Asylum Seekers Need Legal Advice: Australian Bishops
The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference Delegate for Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Gerard Hanna, has spoken out against the axing of funding for legal assistance to asylum seekers. “Whenever a person’s life is threatened, it is just and fair that they should be able to make a valid application for protection. The Immigration Advice and Application Assistance Scheme enabled asylum seekers to do this,” Bishop Hanna said. For background, read immigration lawyer Kerry Murphy’s comments here.
Australian Bishop Mourns Asylum Seeker Death
Bishop Gerard Hanna, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Delegate for Migrants and Refugees expressed deep sadness at the death of an asylum seeker detained on Manus Island. A riot at the Australian funded offshore detention facility left dozens of other asylum seekers injured. The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office called on the Australian government to ensure each person’s claim for protection is considered under Australian Law by competent independent authorities, with appropriate legal assistance and access to an independent judiciary such as the Refugee Review Tribunal. Read the media release here. How might we move people’s hearts to welcome, rather than seeking to deter, those who seek asylum? What causes us to reject and to marginalize some groups of people?
Australian Bishop Blasts Cruel Refugee Measures
In a 7 November 2016 statement Bishop Vincent Long calls on Australians to reject cruel refugee measures proposed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton. They intend to introduce legislation banning refugees and asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by boat from 19 July 2013 onwards from ever being able to apply for a visa to Australia. The proposed legislation would apply even to those found to be bona fide refugees. He called the move “deeply disappointing.” Bishop Vincent Long is the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Delegate for Refugees. Bishop Long reminds the Australian community that: “Seeking asylum even by boat is not illegal. It is a basic human right. Yet not content with demeaning them, the Australian government now want to introduce laws that will ban them from ever coming here.” A former boat person himself, Bishop Long appealed “to all political leaders to resist this latest mean-spirited move against asylum seekers and to reclaim the reputation of a decent, humane and generous country; it is the kind of country that refugees like myself are indebted to and proud to call home.” Full Statement on Proposed Refugee Measures Read the full text of Bishop Long’s statement here.
Migrant & Refugee Sunday 2016
The Catholic Church in Australia will celebrate Migrant and Refugee Sunday 2016 on 28 August. Bishop Calls for Culture of Encounter and Welcome Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen, the Australian Catholic Bishops Delegate for Migrants and Refugees said, “Australia has had a long history of welcoming migrants and refugees, including many ‘boat people’ who in turn have contributed to its wellbeing and development”. He added that Pope Francis’ example provides us with “a timely and fresh impetus to reclaim the welcoming and generous spirit that has shaped our great nation”. Bishop Long said that in this Year of Mercy, with many newly arrived migrants and refugees in Australia, we must enact a culture of encounter, welcome and acceptance in practical, personal and communal ways. He expressed appreciation for the parishes and organisations that are “actively assisting refugees that have recently arrived from war-torn Syria and Iraq.” He saw this as “a great opportunity for us to make a difference and to influence government policies in relation to refugees and asylum seekers”. Bishop Says Close the Offshore Immigration Detention Centres Bishop Long pleaded with the Australian authorities to close offshore detention centres in Manus Island and Nauru immediately. He called for an end to the sufferings of the asylum seekers by way of a more humane solution. “Any breach of their right to be treated with humanity and with respect for their inherent dignity will stain our conscience and blight our future as a nation,” he said. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton earlier indicated that the Manus Island Detention Centre would close – but there was no hurry. The Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office disagreed, saying “… we urge that a solution to the situation of the men in the detention centre ought to be decided quickly. Many of these men have already been in detention for more than three years.” Read the Media Releases You can read Bishop Long’s statement to the media here. The ACMRO media release on the closure of the Manus Island Detention Centre is here. Kit for Migrant and Refugee Sunday 2016 The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office offers a kit with information and resources to help parishes and communities to celebrate this event. The Kit is available here. More on Catholic Social Teaching You can find an overview of Catholic Social Teaching on people on the move here.
Were you there …
This recording was made at the Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney during an ecumenical service praying for refugees and asylum seekers.