Newsletter for 15 May 2018 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next market stall - Bellingen Sat 19th May}

_{Next Roadside Demo - Coffs Base Hospital, Thursday 17th May 2:30pm}

_{Fundraiser Sunday 10th June 2pm}

_{Trumps Muslim ban affects our refugees}

_{Film: Border Politics}

_{Our next Market: Bellingen, Saturday 19th May, 9.00 am to 1.30 pm}

_{A reminder  that our next market stall will be at the Bellingen Community Markets this coming Saturday from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. We have a new open letter to the upcoming Labor Party conference for you to sign and as usual we will be handing out leaflets, talking to market-goers and selling our merchandise. All profits from our sales are donated to the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown, which does fantastic working supporting asylum seekers living in and around Sydney. They are more desperate for funds than ever at present, given the decision by the government to drastically curtail support for asylum seekers living in the community.}

_{If you can help out on the stall for an hour or two, then please email Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Roadside demonstration:  Coffs Harbour, Thursday 17th May from 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{Our next roadside demonstration is this Thursday 17th May. You will find us by the Pacific Highway, opposite the Base hospital , and it would be great if a few more people could join us, especially as a number of our regular supporters are on holiday at present. It’s a great way to remind members of the public about the cruelty of the government’s asylum policy. It’s also an opportunity to show our solidarity with asylum seekers who are enduring so much suffering as a result of their incarceration on remote islands for the past five years. Please join us if you can.}

_{Reaching Out: Our fundraising concert: Sunday 10th June at 2.00 pm}

_{A reminder that our plans are well under way for the fundraising concert on 10th June, starting at 2.00 pm in the main hall of the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre. Heather Rose has visited the venue and tells us that she is very excited about the prospect of performing for us. She will play a number of favourite classical pieces by Beethoven, Chopin,  Debussy and others, together with some jazz music. Please make a commitment to supporting the concert, so that we can make a substantial donation to the Asylum Seekers Centre. Tickets are on sale at Helloworld Travel  on Bowra Street, Nambucca Heads and at The Alternative Bookshop in Bellingen.  If it’s more convenient for you, you can reserve you tickets for pickup on the day by phoning Marlene on 6569 5419. Please purchase your tickets soon.}

_{If you are able to help on the day, or if you can donate a raffle prize, then please email Marlene at: marlene.griffin46@bigpond.com.}

_{Trump’s Muslim travel ban affects our refugees}

_{Trump’s travel ban bars or limits entry to the US to citizens of five Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. This creates serious problems for the many refugees on Manus and Nauru who have fled these countries. Iranian refugees, for example, account for about a third of the refugees on Nauru, with many more languishing on Manus.  They cannot return to Iran, and our government has no plans for their future. Minister Dutton states: “In relation to the Iranians that are on Manus or Nauru, Tehran will not issue travel documents for those people unless they come back willingly.” But these people have fled Iran, they have been granted protection under the Refugee Convention, and they are our responsibility. We must continue the fight to get our government to take its responsibilities seriously and to bring all the refugees on Manus and Nauru to safety in Australia.}

_{Border Politics: a new film to look out for}

_{Last week saw the world premiere of Border Politics, a film in which the director, Judy Rymer, follows Julian Burnside QC, as he travels the globe, examining the harsh treatment of refugees at the hands of western democracies. In the film, both Julian Burnside and Gillian Triggs look at the treatment of refugees in Jordan, a country that has taken in millions of Palestinians following their expulsion from their lands in 1948 and again in 1967, and which more recently has taken care of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.  Burnside describes Jordan, a poor country, as a place that “puts us all to shame.” Gillian Triggs, whilst visiting Jordan, says she found that “the concern of the officials and politicians was all about how they were going to ensure clean water and education for the children. They certainly weren’t talking about how they could build walls or stop them coming. It was a completely different mindset. You just found yourself thinking: how could this be, when Australia is so far away and relatively rich? How could we turn our backs on this?”}

_{But that is precisely what we, as a nation are doing. It is utterly shameful, and it needs to end.}

_{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/}

_{(482 likes)}

_{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}

Newsletter for 9 January 2018 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Welcome back}

