Churches offer sanctuary to asylum seekers

[bluecat*dancing]

Good on them.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/churches-become-potential-flashpoint-after-off...

Churches have taken the extraordinary step of offering sanctuary to asylum seekers facing deportation in the wake of a High Court verdict, raising the prospect of police raids on places of worship and possible charges for clergy.

Ten Anglican churches and cathedrals have invoked the ancient Christian tradition to offer protection to the 267 people - including 37 babies - facing imminent transfer to Nauru after the court on Wednesday upheld the legality of the government's offshore processing regime.

"This is a hugely significant action for any Australian church to take. Historically churches have afforded sanctuary to those seeking refuge from brutal and oppressive forces," Dr Catt said on Thursday.

"We offer this refuge because there is irrefutable evidence from health and legal experts that the circumstances asylum seekers, especially children, would face if sent back to Nauru are tantamount to state-sanctioned abuse.

"This fundamentally goes against our faith, so our church community is compelled to act, despite the possibility of individual penalty against us."

Dr Catt called it a "fledgling movement".

"What we expect to happen in the course of the day and the next few days is that many churches from many denominations will sign up," he said.

The sanctuary offer came as the United Nations urged Australia to put the interests of children first.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child believes Australia has an inadequate understanding of the rights of asylum seeker children.

"This decision by the High Court greatly concerns us as these children and their families face a great risk in being sent to a place that cannot be considered safe nor adequate," said committee chair Benyam Mezmur.

[lind9650]

Bluecat, I have read the whole article and all the following comments. I am aginst those people being sent back to Nauru and wish the Government had found a different solution.

I wonder why those peole have not already been assessed?

267 people less 37 children means 230 would have been assessed in all the time they are in Australia for medical treatment. What are those people in charge of assessing refugees doing that some of them spend years in detention centers?

One refugee a day?

It's been going on for years and some of tem are still sitting behind fences without any hope as to when they will get an answer about settling in Australia or being deported.

It is one of the hardest question to be answerd and unless our Government speeds up the process, nothing will change in a hurry.

I just wonder how many of the 230 will take up the offer of the Churches?

Erica

[village_person]

"This is a hugely significant action for any Australian church to take. Historically churches have afforded sanctuary to those seeking refuge from brutal and oppressive forces," Dr Catt said on Thursday.

"We offer this refuge because there is irrefutable evidence from health and legal experts that the circumstances asylum seekers, especially children, would face if sent back to Nauru are tantamount to state-sanctioned abuse.

So I take it we can assume that those asylum shoppers and alleged refugees now domiciled on the island of Nauru face imminent death at the hands of the brutal Nauru secret police. How many did the Nauru death squad kill last week? Why isn't the UN investigating the Nauru death squad for its disregard for human life? 

[the_great_she_elephant]

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@village_person wrote:

"This is a hugely significant action for any Australian church to take. Historically churches have afforded sanctuary to those seeking refuge from brutal and oppressive forces," Dr Catt said on Thursday.

"We offer this refuge because there is irrefutable evidence from health and legal experts that the circumstances asylum seekers, especially children, would face if sent back to Nauru are tantamount to state-sanctioned abuse.

So I take it we can assume that those asylum shoppers and alleged refugees now domiciled on the island of Nauru face imminent death at the hands of the brutal Nauru secret police. How many did the Nauru death squad kill last week? Why isn't the UN investigating the Nauru death squad for its disregard for human life? 

---

What is there in the passages you quoted that would lead anyone to assume anything about 'Nauru Death Squads'? If you want to refute an argument at least use the argument actually presented and not your own flights of fancy.

The truth is, asylum seekers in Nauru and Manus Island are being kept under exceedingly oppressive conditions and it is my suspicion that this is a deliberte policy. They are there as a warning to other, would-be asylum seekers and the more grim their lives the better the deterrent.

[donnashuggy]

Personally I don't even get why Australians keep talking about a few hundred people in trouble and why it covers our headlines.

Desperate people will work the system to their advantage. Desperate people will also sh$t on each other.

What we need is to discuss the big picture, the real numbers of destitute suffering people to have some balance.

The sheer numbers of desperate peopls is frightening, there is uproar in Europe....and rightly so to a degree.

Unless you can honestly say with your heart and soul that you want thousands of troubled displaced people living in your street then you are most likely kidding yourself ethically.

[the_great_she_elephant]

 The Middle East has been a political chess piece manipulated by various World Powers ever since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of WWl There is very little anyone in Australia can do about the 'bigger picture' except pray to whatever god they may believe in that those who are in a position to improve things will come to their senses and start to do so. The plight of a handful of desperate people being used as poitical pawns by our own Government is, however, something we just might be able to do something about.

[donnashuggy]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

 The Middle East has been a political chess piece manipulated by various World Powers ever since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of WWl There is very little anyone in Australia can do about the 'bigger picture' except pray to whatever god they may believe in that those who are in a position to improve things will come to their senses and start to do so. The plight of a handful of desperate people being used as poitical pawns by our own Government is, however, something we just might be able to do something about.

---

We need to discuss it she el, that is all I am saying. I don't believe in preferencing people because perhaps their relatives had the funds to put them on a leaky boat, its plain wrong, we should be more outraged at the BIG PICTURE!

I  am cynical but I also believe we have the ability to care a bit more and be educated on the realities, it is not right that the media controls people compassion in this way/

[donnashuggy]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

 The Middle East has been a political chess piece manipulated by various World Powers ever since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of WWl There is very little anyone in Australia can do about the 'bigger picture' except pray to whatever god they may believe in that those who are in a position to improve things will come to their senses and start to do so. The plight of a handful of desperate people being used as poitical pawns by our own Government is, however, something we just might be able to do something about.

---

We need to discuss it she el, that is all I am saying. I don't believe in preferencing people because perhaps their relatives had the funds to put them on a leaky boat, its plain wrong, we should be more outraged at the BIG PICTURE!

I  am cynical but I also believe we have the ability to care a bit more and be educated on the realities, it is not right that the media controls people compassion in this way/

---

A good example was the Bali 9, everyone got on the bandwagon which I agreed with however AROUND THE WORLD RIGHT NOW sorry about the caps! Injustice is on such  a larger scale, I'm not discounting what your are saying at all She ell, I agree with you.

[bluecat*dancing]

A fantastic turnout this evening in Melbourne. Over 5,000 people from a diverse demographic gathered with only 24 hours notice. One of the many reasons why I love this city is that its people know what is right and wrong, and, are willing to stand up and be counted.

I found it moving when patrons of The Princess Theatre applauded as we walked past.

[donnashuggy]

Lovely but it is token support