Newsletter for 23 May 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next Roadside Demo - Thurs 1st June Coffs Base Hospital 2:30pm}

_{Next Market Stall Valla Beach Sat June 3rd}

_{Fundraiser for Refugee Week - Sunday 18th June}

_{Manus Island news}

_{Sunday Concert for South Sudan - Coffs 28th May}

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{We had a successful demonstration in Nambucca Heads last Thursday, with lots of positive reaction from passing motorists. Our next demo will take place onThursday 1st June in Coffs Harbour, beside the Pacific Highway, opposite the Base hospital. It would be great to welcome new supporters to the demonstration.}

_{Please note that, for the winter months, we will start and finish half an hour early, so the demo will be from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm. Please come and join us if you can. We have lots of placards and banners to share.}

_{Market report: A great result}

_{Well, it rained  for much of the day on Friday and the forecast for Saturday was pretty dire, which meant that there were far fewer stalls and visitors that usual at the Bellingen market. But the sun shone, and we had a remarkably successful time, collecting a record number of signatures, giving out hundreds of our new leaflets, signing up fifteen new supporters, and selling lots of merchandise. We were delighted to welcome two new, young, supporters to help on the stall. As usual, people continually expressed dismay at the government’s cruel asylum policy and were very supportive of our work.}

_{Our next market will be at Valla Beach on Saturday 3rd June, and as usual we are looking for helpers between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm.  If you are able to help out for an hour or two, then please let Mike know at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Fundraiser for Refugee Week: Sunday 18th June, from 12.00 pm}

_{We set out the details of the fundraiser in last week’s newsletter, so this is a reminder about this important upcoming event. We have had a number of positive responses so far, but we are a long way to go yet in attracting 30 attendees and in amassing auction items for sale. That said, we already have a very generous offer of a two-night stay in a beautiful B and B in Bellingen, valued at $356!}

_{The lunch and auction will take place at 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach. Wine will be provided by our hosts, and you are asked to bring a plate to share – and of course your wallets!}

_{Please have a look around for items to put under the hammer and let Mike know in advance so that he can organise the auction.}

_{Please book your places for yourselves and your friends SOON, by emailing Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com  or by phone: 6569 5419.}

_{All the proceeds from the lunch donations and the auction will go to supporting our RAR group and a national refugee support group on a 50:50 basis.}

_{Manus Island detention centre: Things just get worse}

_{Documents published during the past week reveal that the Australian government has been deliberately and systematically making conditions worse for asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island. The object of the exercise is to coerce detainees into returning to where they came from, resettling in Cambodia or being dispersed in PNG.  It is of course illegal to force refugees to return to the danger from which they have fled, yet a small number have been persuaded to do so because of the hopelessness  of their situation, and the government’s repeated  message that they will never be resettled in Australia. A report published in recent days by the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants makes the point that the Australian government’s policies have increasingly eroded the human rights of migrants, in contravention of its international human rights and humanitarian obligations. The author of the report, Francois Crepeau, reminds us that the use of detention as a deterrent is unlawful. He states: “It is a fundamental principle of human rights law that one person cannot be punished only for the reason of deterring another.”}

_{It is vitally important that we keep up the pressure on our parliamentary representatives.  Our petition, with at least 4000 signatures, which calls for the immediate closure of offshore detention centres, will be presented to parliament  in mid June.}

_{Upcoming event: Coffs Harbour: Sunday 28th May}

_{On Sunday 28th May, there will be a concert in St John’s Anglican Church , in McLean Street, Coffs Harbour, commencing at 2.00 pm. Headlined as the Salem Variety Concert, it will feature choirs, bands and other musicians to support the education of children in South Sudan. All proceeds will go to the South Sudan Children’s Education Fund.  Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and children. Further details can be found on our Facebook page, or you can phone Jan on 6653 2058 or Cass on 6652 9185.}

_{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 16 May 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next Roadside Demo - Thurs 18th May Nambucca Plaza 3pm}

_{Next Market Stall Bellingen Sat 20th May}

_{Refugee Action Network Conference}

_{Refugee Week - 18th June}

_{Next Roadside demonstration: Nambucca Heads, Thursday 18th May: 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm}

_{Our next roadside demonstration  is this Thursday in Nambucca Heads, weather permitting. We will gather by the Pacific Highway, adjacent to the Plaza shopping centre. Please consider coming to join us, even if only for part of the time. We really do need a few new recruits to join the usual suspects at our roadside demos, so why not give it a go? We have lots of colourful banners and placards to share.}

