RAR December Newsletter

 Hi RAR members

For refugees and people seeking asylum, and their supporters, 2022 in Australia has been a difficult year, but progress has been made.

 

At the start of the year, the brief immigration detention of leading tennis player Novak Djokovic at the Park Hotel helped our movement's efforts to highlight the situation of hundreds of refugees detained there and in other hotel "alternative places of detention" (APODs). The release from the APODs of the refugees who had been brought to Australia from offshore detention under the 2018 medical evacuation law accelerated. By April the Medevac refugees were out of the APODs, although some are still in detention centres.

 

In March, the Morrison government announced 16,500 additional refugees places for people fleeing Afghanistan. However, we're conscious - especially our national working group and the member groups that are working on sponsorship for refugees trying to come to Australia - that few Afghan refugees from the Taliban have got here so far. The decade-long re-orientation of the immigration department into "Border Force" has wrecked its capacity to serve people and we have to keep on at the government now to reverse this.

 

The purportedly immovable LNP government was moving as it stared down the barrel of election defeat. But I think voters proved to be wise to cheap tricks: they took what was on offer and moved on.

 

Under the new government, the news that Priya, Nades, Kopi and Tharnicaa were able to return #HometoBilo and gained permanent residency was cheering. But that other refugees, on temporary visas, who Labor promised permanent visas during the election, are still waiting at year's end is trying. That well over 10,000 other people who are seeking asylum here, because their claims for asylum have been rejected, or because of how they came to Australia, are not being offered permanent settlement at all is troubling. Our movement has been supporting permanent visas for all, with #HometoBilo turning its strength to this campaign.

 

RAR members can be proud of the achievements of our September national conference (thanks to the organising group in the Blue Mountains). I believe it has been the only in-person grassroots national conference in the movement since the pandemic began.

 

The conference saw those with lived experience play a leading role. It was an inspiring experience, which carried forward and tested out ideas, found in the Katoomba Declaration, that our movement can try to change the story about refugees in this country and seek to change policy across a broad range of issues. Copies of the Katoomba Declaration and the Conference Report are attached (and can be found on RAR's website).

 

I believe that might be the basis for a more united, more powerful and more far-reaching movement, for which November's Canberra Convergence and Palm Sunday marches and rallies, to be held in early April 2023, could represent green shoots.

 

Voluntary Contributions

 

What RAR has achieved in 2022 and can achieve in 2023 is primarily the result of the time and thought people give to our member groups. I'd like to celebrate the efforts of the National Committee's members in offering some coordination and guidance as well.

 

But can I mention we also need some resources to make that happen. RAR does not have a membership fee: at our AGM this year we again resolved to ask if members can make voluntary contributions. Can you please consider having a discussion of what your group might be able to put in at your first meeting next year.

Best wishes to everyone for the festive season and I look forward to working with you for justice for refugees in the new year.

 In solidarity

 Jonathan

 National President

 

Rural Australians for Refugees on Twitter and Facebook 

RAR is a member of the Australian Refugee Action Network
Rural Australians for Refugees
E: rar.australia@gmail.com

Dear Minister Giles, Please find enclosed an open letter ........

 

                                                                                            

                                                                                                29^th November 2022

Dear Minister Giles,

Please find enclosed an open letter, addressed to you, and signed by 755         people who have visited Rural Australians for Refugees market stalls in recent times. The letter reads:

We, the undersigned, are dismayed to learn that, instead of evacuating the approximately 100 refugees remaining on Nauru, you plan to award a contract to Management and Training Corporation, a US prisons operator with a chequered track record. This is a terrible decision, and a missed opportunity for the Labor government to demonstrate that it is genuinely committed to human rights and to a more compassionate treatment of refugees.

Independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, recently introduced the Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Immigration Detention Bill 2022 to the federal parliament. His bill presents an opportunity to reform a regime that leading legal and human rights organisations have called “inhumane, unnecessary and unlawful.” We urge you to support Andrew Wilkie’s bill, and to bring all refugees currently held on Nauru and in PNG to Australia, whilst arrangements for their resettlement are finalised.

