Next Roadside Demo - Bellingen Thursday August 10th 2:30pm
Next Market Stall - Valla Beach Sat 5th August
UNHCR criticises Australia
Manus Island latest
Les Murray dies
Roadside demonstration report
A big thank you to the small band of dedicated supporters who turned up for last week’s demonstration in Coffs Harbour. At last the sun was shining and we received overwhelming support from passing motorists and pedestrians. It would be great if a few more people could join us for these demonstrations, which are a powerful reminder to the public of the brutality and inhumanity of our government’s asylum policy. Why not make a note in your diary to come and join us ? Our next demonstration will be in Bellingen on Thursday 10th August from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. You will find us at a new location, adjacent to the playing fields just after the High School as you come into Bellingen. We hope to see some of you there.
Valla Beach Market : Saturday 5th August from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm
A reminder that our next market stall will be this coming Saturday at the Valla Beach market. You will find us at our usual spot near the large storage shed. As always, we’ll be handing out leaflets, asking people to sign the petition calling for the immediate closure of the Manus and Nauru detention centres , chatting to market-goers and selling our merchandise. We hope to have new bumper stickers for sale! Do drop by for a chat and sign the petition if you are visiting the market. If you can help out for an hour or two, particularly after 10.00 am, then please let Mike know at:mand.griffin2@bigpond.com.
This month we also have a stall at the Coffs Harbourside market on Sunday 27th August.
UNHCR slams duplicity of Dutton and his team
When the Turnbull government struck a deal with the US to allow up to 1,250 refugees from Nauru and Manus to resettle in the US, the UNHCR agreed to facilitate the process. It did so on the clear understanding that the small number of vulnerable refugees with close family ties in Australia would be quietly allowed to resettle here. The numbers involved are miniscule – a mere 36 cases have been identified – but Minister Dutton has now reneged on the commitment to resettle these vulnerable people. The refugees have been informed that their only options are to remain where they are, be resettled in the US or Cambodia, or return to their country of origin. The UNHCR statement, which you can read on our blog, states: “There is no doubt these vulnerable people, already subject to four years of punishing conditions, should be reunited with their families in Australia. This is the humane and reasonable thing to do. The Australian government’s decision to deny them this possibility is contrary to the fundamental principles of family unity and refugee protection, and to common decency.”
Please consider writing to protest about this latest appalling episode, which serves to underline yet again the government’s utter intransigence, cruelty and complete disregard for the human rights of refugees. Let us also target the Labor Opposition, and urge them to oppose this action by our government, and to demand that the agreement with UNHCR be honoured.
Details of politicians to target:
Peter.Dutton.MP@aph.gov.au. (Lib)
Shayne.Neumann.MP@aph.gov.au. (Lab)
Tanya.Plibesek.MP@aph.gov.au. (Lab)
Bill.Shorten.MP@aph.gov.au. (Lab)
Manus Detention Centre: The government tightens the screws
Refugees in one of the largest of the four compounds in the detention centre in Lombrun on Manus Island have been forced out and threatened with arrest if they resist the attempts of the authorities to move them out of the centre to the “transit” centre on the edge of the township of Lorengau. One of the refugees, the journalist and writer Behrouz Boochani, writes: “Of the 200 people who inhabited Foxtrot compound, during the past month 100 have moved “voluntarily” to other sections of the prison. They have received no assistance in finding space elsewhere and it has caused overcrowding.......The main objective of these kinds of oppressive tactics is to coerce the refugees out of the current prison camp and into the East Lorengau camp.”
The refugees are very fearful that forcing them into the township of Lorengau will place them at serious risk of harm. The locals don’t want them there, and it is clear that the refugees will be in serious danger if they are forced to relocate to the “transit” centre. As Behrouz states: “What eventuates may threaten the lives of many.” Sadly, our government doesn’t seem to care.
Vale Les Murray
Yesterday saw the death of Les Murray, best known as the man who popularised the round ball game in Australia. He was the father of football and his voice will be known to all of us. He was also a refugee and a refugee advocate. In one report I saw last night it stated that he asked people to not send flowers but to donate to refugee support groups. He was a man of compassion and integrity. Vale.
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