_{Next market stall: Saturday 20th May in Bellingen}

_{You may recall that the market in Bellingen two months ago was cancelled due to the very wet weather, meaning that this will be our first appearance here in four months, so let’s make it a good one! This will be the final opportunity to collect signatures on the petition to parliament . We expect to reach 4000 signatures this weekend and we look forward to parcelling them up and sending them on their way before the end of the month. The petitions will be presented to parliament during the sitting week of 13th- 19th June. If you have any signed petitions, please bring them along to the market on Saturday, or post them to Mike –his details are on the sheet.}

_{As always, we are seeking support on the stall between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm, so if you can lend a hand for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com. You will find us at F-5, which is located near to the scoreboard.}

_{Australian Refugee Action Network: National Conference, Canberra}

_{We wrote to supporters some weeks ago about this conference, which will take place in Canberra next weekend. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anyone who was able to attend to represent our group. However, in response to an appeal for help, we have been able to send a contribution of $200 to help fund people from a refugee background to}

_{attend the conference.}

_{Refugee Week 2017: 18th – 24th June.  With Courage Let us all Combine}

_{We have received several emails in the past week relating to  Refugee Week, which is coming up in a month’s time. An obvious response for us was to think about a fundraiser, which might enable us to do two things : firstly,  replenish our own dwindling funds, and secondly support one of the numerous refugee agencies which are under such pressure to meet the demands of their work with ever-decreasing resources. So, here is our proposal:}

                            _{Fundraising lunch and auction: Sunday 18th June from 12.00 pm}

_{The event will be held at 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach. We have seating for 30 people and we ask you to bring a plate to share. Wine will be provided by our hosts, but please BYO other drinks as you wish. There will be no fixed charge for  attending, but we ask you make a donation as you see fit. At the end of the first course, we plan to hold an auction which, if as successful as our last one, should raise  a useful sum.}

_{What do you need to do?}

_{Book places for you and your friends as soon as possible.}

_{Have a look around your house to find something that we could auction, and that might sell for at least $20. At our last auction, items that went under the hammer included individual bottles and boxes of wine, original paintings, pottery, two nights’ accommodation at a local Airbnb, a magnificent nesting box and much besides. If you are not able to attend the lunch, please consider donating something for the auction, and let Mike know in advance.}

_{It would be lovely to have a musical interlude if possible. Do you play a musical instrument, or know someone who does?  Please let us know.}

_{All the proceeds from the lunch and the auction will go to supporting our RAR group and a national refugee support group.}

_{Please let Mike know if you  can attend or can provide an item for the auction. (mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.  Tel 6569 5419).}

_{It will be a lot of fun! Book your places!}

_{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 >480 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}

Poem - the reasons for migrating

I came across a poem by Dr. Ali Alizadeh, a senior lecturer in Literary Studies Monash University, called "Immigration".  It is a wonderful, succinct declaration of the reasons for migrating.   It fits very well for refugees.

I have asked Ali for his permission for us to reprint this poem in our newsletter.   If you think it is suitable perhaps it could be included when there is space.  Ted Lourey

 Ali Alizadeh

Immigration

I'll tell you why.

To survive

the onslaught of religion.

To outlive

the ghosts of martyrs.

To recover

from the world's longest war since WWII.  To live

beyond the hatreds of patriotism.   To see

the kinder face of humanity. 

To think

free of the Faith's manacles. 

 To believe

without the obligation of forming belief.  

 To discover

the basic joy of being.  

 The price?  I'll tell you.  

Evaporation.

Marginalised to the point

 of disappearance.

Barred for nothing

more profound than a shade

 of skin, a tone

of speech, a taste

 of lifestyle.   Alienated

beyond the word.

Ignored by the mighty.

  Detested by the commoner.

Worth it?  Doubtless.

To finally grasp   humanity's fraudulent truth.

To dream the sweetness of equality.  

 To see past

the facade of brotherhood.  

 To be touched

you might say, by the rays

of a luminous discovery.

To abandon,

all faith, and come to cherish

the immense solitude

of non-believing.

To desire.  To know

the power of desire.  To wait

joyfully amid the unpalatable sadness.

Recommend it?

Only to loathsome enemies

and to my dearest friends.