Palm Sunday Rally for Refugees

Why

Conditions for the refugees and asylum seekers dumped on Nauru and Manus Island remain intolerable. Detention on Manus has claimed the lives of Reza Barati, Hamid Khazaei, Kamil Hussain and Faysal Ishak Ahmed, who died on Christmas Eve, following the failure to provide him with proper medical care. Last year Omid Masoumali died after losing hope on Nauru.

Malcolm Turnbull’s claim that Donald Trump will honour his US resettlement deal for refugees on Manus and Nauru is looking more and more doubtful. Refugees on Manus and Nauru are potentially caught by Trump’s extreme executive order banning Muslims and refugees from entering the US, as they face new “extreme vetting” procedures before being considered.

If the deal goes ahead, it is clear that hundreds of refugees will miss out, with a cap of 1250 people. Asylum seekers whose claims have not been fairly processed and anyone the US will not accept will remain stuck on Manus and Nauru. We still need to demand that the Australian government “Bring Them Here”.

There are also around 30,000 people seeking asylum in the community waiting for their claims to be processed, many unable to work and with only minimal income support. At most they will receive only Temporary Protection Visas, leaving them with the continuing threat of forced return and unable to reunite with their families.

Trump’s election and his hatred against Muslims, refugees and immigrants is encouraging some parliamentarians in Australia to follow suit. Trump’s belligerent language has disturbed governments and people across the planet and can only help induce more people into fleeing for safety. Australia should speak out to counter this effect.

But Trump’s actions have also produced big protests in the US as well as here in Sydney and around the world. Support for refugees is growing here too. Last year’s #LetThemStay protests stopped the government sending 267 refugees and asylum seekers back to Nauru and Manus Island. A majority of people now say detention of refugees on Manus and Nauru should end.

Join us to step up the pressure for change. We can do better, Bring them here.

For the latest updates check the Facebook event.

JUSTICE. PEACE. UNITY.

We can do better! #BringThemHere.

March to Circular Quay.

Speakers

• SAMUEL PHO Vietnamese refugee and Salvation Army National Secretary
• SUE WAREHAM Medical Association for the Prevention of War
• SAFY HAREER Sudanese refugee
• JOUMANA HARRIS Muslim Women’s Association
• MARK MOREY Secretary, Unions NSW

Plus Acknowledgement of country by ELIZABETH JARRETT and performance from Sydney Trade Union Choir and Solidarity Choir.

For the latest updates check the Facebook event.

Contact

Sydney Palm Sunday Committee
0418 312 301 Peter
Facebook

Donate

Make a direct deposit or send a cheque to Sydney Peace & Justice Coalition, PO Box K824, HAYMARKET NSW 1240. BSB: 082-024 Account Number: 56 140 1082

Endorsed by

Unions NSW, NSW Ecumenical Council, Uniting Church Synod of NSW/ACT, NSW Greens, Labor for Refugees NSW, GetUp, Sydney Peace & Justice Coalition, Refugee Council of Australia, Refugee Action Coalition, Asylum Seekers Centre, Australian Refugee Action Network, Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group, Bridge for Asylum Seekers Foundation, Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA), ChilOut, Christian Brothers Oceania, Doctors for Refugees, Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands, Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education, Grandmothers against Detention of Refugee Children, Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT, Latin America Social Forum, Love Makes a Way, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, MUA Sydney branch, Mums 4 Refugees, Music for Refugees, National Council of Churches in Australia, National Tertiary Education Union NSW, NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, NSW Teachers Federation, Pax Christi Australia, People Just Like Us, Presentation Sisters (Lismore), Presentation Sisters (Wagga), Presentation Sisters (WA Inc), Rural Australians for Refugees, Sisters of Charity of Australia, Sisters of St Joseph, Sisters of the Good Samaritan, Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Sydney Catholic Schools, Sydney Uni SRC, Teachers for Refugees, The Little Company of Mary, Unions for refugees, Uniting, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Women’s March Sydney