Campaign for refugee sanctuary

Wednesday, August 14, 2002 - 10:00

BY GRANT COLEMAN

WOLLONGONG — The Illawarra Refugee Action Collective (RAC) is campaigning to make the University of Wollongong a refugee safe haven.

During the first week of August, students were greeted with life-size cardboard "refugees" positioned around the campus. Many students stopped and read the refugees' stories that were printed on the cut-outs.

More than 100 people have signed a petition for a general meeting of the students' association to vote on resolutions to declare the campus a sanctuary for escaped refugees and to donate money for RAC to help the underground network that assists refugees who have escaped.

According to the association's constitution, 100 signatures are needed for a general meeting but the activists are confident that can get many more than that. As part of RAC's campaign, black armbands will be tied all over the campus on August 26, the first anniversary of the MV Tampa incident.

From Green Left Weekly, August 14, 2002.

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From GLW issue 504