Refugee Rights Action Network WA
Around a hundred refugee rights supporters rallied in the streets of Perth against the Governments introduction of offshore processing which will involve the dumping of thousands of asylum seeker men, women and children at incomplete detention centres on the remote islands of Nauru and Manus.
Protests were also held in other capital cities around Australia as well as by asylum seekers in Nauru.
One man’s face lit up when he spied our rally as he headed down Hay street mall. He arrived with his little girl about 5 years old in tow. A refugee, very recently arrived, he was clearly relieved and pleased to find a group of people supporting refugee rights.
The two of them had spent time in detention in Australia had very recently been released. He was alone in Australia with his little girl as he had become separated from his wife who arrived several months after him: after the law changed. She now sits in Darwin Detention center, and is due to be removed to Nauru he informed us.
So here we have a little family ripped apart first by the refugee journey: now by the Australian government. Who knows how long before they might be re-united?
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