Rural Australia for Refugees Southern Highlands Branch (RARsh) and Amnesty International are asking Southern Highlanders to join them in a candlelight vigil, calling for an end to offshore processing and indefinite detention of refugees.
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HarbisonCare Chaplain and human rights advocate, Steven Clancy will join the vigil as a guest speaker.
Convenor of RARsh, Maree Byrne, said it’s time to end the cruelty and spreading of fright around the resettlement of refugees.
“It’s urgent that the Australian government take responsibility for the refugees on Manus Island and Nauru and bring them here immediately,” Maree said.
“We need to foster a culture of welcome for those fleeing persecution and provide fair processing and a secure future.”
For five years, the Australian government has held refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. There are still about 2000 asylum seekers languishing in detention on Nauru and in transition centres on Manus Island.
So far, only 230 have been accepted under the US resettlement deal. Iranian, Somali and Syrian refugees are not included in the deal. In Australia, there are still thousands of asylum seekers waiting to be processed.
Recently, 840 Southern Highlands residents saw the Tree House Theatre productions brought to Mittagong by RARsh.
This vigil will give Highlanders the opportunity to raise their voices, to be heard, and ask politicians to end the current system.
The vigil is part of an Australian-wide weekend of action and many Highlanders are planning on joining further rallies in major cities on Palm on Sunday.
The vigil will be held on Friday, March 23 at 6pm, at Corbett Plaza in Bowral.
