Protest Asylum Seeker Lockout
Dear friends,
 PM Rudd has just shut our gates to the most vulnerable people in the world, let’s tell him we want compassion and decency for refugees — not cruelty. Rudd thinks this is good politics ahead of the election, let’s show him thatthis cruelty can not be done in our name. Sign now!
 PM Rudd just shut our gates to the most vulnerable people in the world. He is sending people seeking safety in our country to Papua New Guinea to toughen up Labor’s image before the election. Let’s tell him we support compassion and decency, not cruelty. |
The new plan relegates families that arrive by boat to a life of uncertainty in offshore detention centres with horrific human rights records. It will send genuine refugees to a dangerous country that even Smartraveler, a government website, advises “a high degree of caution” for travelers, highlighting cases of sexual assault.
We have a chance now to shame him and show him this cruel plan has backfired — Rudd thinks an inhumane hard line policy will win him votes ahead of the election. But we can show him otherwise and build a massive campaign with one simple message: “Not in my name”. Add your name to the petition now and when we get 50,000 of us to speak out Avaaz will put up a giant billboard with every signer’s name in Kevin Rudd’s Brisbane electorate. Sign now:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/
Seeking asylum is a human right — not something Australia can pick or choose to follow when it’s convenient. Under the new policy, asylum seekers who arrive by boat will never be settled in Australia. Ever. Instead, genuine refugees will be inexplicably settled in PNG, which has opted out of obligations to provide refugees with education, housing or freedom of movement. Port Moresby has been ranked among the most dangerous and unlivable cities on earth and 50% of women in PNG have been raped.
Demonising people who arrive by boat won’t solve Australia’s immigration challenges. The majority of Australia’s asylum seekers arrive by plane. The UN has already been highly critical of Australia’s treatment of its refugees and over and over again national policy is driven by fear and cheap political points rather than sensible policy or even financial sense.
Australia truly is the “lucky country” — let’s tell PM Rudd that we believe people fleeing wars and prosecution deserve a compassionate response from our land of plenty. Sign the petition now and share widely:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/
Australian Avaaz members have come together time and time again — to resist Gina Rinehart’s media takeover and to winning policies that will protect our unique natural environment. Our community has achieved great things together — let’s bring that change to Australia now.
With hope and compassion,
Oliver, Emily, Michelle, Richard, Scott, Allison, Ben, Ricken and the whole Avaaz team
PS – Many Avaaz campaigns are started by members of our community! Start yours now and win on any issue – local, national or global: http://www.avaaz.org/en/
MORE INFORMATION
Asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat to be resettled in Papua New Guinea (ABC)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/
Rudd announces deal to send all asylum boat arrivals to Papua New Guinea (Guardian Australia)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
PNG Solution: Rudd slams door on refugees (The Age)
http://www.theage.com.au/
In Pictures: Port Moresby’s rugged streets (Al Jazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/