Newsletter for 7 November 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next Roadside Demo -Coffs Base Hospital Thursday November 9th 2:30pm}

_{Next Market Stall - Bellingen Sat 18th November}

_{RAR annual get together Sunday 3rd December}

_{Manus Island crisis}

_{Next Roadside demonstration: Thursday 9th November, Coffs Harbour: 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{Our next roadside demonstration is this Thursday 9th November from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm.}

 _{You will find us by the side of the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour, opposite the Base hospital.  This surely should be our biggest demo of the year, given  the appalling events on Manus Island in recent days. Now is the time to send the strongest message possible that this cruelty must be brought to an end without further foot-dragging on the part of the Coalition government, with the tacit support of the Labor opposition. Please make an effort to join us for a while to add your voice to the calls for our government to finally act with humanity and principle. We have lots of banners and placards to share.}

_{Next Market : Bellingen Community Market: Saturday 18th November}

_{Our next market stall will be at the Bellingen market on Saturday 18th November from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. If you can help out for a while – handing out leaflets, chatting to market-goers, persuading people to sign our petition, and selling our merchandise – then please let Mike know by emailing him at : mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Meeting and social get-together: Sunday 3rd December from 10.30 am}

_{We are planning  an end-of-year meeting and social gathering on Sunday 3rd December at our usual venue : 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach. We’ll meet at 10.30 to review what we have done and achieved in 2017 and share our thoughts about activities for 2018. The meeting will be followed by lunch on the back deck, which will give everyone the chance to relax and to enjoy one another’s company. It does not matter at all if you have not been engaged with our activities to date. Just come along, meet with a lot of like-minded people and enjoy the occasion. You will definitely not be pressured to take on any responsibilities! It would be appreciated if you could bring a plate to share. Please put the date in your diary and let Mike know that you plan to come along by emailing him at : mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Manus Island crisis}

_{The dire situation faced by the men detained on Manus island has finally hit the news headlines in recent days, with images of men protesting peacefully and digging frantically to find water inside the detention centre. They have now been without supplies of food, water, medication and power for a week. Locals attempting to bring them provisions have been turned away.}

_{The Australian government’s hard-line stance has been widely condemned, with the UNHCR demanding that food, water and health services be restored immediately in the face of the “unfolding humanitarian emergency”. UNHCR spokesperson Rupert Colville stated: “We have serious concerns about the welfare, safety and wellbeing of the roughly 600 men who remain in the accommodation compound, who are too frightened to leave.” Our government has an obligation under international human rights law and the 1951 Refugee Convention to protect these men from harm. Rupert Colville repeated previous UN concerns about Australia’s offshore processing centres, saying that they “are unsustainable, inhumane and contrary to Australia’s human rights obligations”.}

_{Minister Dutton, who is not a regular visitor to Manus Island, but who has a long history of attempting to mislead the Australian public, doesn’t see it that way.  On the other hand, Senator Nick McKim , who has been on Manus for the past week, together with Amnesty, Human Rights Watch and UNHCR, who have all visited and reported on the detention centre in recent times, tell it how it is. It is dire! These people and organisations have all reached the same conclusion: that these men must be brought to Australia for processing and, in the majority of cases, for resettlement in Australia or other third countries which can offer them a safe haven. And surely that must include New Zealand!}

_{Please maintain the rage and keep  pressing the case for bringing the men here. Points to make include:}

• _{this is clearly a politically motivated and extreme move, and shames us as Australians.}
• _{It is cruel and unnecessary and victimises some of the most vulnerable people in the world.}
• _{Australia has a moral and legal responsibility to those fleeing torture and death, whatever their mode of arrival in Australia.}
• _{this decision is being widely condemned as a policy that is morally reprehensible and breaches our international obligations.}

_{Telephone numbers:}

_{Prime Minister Turnbull: (02) 6277 7700 and (02) 9327 3988}

_{Opposition leader Shorten: (02) 6277 4022 and (03) 9326 1300}

_{Minister Dutton: (02) 6277 7860 and (07) 3205 9977}

_{Luke Hartsuyker: (02) 6277 4482 and (02) 6652 6233}

_{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 10 October 2017 Rural Australlans for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

Next Market Stall -Coffs Harbourside 22nd October

A good news story

What others say about offshore detention

Next Roadside Demo - Coffs Hospital Thursday October 12th 2:30pm

Valla Beach market report

The overcast skies seemed to affect the number of market goers at Saturday’s market, but we still had quite a busy time. Our numbers too were restricted, given that several of our usual helpers were otherwise engaged at the Stop Adani protest in Coffs Harbour! We had lots of positive engagement with people and we successfully launched our new petition, the details of which were published in last week’s newsletter.

Our next market will be the Coffs Harbourside market on Sunday  22nd October from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. If you can help out for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.  It would be great to welcome some new supporters to the team.

