Two Vigils!

BATGRANS VIGIL

AT

RESERVOIR

CHISHOLM-DEAKIN VIGIL

AT 

MITCHAM

Listen to the young refugees

Here's what the young refugees on Nauru want you to know about their lives
Buzzfeed 28th Aug

More dreadful news from Nauru

'Begging to die': succession of critically ill children moved off Nauru

Girl refusing food and water the latest out of dozens of children referred for transfer by medical staff

Ben DohertySat 25 Aug 2018 08.03 AEST

Nauru self-harm 'contagion' as 12-yr-old refugee tries to set herself alight
Guardian 23rd August 2018

Batgrans don't give up!

Last week our devoted few were at Reservoir, where there was a good response.Trish wondered if it was a response to Fraser Anning. Helen who was holding the "Toot" sign noted the many "P" platers tooted as did 2 buses and several trucks.

This week 23rd we're at Clifton Hill again. 

"Kids off Nauru" campaign"

'Clock is ticking': Groups set deadline to get children off Nauru

 Some of Australia's leading humanitarian and human rights groups have given the federal government a three-month deadline to get all refugee and asylum seeker children off Nauru.

Under a campaign called "Kids off Nauru", a coalition of more than 30 organisations is lobbying politicians to bring these children and their families to Australia by Universal Children's Day on 20 November.
Organisers say 119 children remain detained on Nauru, some of whom have been there for close to four years.

Guardian Report

As well as SBS and the Guardian, this campaign has also been featured in the Murdoch press, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Adelaide Advertiser. The tide seems to be turning!

AMA calls for urgent action to ensure proper health care for children on Nauru

18th August

The AMA Federal Council, meeting in Canberra, this morning unanimously passed three motions calling on the Government to act urgently to guarantee the health and wellbeing of asylum seeker children and their families on Nauru.
 
The Health of Asylum Seekers and Refugees

The full text of the media release can be found here

Two powerful letters from Grandmothers

Saturday Paper 18th August

Carrying the guilt for Manus and Nauru

Thank you, Behrouz Boochani, for your crystal clear thinking, while being imprisoned in what is a living hell. This unholy hierarchy of torture, which strips people of their identity, is infecting our country as a whole, and can be seen in many institutions on the mainland. Yes, this way of taming the people has a long history. I am a Jewish child Holocaust survivor, forced to hide with a Christian family, during which time I also lost my name and my identity, separated from my family, not knowing why I was there, or even who I was. I feel guilt now, as many Germans do, even if they were not alive during World War II. Now I am the “German”, carrying the guilt of what is being done to refugees on Manus and Nauru in our name. How many Australians will say that they did not know what was going on? And will those who constructed this dreadful system ever be brought to justice? Please continue to hold this country to account.

– Marietta Elliott-Kleerkoper, Fairfield, Vic

The myth of ‘keeping us safe’

Behrouz Boochani writes, heartbreakingly, of the tyrannical regime refugees have endured on Manus Island. Using a bureaucratic labyrinth designed to frustrate and deny medical care men are condemned to suffering, and in some cases death. Every daily process and procedure is planned to humiliate and dehumanise, to reduce men to the status of animals awaiting death or refoulement to the war zones and despotisms from which they fled. Why is this done? Refugees are depicted as “the other”, lesser beings possibly dangerous and different, to be feared. Some politicians are “keeping us safe”, and using cruel and evil policies to secure their seats and their ministries. Let us stop this torture and bring asylum seekers here.

– Gael Barrett, Balwyn North, Vic