The question of refugees "is as fundamental a human rights issue as there is", former senator and refugee campaigner Andrew Bartlett told a rally of around 100 in Brisbane on April 9. The rally was organised by the Refugee Action Collective (RAC).
Bartlett said refugees "are among the most vulnerable people on Earth. Forcing them to return home to danger is effectively sending them to their deaths.”
The rally was called to protest the Australian government's policy of forced deportations of asylum seekers back to countries in a state of war or repression, particularly Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. It also sought an end to mandatory detention of refugees.
Afghan Hazara community representative Hasan Ghulam noted the increasing incidence of suicides and self-harm among refugees in detention centres. He called for a more humane policy from the big parties on refugee rights.
Tamil community leader Father Pan Jordan said that the widespread reference to refugees as "illegal arrivals" is a myth. "Asylum seekers have a right to seek asylum by international law."
"We demand that the Australian government accept its responsibilities under that law. We must never send people back to danger," he said, to rousing applause.
RAC spokesperson Ian Rintoul said: “We need to rebuild a strong, broad refugee rights campaign, which can force real changes in policy to be made, just like in 2007. We need a people’s movement in Australia, as in the Middle East.”