Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce, World Vision Australia and the Refugee Council of Australia are among more than 70 organisations and community groups which have signed an open letter calling upon the Australian Government to end it’s policy of offshore detention for asylum seekers and refugees.
Released on the weekend, the letter says that that situation regarding the holding of asylum seekers and refugees in offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru has reached “crisis point”.
“Beyond the reports of physical and sexual abuse, including of children; inadequate medical attention; suicides and attempted suicides; even a murder; the extinguishment of hope has pushed people to the edge,” the letter says. “Many of these people have been recognised as refugees. We owe them protection and safety now.”
The letter says that with the deal the Australian Government made with the administration of former US President Barack Obama to resettle some of those now in the facilities in the US in doubt, “the most obvious and humane solution is to clear the camps and bring these people to Australia until a safe long term, appropriate outcome for them can be guaranteed”.
“We do not have years. Australia cannot allow another person to die or suffer because of our actions,” the letter says. “This is a crisis. We are calling on both major parties to form a bipartisan commitment to immediately evacuate the camps and bring these people to safety.”
Others among the 71 signatories include Amnesty International Australia, Jubilee Australia, Oxfam Australia, and the Victorian Council of Churches.
US President Donald Trump reportedly told Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull the resettlement agreement as the “worst deal ever” and accused him of seeking to export the “next Boston bombers” to the US in an apparent reference to the Boston Marathon attack of two years ago.