_{Next Roadside Demo - Bellingen Thursday January 11th 2:30pm}

_{Next Market Bellingen Sat 20th}

_{Fundraiser film showing Sunday March 4th}

_{Film festival in Coffs}

_{Our Glorious Leaders Christmas message}

_{Welcome back!}

_{We hope that you have enjoyed a relaxing break with family and friends in recent weeks.  We start the New Year as we ended the old one, with up to 2,000 refugees and asylum seekers still languishing in indefinite detention , and seemingly largely forgotten. The government’s cruel and cynical policy of “out of sight, out of mind,” seems to be working well in recent weeks. Hopefully, at some point in January, approximately 60 refugees from Manus island and 130 from Nauru will leave these hell-holes for the US.}

_{Roadside demonstration: Thursday 11th January: Bellingen 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{Our first roadside demonstration for 2018 is this Thursday in Bellingen, from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution to join us this year! You will find us on Waterfall Way, near the Yellow Shed, opposite the entrance to the golf club. It would be great to welcome some new supporters, as quite a number of our usual crew are still away on holiday. These demonstrations are such a good way of showing our solidarity with Australia’s refugees and asylum seekers, and also help remind the public that the issue is not going away.}

_{Our first market of 2018: Bellingen, Saturday 20th January 9.00 am to 1.30 pm}

_{Our first market will be held at the Bellingen community market on Saturday 20th January, and we are looking for help between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm. If you can lend a hand for an hour or two, please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com. We’ll be handing out new leaflets to market- goers, engaging with them about the government’s and the opposition’s asylum policy and encouraging people to sign our new open letter, which is addressed to Bill Shorten, the Leader of the Opposition. If you are not able to help out, then please drop by for a chat and  to  sign the letter.}

_{Special Fundraiser film screening : Bellingen Memorial Hall: Sunday 4th March at 2.00 pm}

_{We have organised a  screening of Hope Road on Sunday 4th March, starting at 2.00 pm, to raise funds for the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown. The film is a moving and emotional refugee story. It lifts the veil on what life can be like for a refugee caught between two worlds. Like many others who are forced to flee their homeland, Zacharia – a Sudanese refugee living in south-west Sydney – wants to give something back and improve the lives of people he left behind. Zac’s dream is to build a much-needed school in his home village, now part of the new nation of South Sudan. He enlists the backing of an eager band of Aussie supporters who join him on a 40-day charity walk to raise funds for this venture. But life disrupts the best-laid plans, and Zac has to draw on all his resources to keep the dream alive.}

_{Please put the date in you diary and come along with family and friends to enjoy the film, and to help raise funds for the ASC.  Tickets are $15, concessions $12. Pay at the door.}

_{The SWIFF film festival comes to Coffs Harbour: 10th to 25th January}

_{This festival includes a most interesting mix of films to enjoy, including The Staging Post, which follows the refugee community of Cisarua in Indonesia as they defy the restrictions that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has placed on any and all organised groups in order to create a learning centre for refugee children. Special guest Muzafar Ali will be in attendance for this film, which will be shown at the Jetty Theatre on Thursday 18th January, starting at 7.30 pm.}

_{Further details of the festival program can be found at: www.swiff.com.au}

_{The Prime Minister’s Christmas message}

_{On Christmas Eve, the Prime Minister appeared on national television and told us all, with a straight face: “please remember those who need our love and support now more than any other time...” He did not, of course, mention the refugees suffering indefinitely in offshore and onshore detention as a direct and intended consequence of government policy.  But it’s never too late to tell the Prime Minister what you think about the government’s asylum policy, and it only takes a couple of minutes. You can  email him by Googling “contact the prime minister” and following the links, or you can phone his office on 02 9327 3988. You will find an example of a letter on our blog. Just click on the link for the blog at the bottom of this newsletter.}

_{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 >500 recipients}

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

_{(482 likes)}

_{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}

Newsletter for 29 August 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca

_{Next Roadside Demo - Big Banana Coffs Thursday September 7th 2:30pm}

_{Next Market Stall - Bellingen Sat 16th September}

_{RAR blog}

_{Travelling Film Festival Sawtell}

_{Manus Island update}

_{The government sinks to a new low}

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{Although we were just a group of four for the roadside demonstration in Toormina last week, we all agreed that it was very well worthwhile. We had lots of positive reaction from passing motorists, which clearly demonstrates that there are many Australians who are not happy with the current punitive policies of the government and the opposition, and who want to see a more humane response to the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.}

