World Refugee Day is a day marked internationally to reflect on the challenges faced by refugees and to celebrate the contribution refugees make to our communities.
To mark this day, we are calling for the evacuation of the people remaining on Manus Island and Nauru, and the safe resettlement of all people under the offshore processing policy.
Recently faith leaders called for the safe resettlement of the people remaining on Manus Island and Nauru. Last week the Human Rights Law Centre issued a similar call to evacuate the offshore centres, reporting their concern for the well being of the people being held offshore. Just a few days ago UN Human Rights experts also issued a statement outlining their deep concern about the deteriorating health of the people being held offshore.
As Christians we believe that God made all people in His image and that we are commanded to love our neighbours. We want to raise our voice and show our concern for the people suffering offshore.
Please sign this pledge in support of the letter below. We will send this message to our political leaders at the end of #RefugeeWeek.
Also, if your church community or organisation would like to formally endorse this letter we would love you to let us know by sending an email to [email protected] by the end of Refugee Week.
We call on the newly elected Government to evacuate Manus Island and Nauru, and to safely resettle all people held under offshore processing policy.Recently, a group of leaders from numerous faith backgrounds released a call for the newly elected Government to resolve the plight of refugees on Manus and Nauru. This Refugee Week, we as Christian people and leaders wish to add our voices and concern in support of this call.
Marking this time of new beginning, we urge the newly elected Federal Government and Prime Minister Scott Morrison to evacuate immediately the people still in Manus Island and Nauru and let all people under the offshore processing policy settle in safety.
It is a new day in our Australian democracy; a time for new beginnings. The suffering of offshore processing needs to end immediately.
In our Scriptures, there is the record of a Jubilee moment when people help others make a new beginning, offering consolation to those long trapped in bleak circumstances. Our faith tradition teaches us that the source of this kindness is the recognition that all we have comes from God.
In the Jubilee, we see the grace of God through new beginnings. The start of a new Parliament is like a Jubilee moment, fresh with potential for doing good.
The facts are well known. Unless there is some initiative by the new Government, given previous policy, the refugees remaining in Manus and Nauru will face many more years stuck as they are today, drained of hope. This is painful beyond words.
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