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8.3.16

Newsletter for 8 March 2016 - RAR Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

Fund Raising for our Group

We just reached and passed the $500 target for our fundraiser for our RAR group. Many thanks to everyone who contributed, including Heather with the brand new Gazebo, and Jennie, Judy and John who pitched in with very generous donations. I will post some links for other worthy asylum seeker charities on Facebook  soon. Thanks again everyone and see you at the March Bello Markets on Saturday the19th.

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


Close Manus Island says PNG PM

The Manus Island detention centre is a "problem" that has done more damage to Papua New Guinea's reputation than any other factor, the nation's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says, saying the facility must eventually close.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, Mr O'Neill also said his government could not afford to resettle those found to be genuine refugees, fuelling concern that vulnerable men on the island will continue to languish with an uncertain future.
The Turnbull government is responsible for meeting the costs of detention and resettlement at the Manus Island facility, which houses single men.
As Fairfax Media reported last month, more than 60 refugees live in limbo at the Manus Island transit centre at Lorengau, while more than 900 are in their third year at the detention centre. More than half of those in detention have been found to be refugees.




Help us with our research.

Supporters at our meeting on 21 February went away inspired to take action.

The following is valuable research into number of Asylum Seekers/ Refugees held on Nauru, obtained from the Human Rights Commission by one of our supporters.

"The number of children in detention in Nauru has been decreasing but this is largely because the children have been released from the detention facility, not necessarily because they have left Nauru altogether.

According to the latest statistics from the Department of Immigration, there are 484 people (including 54 children) detained in Nauru (http://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/statistics/immigration-detention-statistics-31-jan-2016.pdf).

A further 839 people are living in the Nauruan community after having been found to be refugees and released from detention (http://newsroom.border.gov.au/channels/media-releases/releases/operation-sovereign-borders-monthly-update-january-2). "

Then another person was inspired to write to Peter Dutton see http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/letter-to-peter-dutton-on-children-out.html 

Getting our supporters to contribute to improving our knowledge and to write politicians confronting them with this information is a great idea.

If you would like to carry out some research, have a look at "Useful Links on the blog http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au/p/useful-links.html

Chilout Newsletter for February 2016

The February Chilout Newsletter is now on the blog see http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au/p/chilout-newsletter.html and includes

AHRC’S Report on Wickham Point Detention Centre
Earlier this month, the Australian Human Rights Commission released a damning report on their recent visit to Wickham Point Detention Centre in Darwin. At the time of their visit, there were 76 children held at the centre. The report revealed that 95% of children over eight years of age who had lived on Nauru (and were subsequently transferred to Wickham Point Detention Centre) were in the clinical range for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is deeply concerning, as many of these children are slated to be sent back to Nauru following the High Court ruling. This report also detailed day-to-day life at the detention centre, including that at 5am and 10pm every day Serco guards conduct a head count. One 9-year-old boy said: “I am scared in my room every night at 10pm when they walk and open the door for the head count. I think someone is going to take me away.”

The Welcome Petition

Message from Jessica Hackett and The Welcome Petition 
We need everyone to write to their MP and ask that they support The Welcome Petition, so as to put pressure on Peter Dutton to actually respond to Jess's massive petition properly and not just send a generic letter! 
Cheers, Everyone for your support
Jessica Hackett walked 700 kilometres from Melbourne to Canberra and collected 17,000 signatures.
Russell Broadbent, MP, presented The Welcome Petition to the House of Representatives. 
A huge thank you to Mr Russell Broadbent MP and everyone who helped make this possible! 17,000 signatures!
Well done Australia!!
For more info visit: http://www.thewelcomepetition.com/
Published 1 March 2016



Next Market stall will be in Bellingen on Saturday 19 March 2016


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Our blog is at http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au and includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers

check out the index of subjects on the blog
the draft newsletter is on the blog  - see tab at top.
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Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam


The National RAR web site is at  www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au 

David Wallin

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