A good news story to report

Last week a small group of us, all members from our RAR group, hosted an Iranian family of parents and two sons, 13 and 9.  Their trip was funded by some of the money raised by our fundraising meals  and auctions held at two members’ homes earlier in the year.

We had a wonderful time. The family was delightful. They were so excited to be with us and participated enthusiastically in all our activities. Their days started early with Georgina and Margaret collecting them from Gillian and Alberto’s house at 7 30 am. Then off to Mylestom to walk the beach, swim in the tidal pool or fish off the pool walkway. The boys raced on the beach with Pablo the fox terrier - and lost!

After breakfast on Day One we walked in the rain forest at Dorrigo, had an Aussie BBQ  then ice-cream at Bellingen. On Day Two father and sons spent the day with Mike and Marlene, Peter and Lotus at the latters’ property at Valla and later on the beach. The women folk wandered around Bellingen or helped Lisa prepare an Iranian feast. Our guests enjoyed the meal and gave Lisa the thumbs-up.

On Day Three a group of friends joined us for a BBQ at Mylestom. Some young boys of similar ages to our guests taught the finer points of fishing and kicked the soccer ball around.   

All the meals were special - Alberto’s paella, Georgina’s Sri Lankan curry feast, Lisa's Iranian meal, Lotus's pizza, Alberto’s kebabs. I think we all gained weight this week!

We were all sad when they left on Saturday but we know that we have made close friends with this very special family who left Iran because of a serious threat to the father’s safety. We learnt of the challenges they have had to face and our hearts have gone out to this brave and deserving family who are still awaiting the outcome of their application for refugee status.

If you want to know more about this small sub-group called Home Among the Gumtrees that organises and fundraises for similar visits in the future please email me, Margaret, at: giorgiemargie@gmail.com.

What others say about our government’s offshore detention regime

Whilst Prime Minister Turnbull and Minister Dutton continue to boast about the effectiveness of our offshore detention regime, insisting that our refugee policies are “the envy of the world”, others paint a much more sobering and accurate picture. Just last week, former Canadian PM Joe Clark described our offshore regime as  “horrendous”. The Global Centre for Pluralism went further, slamming what it described as “inhumane policies” and “toxic rhetoric” which are “a threat to inclusive societies”. This criticism is not new, and the UN has repeatedly condemned the Australian government’s refugee policies, labelling the offshore detention regime as “a destructive and dangerous precedent”.

People fleeing danger deserve safety, and to get it, they have to go somewhere. If every country in the world adopted Australia’s single-minded focus on deterrence, then persecuted people would be left with nowhere to flee.

A few refugees have now found safety in the US, but there are still up to 2,000 people being warehoused by our government in offshore camps. 1,783 of them are proven refugees. 169 of them are children. They continue to suffer and to be mistreated. They should be brought to Australia immediately for resettlement. Please keep up thepressure and continue to write to the government and to the Opposition to demand that these refugees are brought here. Email Minister Dutton at: minister@border.gov.au.  and Shayne Neumann, the Labor Shadow Minister at: shayne.neumann.MP@aph.gov.au. 

Next roadside demonstration: Thursday 12th October, Coffs Harbour, 2.30 until 4.00 pm

Our next roadside demonstration is on Thursday of this week in Coffs Harbour. You will find us by the Pacific Highway, opposite the Base hospital, from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm. We have lots of banners and placards to share, so why not come and join us to show your solidarity with  all Australia’s refugees, both in Australia and in offshore detention. They need to know that there are many Australians who support them and who will continue to advocate for their freedom.

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 or 18 April 2017 Rural Australiansds Nambucca Distgricts for Refugees Bellingen an

Next Roadside Demo - Thurs 20th April Bellingen 3pm

Next Market - Coffs Harbour, Sun 23rd April

Home Among the Gumtrees

Violence at Manus Island

National refugee action conference - Canberra May 20-21

Home among the Gum Trees report 21 November 2016

Home Among the Gum Trees Report

Meeting Bellingen Nambucca RAR – Valla 21 Nov 2016

The program is run from Sydney by volunteer Sandra Hawker. She interviews potential guests of the program referred by non-government organisations working with people seeking asylum who are going through the long drawn-out Immigration visa application and interview process.

 It is quite an involved process finding the right family/individuals to travel – she attends many functions for those seeking asylum to get to know people who may be suitable guests. We have a group in our area of about twelve, plus partners, who have offered to host guests, either with accommodation or with support such as outings, meals etc.

In order to take out a public liability insurance policy to cover the guests, Sandra and her support group have decided to seek incorporation. This will be under way in the near future. Once they are incorporated, they will seek membership from individuals who would pay a once off payment of $5.00 and annual payment of $10.  We will let our members know when membership is open.

Our members at the meeting also agreed that we could help fund airfares for future guests as the long train trip may not be suitable for all participants.

Margaret Henley,

Area Co-ordinator for Gumtrees.