In an attempt to halt deportation of more than 260 people to Nauru, many protestors are standing up for the refugees in Australia. Amongst the protestors, around ten church communities are supporting refugees. St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, Wesley Uniting Church, Gosford Anglican Church, Pilgrim Uniting Church, St. John’s Uniting Church, Paddington Anglican Church, Pitt Street Uniting Church, and Wayside Chapel are all willing to open doors and provide hospitality to the asylum seekers.
“We offer this refuge because there is irrefutable evidence from health and legal experts that the circumstances asylum seekers, including children, would face if sent back to Nauru are tantamount to state sanctioned abuse,” said Peter Catt, the Anglican Dead of Brisbane.
The refugees in Australia are in the process of being sent to detention camps in Nauru. It is said that a huge number of severe sexual charges were reported. Many refugees escaped to Australia in search of shelter, protection, and medical treatment.
A group called Love Makes A Way has protested at the Minister for Justice Office. They sought to “pray and to appeal” to Justice Minister Michael Keenan, and to persuade him through their actions that he too may be on their side to help the possible deportees gain their freedom. Nine Christian leaders were immediately arrested afterwards. However, they continue to stand up and support the refugees.
Love Makes A Way spokesperson Kate Leaney says, “No one should be in detention on Nauru, where there is no functioning hospital - but it would be particularly cruel to rip children out of classrooms and send away these 37 babies born on Australian soil.” Out of the 267 people deportees, 37 of them are babies born in Australia.
Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister of Australia, states that he has a resolution to ward off fugitives. This is the initiation of a steady result to come, and is for the best interest of Australia, Turnbull says.
Former immigration minister, Scott Morrison, comments that it was a difficult decision; nonetheless, the government has to follow regulations that are printed in the policy.
The Australian government has sought to stop refugees from coming in. However, advocates of refugees disapprove of the government’s actions and are starting a social media campaign to express their opposition through the hashtag, #LetThemStay.