 

 

Following the federal election, expectations were high that the Labor government would take steps to dismantle the terrible asylum regime inherited from the Coalition. Certainly, the rhetoric has changed, and you have frequently signalled your positive intentions regarding the humane and fair treatment of asylum seekers and refugees. That much, we recognise and acknowledge. However, the decision to appoint a new contractor to oversee the ongoing torment of the remaining refugees on Nauru is deeply disappointing, and is seriously at odds with your frequent comments about the need to treat refugees with humanity and compassion. Keeping these people on Nauru, in addition to being eye-wateringly expensive, serves no good purpose and is morally indefensible.

We urge you to bring them all to Australia without delay, so that they can receive the support and medical treatment that they need, until their resettlement in third countries can be finalised.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Griffin

Bellingen and Nambucca District Rural Australians for Refugees

Hear Behrouz Boochani in Sydney

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/UNSWSydney/permalink/1376857892846439/

 

Behrouz Boochani: Freedom, Only Freedom Tue 13 Dec | 6.30pm | Roundhouse, UNSW Sydney | Free

Join Kurdish-Iranian writer Behrouz Boochani live, for his first ever visit to Australia.  If it weren’t for the consecutive Australian government’s inhuman treatment of refugees; Behrouz Boochani wouldn’t be a household name.   The Kurdish-Iranian journalist spent years languishing in offshore detention, during which time he witnessed those seeking asylum being exposed to conditions that violated international refugee law. Following an introduction from his long-time translators and collaborators, Omid Tofighian & Moones Mansoubi and in-conversation with human rights lawyer Madeline Gleeson, Behrouz Boochani will share his stories of resilience, and shed light on the shameful refugee policies that the Australian government continues to endorse.  Register Now

.

 

Shop for Christmas; Shop with Impact

Shop with Impact

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR SHOPPING

Every purchase helps the Asylum Seekers Centre to continue to welcome, empower and support people in the Sydney community seeking asylum.

 

 

cards, wrapping paper and more.
 

National RAR Update, November 2022

 

 

National RAR update. November 2022

 

8^th November 2022

Hello to all RAR Members and Supporters – welcome to the latest RAR update.

 

Permanent visas for all refugees: 29 November Canberra Convergence

 

 

The Canberra Convergence on 29 November (start of the final parliamentary sitting for the year) at 11am will support Permanent visas for all refugees: Let’s make sure no one is left behind. This is an important opportunity for RAR members to rally with others from across the refugee rights movement for this aim, at a moment when refugees and people seeking asylum want to press the new government to move more quickly and further towards meeting their needs.

 

RAR National Committee has endorsed the Convergence. We urge members to look at how they can take part, especially those which are nearer to Canberra, but also those who might have people who might want to go to the Canberra region at that time. (We are also raising how longer lead times will allow us to increase our participation further.)

 

Canberra RAC instigated the Convergence, bringing together in an organising group a range of community groups of refugee and people seeking asylum (people with lived experience) and refugee rights action groups, including RAR. Here is the Convergence statement from the organising group:

“Labor was elected committed to granting permanent visas for all those refugees currently on TPVs and SHEVs. A number of other policy positions in its policy platform suggest Labor might adopt a rights-based approach to refugees and people seeking asylum. The granting of permanent visas to the Nadesalingam family and their return to Biloela gave great hope that the new Labor Government would act quickly on their commitments to refugees and people seeking asylum.   However, five months after the election, more than 19,000 refugees on Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas, and thousands more on bridging or expired visas, are deeply disappointed that the election commitment has not been honoured.” 

PLAN TO BE THERE – we hope that representatives from your group will support refugee communities at the Canberra Convergence on 29 November. Further details to be provided shortly, including what will happen on the day, travel support from major cities, etc.  A Facebook event will be created shortly to provide more details as planning progresses.

 Please email   mail@refugeeaction.org  if you have any queries, and/or if your group will also endorse the Convergence.  This will mean your group will be listed as a supporting group on social media and in media releases.    Thanks to RAC Canberra for assisting with co-ordination and logistical support.  You can find more details about the event here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1517811141978265?ref=newsfeed

 

RAR Conference: opening session report

 

The RAR Conference Report is almost done.  It will be loaded onto the website by the end of the month.

In the meantime, here is some detail about the opening session:

Panel session:  Tamara Domicelj (Jesuit Refugee Service Country Director) led a conversation with Craig Foster, Angela Fredericks, Muzafar Ali and Julie Macken.

