June 23 has been chosen as a national day of action for refugees, a protest against the Australian government's inhumane policy of mandatory detention [of asylum seekers]. We demand that the detention camps be closed, and that refugees be treated with the dignity and humanity they deserve.
On Palm Sunday this year, more than 45,000 people marched demanding freedom for refugees. June 23, occurring the weekend after World Refugee Day, is expected to be the largest refugee protest to date. It will be a critical event in the campaign to end mandatory detention.
The past months have seen support for refugees grow. More and more Australians of diverse political persuasions are beginning to recognise that the policy of mandatory detention is racist and inhumane a means for the government to scapegoat the weakest and most vulnerable for its own political advantage. More and more Australians have had enough of being misled to believe that our nation faces a serious threat to its security from the some of the world's poorest and most persecuted human beings.
Fortians for Refugees urge our fellow high school students to establish refugee action groups in their schools let's show that students are uniting to make a stand on this issue.
We urge students to participate in the June 23 national protest, to be a part of the largest ever mass expression of support for refugees.
From Green Left Weekly, June 5, 2002.
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