year old girl who has attempted to commit suicide following her prolonged detention there.

Over 100 Australian organisations and community groups, including churches and religious institutions, human rights, aid and development bodies, advocates and community organisations have joined the call to cease transfer of asylum seekers back to harm.

Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia said, “An innocent young girl of just five years old has been driven to attempting suicide because of the Australian Government’s inability to provide a satisfactory duty of care on Nauru. No child should be sent there and certainly not sent to a situation while the environment remains so dangerous...................

We, the undersigned, call for an immediate moratorium on the transfer of asylum seekers to Nauru and Manus Island until the safety and security of vulnerable asylum seekers can be guaranteed.

The recent Immigration Department-commissioned independent investigations, the Moss Review into the failures of protection for children and women on Nauru, and the Cornall Report into the ruinous conditions on Manus Island, illustrate the inappropriate levels of protection and security inherent in the current system............

for full statement,including list go organisations involved and an update from the Refugee Council, click on http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/moratorium-on-sending-asylum-seekers.html

Refugees thriving in Nihl - a small town in Victoria

"Karen people from the Thai-Myanmar border have moved into the community in Victoria's Wimmera region, keeping the job sector healthy.

From refugees camps to the streets of Nhill, the Karen people thriving in regional Victoria.

More than 100 refugees have found a home in the farming town..."

full story on http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/refugees-thriving-in-nihl-victoria.html

What is happening to Asylum Seekers who should be released into the regional communities?

An Act of Parliament passed in December 2014 to release refugees into regional communities - 4 months later nothing seems to have happened. This was the basis on which Ricky Muir supported Temporary Protection visas.

Has anything happened - ask Luke Hartsuyker

Letters to Luke Hartsuyker MP at 39 Little Street, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450
E-mail: Luke.Hartsuyker.MP@aph.gov.au

Next Market at which we will have a stall will be in Bellingen on Saturday 16 May 2015

Can you spare an hour or two to join us? The markets are always a pleasant experience and it’s so important to let people know that , as Australian citizens, we are not prepared to let the government keep the appalling realities of their policies out of sight. The treatment of asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru are a national disgrace, and we must keep up the pressure to get them closed. So please come along to share the experience, to bear witness, to give out information and to encourage people to sign our petition.

If you can help, then email Mike on mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.

Or call him on 6569 5419.

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National Rural Australians for Refugees - now has current news on their web site