Refugee Action Coalition

RAC media release: Robert Manne is wrong

MEDIA RELEASE: WHAT’S RIGHT FOR REFUGEES? : ROBERT MANNE GETS IT WRONG ON OFF-SHORE PROCESSING

“Robert Manne’s argument that the only alternative is off-shore
processing in Nauru is simply wrong. Any policy that starts with the
idea of stopping the boats can only lead to a conclusion that is
morally and politically flawed.

“Robert Manne’s arguments are of a piece with those of Gillard and
Abbott which both violate the rights of asylum seekers and foster
anti-refugee sentiments in Australian society,” said Ian Rintoul from
the Refugee Action Coalition.

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Burmese asylum seeker on hunger strike over ASIO clearance delay

After 11 months waiting for his ASIO security clearance, with his wife and four children barely surviving on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Villawood refugee Sayad Kasim, has reached breaking point.

“When I visited Sayad yesterday (Wednesday 1 June) to take him photos I’d taken of his family whilst in Malaysia, he told me that on 25 May his wife tried to commit suicide by lying on a road. Distraught, he tried to kill himself on the same day. Fortunately he was stopped,” said Mark Goudkamp of the Refugee Action Coalition.

Villawood protest on Anzac Day – demanding a fair go for refugees

Refugee Action Coalition Press Release 23/4/2011Wayne Swan is wrong to criticize Monday’s planned refugee rights protest at Villawood detention centre, refugee supporters say. Following this week’s unrest at Villawood, refugee rights advocates will stage a mass show of support for Villawood detainees on Easter Monday, 25 April. The 25th is also Anzac Day. Refugee supporters will meet at Chester Hill station at 12 noon, before marching to the Gurney Rd side of the detention centre for a rally in support of detainees.

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Refugee groups plan show of support for Villawood detainees on Easter Monday

Refugee Action Coalition Press Release Friday 22 April 2011Following this week’s unrest at the Villawood detention centre, refugee rights advocates will stage a mass show of support for Villawood detainees on Easter Monday, 25 April. Refugee supporters will meet at Chester Hill station at 12 noon, before marching to the Gurney Rd side of the detention centre for a rally in support of the detainees.

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Villawood burns - eyewitness account

Below is an eyewitness report of the protests at Villawood reposted from Brami Jegan’s blog

At about 11.55pm last night (Wednesday) I got a frantic call from ’S aunty’ saying that Villawood Immigration Detention Center was on fire and our friends inside (who we had got to know over the past year ) were really scared about the escalating unrest.

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Another Villawood refugee roof top protest

Refugee Action Coalition Press Release April 20th:By 8.30pm Wednesday night, there were fifteen asylum seekers on the roof in Villawood detention centre. There are asylum seekers from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

A large number of tiles have been torn from the roof and thrown into the grounds of stage 3 section of the detention centre.

“The asylum seekers have told us that they are protesting because they have been in detention too long,” said Ian Rintoul.

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Refugee supporters say no return to Christmas Island

Refugee Action Coalition Pres Release, 17 February, 2011 Refugee supporters and relatives of the survivors’ relatives again gathered at the Miowera Road gates of Villawood detention centre at 8.30am Thursday, 17 February to call on the Minister of Immigration not to return the Christmas Island disaster survivors to the island. It is expected that the survivors will be taken from the Villawood detention centre at 9.00am Thursday for the plane trip back to Christmas Island.

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