Tamara opened the conversation with her reflection on how we need to move forward and make changes as a nation.  Craig spoke strongly about the need for united messaging, for the sector to work together cohesively.  We need to bring in more people, people who have the opportunity to speak to the broader Australian community. We have a political campaign here, we need to be highly organised and on message, for the next 2 – 5 -10 years.  Anti-racism and justice for First Nations peoples is integrally linked to our campaign for refugee rights and justice.

Muzafar spoke about the dire situation of refugees in Indonesia and how we need to be taking action to bring these to safety in Australia.

Angela opened by paying tribute to Nades and Priya for telling their story.  The #HomeToBilo campaign focussed on shared values – fairness, a hard-working family – that others could relate to, to build connections.  We need to lead with kindness, to convert the ‘convertibles’.  We also need to have compassion for one another, and for ourselves.

Julie explained how hope ‘went out the door’ for her years ago, when, as a journalist, she saw Australians turning their backs on horrific story after horrific story about how we treat people seeking asylum. Instead, we need to talk about endurance and capacity for love.  Her PhD research has led her to believe that until we accept the reality of our colonisation of this country, the violence, the taking away of children and land, we are condemned to treat vulnerable people the way we treat refugees. She concluded by saying “we keep on going, showing endurance.  We think it is for others, but we are doing it for ourselves, as it is a means to retain our own humanity.” 

Julie is part of a group calling for a Royal Commission into Immigration Detention.

RAR supporters helping to save Afghan lives

RAR supporters around Australia, with the guidance of our Afghan subcommittee, continue to do amazing things in helping vulnerable people flee Afghanistan.

This is the story of Naqui Gulzari, who, thanks to the support of RAR members in Albury, is now safely in Paris with his family.

Naqui Gulzari was a high-profile judge in Kabul. Just before the Taliban took over Kabul, Naqui sentenced a Taliban man to 20 years imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl. The accused, as he was led out of court, vowed to kill Naqui, and he was released soon afterwards, placing Naqui and his family in danger. Fortunately, RAR members assisted the family to escape to Islamabad. Just a week later, they were granted a humanitarian visa by the French government, and they are now all safe and well in Paris.

Naqui has sent a lengthy and heartwarming message to his RAR friends, in which he expresses gratitude for their help in securing his freedom, and for all the other good work that RAR members are contributing to in poor Afghan communities. He concludes with these comments: “I am one of the strong and stubborn friends of RAR. I am grateful to this compassionate organization. I wish I could participate in humanitarian and human rights activities as one of the honorary members of this organization. Anyway, I wish RAR more and more success.”

 

Work+Stay program appeal

The Work+Stay program (www.workandstay.com.au ) is a social enterprise set up by Settlement Services International.  It is a recruitment service focused specifically on regional jobs.  As part of their service, they offer 'settling -in support' for new arrivals.  This consists of 4 weeks of face-to-face and telephone contact, to make sure the new arrival knows about the area they have moved to.  Key functions:

1. Community Welcome and Community orientation
2. Monitoring Newcomer wellbeing + integration and reporting back to the Settlement Team.
3. Being a touch point in the event of an Emergency in those first 4 weeks

Work+Stay will pay a small fee for this service.  They are keen to see if RAR group members would be interested in doing this work.    The new arrivals are not necessarily refugees or migrants, so groups could do this as a fund-raising activity.  Please contact Merenia Marin at mmarin@ssi.org.au if you are interested and would like to find out more.

Merenia will send Louise a fortnightly list of currently active jobs and she will circulate these to interested groups.  Please let Louise know if you're interested, through rar.australia@gmail.com .

 

Federal budget, October 2022

Several refugee organisations, including the Refugee Council of Australia and the ASRC, have responded to the federal government’s recent budget in relation to its impact on refugees and asylum seekers. The ASRC’s media release describes the budget as one of “failed expectations,”

Kon Karaparagiotidis, ASRC CEO, said: “this budget is a tale of two Australias. One where there is hope of recovery and a better future with billions rightly being spent to help people in need. And another where more than half a billion is being spent to harm people who turned to us for help, safety and protection. It’s time to right the wrongs of the past decade, not continue the status quo of unfairness by denying refugees and people seeking asylum access to mainstream social support and a safety net.”

You can read the ASRC’s full response at: https://asrc.org.au/2022/10/26/asrc-budget-response/  It’s well worth a read.

