The Refugee Advocacy Network is calling on all groups and individuals who support refugee rights to come together and send a clear message to the government: it’s time to end mandatory detention.
The crisis in Australia’s detention system has reached a critical point. There are now almost 7,000 people locked in detention centres across the country. Increasing number have been incarcerated for long periods of time – months or even... years. Asylum seekers and refugees in the camps are increasingly despairing and desperate.
Something needs to change. And yet the government’s response has been to simply blame detainees for the problems in the centres and implement draconian measures against those it considers “troublemakers”. We need a completely different approach. The core of the problem is mandatory detention – an inhumane policy that victimises people who have committed no crime, and simply want a better life for themselves and their family.
Last year’s World Refugee Day march was supported by over 60 organisations. 4,000 people joined the march. We want to do even better this year. If your organisation can endorse the event please email us at refugeeadvocacynetwork@gmail.com. Email the same address to arrange to have flyers sent to you or your organisation for distribution.