Newsletter for 27 March 2018 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and NambuccaDistricts

_{Next Roadside Demo - Toormina, April 5th 2:30pm}

_{Next market stall Valla Beach 7th April}

_{Harmony Day Festival}

_{Freedom Stories DVD for loan}

_{A Message from Manus}

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{It was touch and go for last Thursday’s demonstration in Coffs Harbour, given the morning rain and the grey skies, but , in spite of the strong wind and the occasional spot of rain, we had a very successful time. A great team of eleven supporters waving placards and holding banners, and lots of support from passing motorists. We all agreed that it was well worth the effort. Our next demonstration will be in Toormina on Hogbin Drive, about 150 metres from the fire station, opposite the landscape supplier. We will gather a bit further down from our usual spot, so that the car horns from passing motorists don’t disturb the residents in Barco Court. Date and time: Thursday 5th April from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Do come and join us if you can.}

_{Next market: Valla Beach, Saturday 7th April from 9.00 am to 1.30 pm}

_{Our next market will be at Valla Beach on 7th April. You might recall that the last Valla Beach market in February had to be cancelled because of heavy rain. Let’s hope that on this occasion the sun will shine and that we will have lots of visitors. This will be the final opportunity to sign the open letter to Bill Shorten, as we plan to send all the signed letters to him in the days following the market. Please come and join us at the market if you can, and add your signature to the letter. If you can help out at our stall for an hour or two between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm, then please let Mike know by emailing him at:mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Harmony day in Coffs Harbour}

_{Sunday’s Harmony Day celebrations in Coffs Harbour Botanic Garden  were full of colour, joy, and aromas from so many different cultures.Hundreds of people from across the world who have made Coffs Harbour home put on a spectacular show of dancing, music, traditional dress, and wonderful food.  It was a truly memorable event and it was great to see so many of our RAR supporters enjoying the occasion.}

_{Freedom Stories DVD still available to borrow}

_{This excellent documentary, which we advertised some weeks ago, is still available for anyone to borrow. The documentary comprises personal stories from former asylum seekers who were eventually resettled in Australia.It was reviewed in the newsletter of 27th February, which you can find by clicking on the link to our blog below, and scrolling down until you come to the newsletter of 27th February. If you would like to borrow the DVD, then get in touch with Mike at :  mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{A message from Manus}

_{Many thousands gathered in towns and cities across Australia on Sunday to protest about our government’s cruel treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly those still languishing in offshore detention. A letter from Imran, who has been detained on Manus for five years, was read out at many of these demonstrations. In his letter, Imran expresses his gratitude for the many good people in our communities who continue to campaign for justice for our asylum seekers and refugees. He writes: “ Five years of incarceration and in exile is more than enough. We have been put to the test again and again, so horribly, yet we have stood the test of time. We are named in various ways, however, the inevitable fact is that we are just human beings with a real heart which knows how to love others.  We have lived without love for 1696 days in a hostile setting.” You can read Imran’s letter on our Facebook page.}

_{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 >560 recipients}

_{Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/Rural-Australians-for-Refugees-Bellingen-and-Nambucca-Districts-269696303205083/timeline/}

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_{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}