BY MARIA VOUKELATOS
BRISBANE — Young people will vote with their feet against the Coalition government's racist and inhumane policy of mandatory detention of refugees. In Brisbane, Geelong and Sydney high school students from the socialist youth group Resistance are organising walkouts in the wake of the successful Melbourne student action on February 8.
The Brisbane walkout will be on February 15. Students will meet at 1pm at King George Square.
Resistance member and walkout organiser Stella Riethmuller told Green Left Weekly: "The Coalition government is under growing pressure to reverse its racist refugee policies. High school students have come out onto the streets to protest racism before, and on February 15 we will be doing it again."
"Unless Prime Minister John Howard reverses these cruel and unjust policies, we want him to resign", said Resistance activist Nicole Hoye.
Fellow Resistance member Douglas Michael will be organising a contingent from Toowoomba Grammar. "The distance travelled [to Brisbane] is a small price to pay to be part of a campaign to free the refugees and end the criminal policy of mandatory detention by the Howard government", he argued.
Aboriginal activist Sam Watson said that the Murri community in Brisbane has endorsed pro-refugee protests and intends to send representatives to the demonstration.
Resistance will also be organising a high school contingent to get to the Coolum Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in March. For more information phone Maria on (07) 3831 2644.
Geelong students will rally in Geelong Mall at 4pm on February 14. For more information phone Trisha on (03) 5222 6900. Sydney high school students will meet at 1.30pm in Hyde Park North on February 15. For more information phone Bronwyn or Lauren on (02) 9690 1230.
From Green Left Weekly, February 13, 2002.
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