Take a stand for refugee rights - We can make Howard back down on refugees!
Join the February 2 protests in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth & the
Canberra national convergence on February 12
The Howard government is in a crisis like that over East Timor in 1999.
The Woomera, Port Hedland, Maribrnong and Curtin detention centres detainees? heroic
and sustained protests have put the government under tremendous moral
pressure in Australia and overseas. And as cracks appear in the
government side on its refugee policy, now is to time to push harder for
change.
Action in Solidarity with Asia and Pacific (ASAP) urges all those
concerned about the rights of refugees and asylum seekers to join
rallies in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth on Saturday February 2, and make
plans to be a part of the national convergence at Parliament House in
ACT on Tuesday, February 12. Watch out for lunchtime rallies during the
next two weeks as well.
We agree with Rural Australians for Refugees who say in their call for
people to go to Canberra for the opening of parliament on February 12,
"This can be just one more small protest like the dozens that have taken
place over the past five months or it can be the big one that turns this
country around."
Please add your endorsement and send this email to your networks,
friends and families, and urge them to do likewise and come along.
The day of protest has been endorsed by a number of groups including:
Susan Varga (Rural Australians for Refugees), Margaret Reynolds
(President, United Nations Association of Australia); Lisa Macdonald
(Free the Refugees Campaign), Ian Rintoul (Refugee Action Collective),
Pip Hinman (Action in Solidarity with Asia and the Pacific), National
Union of Students; Kim Bullimore (Women Against War and Racism); Dorothy
Buckland-Fuller (Women?s International League for Peace and Freedom), Simon Butler
(Resistance), Father Claude Mostowik (National Coordinator of the MSC
Justice and Peace Office and Co-convenor, Pax Christi Australia NSW),
campaign for a Royal Commission into the Commonwealth Government's
Treatment of Refugees; Rev. Elenie Poulos (National Director, Social
Responsibility and Justice, Uniting Church in Australia); Hossien Iran
(Maribynong detainee and hunger striker); Wollongong SRC and many more.
Sydney: Thursday Jan 31, 12.30, Town Hall Square
February 2 rally details:
Perth: 12 noon, Wesley Church corner;
Melbourne: 1 pm, City Square;
Sydney: 11 am, Sydney Town Hall
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>>> February 12 national convergence on Parliament House <<<
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Many groups will take part in peaceful protest actions during the day.
At 12.30pm a platform of speakers including former detainees, refugee
rights groups, church leaders, political parties and community
organisations will speak out against government policy and suggest
alternatives.
For more information, contact Pip Hinman on 0412 139 968.
.
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