Councillor backs centre closure

Wednesday, July 25, 2001 - 10:00

BY ARUN PRADHAN

MELBOURNE — Maribyrnong City Councillor Sara Coward has added her support to a planned community rally which will call for the closure of the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre.

The rally, scheduled for Footscray on July 28, the 50th anniversary of the UN's refugee convention, will demand a closure of all detention centres and an end to the practice of only issuing refugees temporary, rather than permanent, visas.

Other speakers will include Abdul Muse, a local Somali youth representative, and Kon Karapanagiotidis from the Asylum Seekers' Centre.

Three days later, on July 31, refugee rights supporters will gather for a public meeting to "defend the Refugee Convention". Both events are organised by the Refugee Action Collective.

For more information contact phone RAC (west) on (03) 9689 9867.

From GLW issue 457