_{The dates and locations for our demos in September and October are:}

_{Thursday 7th September : The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour}

_{Thursday 21st September:  Nambucca Heads, near the Plaza shopping centre}

_{Thursday 12th October : Coffs Harbour, opposite the Base hospital}

_{Thursday 26th October: Bellingen, adjacent to the playing fields, and opposite the golf course.}

_{All the demos run from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Please try to join us if you can.}

_{Please note the three-week gap between the Nambucca Heads and Coffs Harbour demos, owing to another RAR commitment involving a number of supporters.}

_{Coffs Harbourside market report}

_{A great market under sunny skies on Sunday, with a terrific group of supporters turning up to help on our stall. We collected almost 100 signatures on our petition, distributed lots of leaflets, sold a good number of bumper stickers, bags, T shirts and tea towels, and had many positive interactions with market-goers. All profits from sales are donated to the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown, who do amazing work  supporting refugees in Sydney.} 

_{Our markets for September and October are as follows:}

_{Saturday 16th September : Bellingen}

_{Saturday 7th October: Valla Beach}

_{Sunday 22nd October : Coffs Harbour}

_{Why not put the dates in your diary and come along to lend a hand for a while between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm? If you are able to help, then please let Mike know by emailing him at : mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Our RAR blog}

_{A reminder that we have a very active blog, which you can access by clicking on the link at the bottom of this newsletter. It is a very popular source of information, with 400 visits over a ten-day period recently.  When you send an email or a letter to a politician, or have a letter about asylum seekers published in the press, it would be greatly appreciated if you could forward your piece to: bellingen.rar@gmail.com.  for inclusion on the blog. We know that many of you do write to politicians, but don’t then forward your message for inclusion on the blog, which can make it look as though we have only one or two writers!}

_{The Travelling Film Festival: Nambucca Heads and Sawtell}

_{The TFF will be in Nambucca Heads on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th September, and in Sawtell  from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th September. Several of the films have refugee/immigrant themes, which might be of interest to RAR members. They include Ali’s Wedding (Sawtell, Friday 8th at 7.00 pm), Hope Road (Sawtell, Saturday 9th at 12.00 pm) and The Other Side of Hope ((Sawtell, Sunday 10th at 3.15 pm).  If anyone would like a lift from Valla Beach, then please email Georgette Allen at: georgetteallen@bigpond.com.}

_{Manus Island. What is going on?}

_{Things continue to get worse by the day for refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island. In a new twist, the PNG government’s attorney general, Davis Steven, has told Australia’s high commissioner that his government has not agreed to a 31st October closure. The PNG government understandably fears that the Australian government will close the centre and simply walk away from its responsibility for the 900 men who it sent there. These 900 men are no more than pawns in a political game. They have no idea how many, if any of them, will be resettled at some point in the US, and they have no idea what will happen to them when the centre closes. If our government has a Plan B, we have no idea what it consists of.}

_{Our government sinks to a new low}

_{In recent days, the government has decided to target those refugees and asylum seekers who were brought to Australia  for medical treatment from Nauru or Manus island. There are almost 400 people involved, including many children.  The first batch of this cohort, comprising approximately 100 people, have been told that their welfare support, currently just $200 a fortnight, will cease as of 28th August, and that they must now find their own place to live within the next three weeks. They will be issued with a new visa, ominously entitled “final departure Bridging E Visa”. Up to now, they have now been allowed to work. Now they are being told that they must find work to support themselves or be returned forcibly to Nauru, Manus island, or return to the danger from which they originally fled. We have to ask: Who is going to offer employment to someone who is in possession of a “Final Departure” visa?}

_{In a chilling threat to the children involved, the government states : “Please remind your children that they will also be required to abide by Australian values and laws. Breaking Australian laws may result in their removal from the community.”}

_{A Labor spokesperson, Richard Marles, stated: “It is very important that these people are not resettled in Australia.” Alan Tudge, the human services minister, stated:  “They will be settled elsewhere. That’s what this is about.”}

_{Please consider writing to Alan Tudge  to protest about this latest act of cruelty. Alan.Tudge.MP@aph.gov.au}

_{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 >500 recipients}

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

_{(482 likes)}

_{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}