Watandar, My Countryman

Following the success of the film The Staging Post, which many RAR groups were able to show to audiences around Australia, Jolyon Hoff and Muzafar Ali have been working on a new documentary which traces Afghan roots in Australia through the cameleers in Central Australia. The result is Watandar My Countryman, which will be released in February/March 2023. Like The Staging Post, this new film is sure to be a powerful tool to help connect Australians and refugees, and promote a positive multicultural Australia.

We would encourage all supporters to consider organising a showing of the film when it is released next year. Further details will be provided nearer the time.

You can watch a trailer of the film here: https://vimeo.com/729465556 . It’s fine to share this trailer in newsletters, but please do not post to social media.

 

RAR Afghan subcommittee

 

The subcommittee’s October Meeting thanked all the RAR members who have so generously supported our request for financial support for the Afghan families who have had to move to Pakistan and Iran because they were in extreme danger in Afghanistan.

 

it is time to start telling the government that we want positive change.

 

The subcommittee also sent the following motion to the RAR National Committee:

 

That Rural Australians for Refugees formally express extreme disappointment in the failure of the Labor Federal Government to show compassionate leadership in Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, as evidenced by:

 

1. An increase of $150 million in the $632 million funding allocated in the 2022-23 Budget to maintain Australia’s cruel off-shore detention regime - that is, $6,000,000 per detainee.

 

2. No additional places announced for the Refugee and Humanitarian Program, despite Labor’s commitment to increasing the program.

 

3. No public announcement of any timeline to action the Albanese Government’s 2022 election promise to end Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Have Enterprise Visas (SHEVs) by providing permanent resettlement to those who sought asylum including those who arrived by sea before January 2014 and children born to these families.

 

National Committee endorsed the motion and supports these Subcommittee asks:

• Members to write, stating the points listed above, to (see https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Guidelines_for_Contacting_Senators_and_Members for the addresses):
• the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
• the Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Clare O Neil, and
• the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Andrew Giles, and
• your local member.
• Invite your local member to a meeting and ​raise these issues with them. Please let us know if you get a response.

Positive stories about people with lived experience

 

We need your help to build a collection of new stories to show the economic, social and cultural contributions of refugees in rural and regional communities. We know you have a wealth of positive stories from your community!

 

Please send stories or suggestions for stories to Marie Sellstrom or Bern Fraser at

rar.australia@gmail.com.  This will help RAR reframe the narrative about refugees in the Media, and support RAR advocacy with politicians and Councils.

 

Letter-writing suggestions

The most recent letter-writing kit from the ARAN letter-writing group is on work rights for people seeking asylum. The kit is available at: https://aran.net.au/resources/letter-writing/.

Another letter-writing campaign is currently being mounted by the Cairns RAR group, calling for support for the Wilkie’s Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Immigration Detention Bill 2022 bill. You can obtain a copy of the draft letter by contacting Cairns for Refugees at: cairnsforrefugees@gmail.com.

. Great Lakes Rural Australians for Refugees

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY EVENT,
Saturday, December 3 at 2 pm

How can we resolve our critical need for skilled workers whilst maintaining human rights?

An opportunity to discuss this challenging question at 2 pm on Saturday, December 3, 2022.  A free event to be held in the Catholic Parish Hall, Lake Street Forster, NSW 2428.

GLRAR will celebrate International Human Rights Day by hosting a panel headed by Arif Hussein, eminent Australian and Senior Solicitor, Sydney; Jamil Amad, Manager of the Social Work Department, Manning Referral Hospital; and Ed Trotter, Community Support, Taree.
Arif Hussein spent 5 years working with refugees and asylum seekers both in Australia and on Manus Island.  Jamil Amad is an experienced Social Worker who supports newly settled migrants who work in the Manning Valley, especially at the Wingham Meatworks. Ed Trotter spent time in Nauru working for the Salvation Army and supporting new residents in the area.

The Panel will share insights and stories, and answer questions about how the Great Lakes and Manning area is advantaged by skilled workers who are given work visas which provide them with a new start in Australia. Everyone is welcome and afternoon tea will be provided following the Panel and Q&A. 

The 2022 theme of “All Human All Equal” Human Rights Day focuses on the significance of human rights. It remembers the 1948 United Nations General Assembly proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.