BREAKING: Police on site as Christians Pray for Asylum Seeker Children in Foreign Minister Julie Bishops Perth office. #LoveMakesAWay Monday 14 April 2014 A number of Church Leaders are currently holding a sit-in inside the electoral office of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Subiaco, Perth. Police are on site where the group is refusing to leave. The group said their action is a response to Australia’s cruel detention of 1,138 children in Australia and Nauru. They believe that, as Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop knows all too well the desperate circumstances that cause people to seek Australias protection. The group has coalesced under the banner Love Makes A Way, in response to the governments No Way marketing campaign. This sit-in is inspired by a similar recent action in the office of Immigration Minister Scott Morrison. It is timed to coincide with the active involvement of Churches in yesterdays Walks for Justice For Refugees across the country. On Friday, the five Anglican Archbishops issued a joint call for the release of all children in immigration detention. The group of protesters, who identify with a variety of Christian churches including Churches of Christ, Riverview, Baptist, Uniting and Anglican, entered Ms Bishops electoral office and observed the prayer vigil for “the children imprisoned by Australia’s inhumane asylum policies.” The Australian Human Rights Commission is currently investigating the practice of keeping children in immigration detention. Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, says we dont understand them as human beings. Australia’s asylum seeker policies, especially the policy of indefinite offshore detention and living conditions inside Manus Island and Nauru detention centres have been condemned by the UNHCR, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and a wide range of refugee and international law experts in Australia. All the participants have previously been involved in advocacy for asylum seekers. The participants of today’s action feel moved to participate in nonviolent direct action in light of the complete failure of both major parties to protect the wellbeing of children in immigration detention. “There is an inevitability about the damage we are doing to these children,” said Pastor Peter Barney of Riverview Church. “Churches are speaking with one voice about the cruelty happening to children in our detention centres. But we are routinely ignored by politicians who claim to share Christian values,” said The Reverend Chris Bedding, an Anglican priest. “Jesus was a refugee child. We cant worship him on Sunday, then not care about these children on Monday,” said Pastor Jarrod McKenna of WestCity Church of Christ.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 05:18:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015