14th August, 2014
Christians have welcomed news that Australia was considering taking up to 4,000 Iraqi and Syrian Christians under its special humanitarian resettlement program.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison reportedly said yesterday the government was "deeply concerned" about the crisis in Iraq and was considering its options to assist victims.
Mr Morrison was quoted in The Australian saying that the government had "freed up more than 4000 Special Humanitarian Program resettlement places each year for offshore applicants in need of resettlement due to their desperate circumstances, including Iraqi and Syrian Christians who have been impacted by these terrible conflicts."
Lyle Shelton, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, welcomed the move, saying that the government was "responding with compassion in the midst of unspeakable barbarity".
The news follows numerous calls for Australia to offer asylum to those fleeing persecution in Iraq and Syria, including by the new Anglican Primate of Australia, Philip Freier, yesterday.
He and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby – in Melbourne for the new Australian primate’s inauguration, joined in calling for help for those fleeing the terrors of the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS or ISIL.
– DAVID ADAMS
