If you want to help these men, do it now!
Open letter to supporters of refugees & people seeking asylum
Dear Supporter,
The government had to accommodate the people brought here under the Medevac Law close to big public hospitals, hence Brisbane and Melbourne.
If you want to help these men, do it now, before the government ships them out to one of the many remote detention centres. Get down to Kangaroo Point today! Hold up a sign! Say "Hi" to the wonderful young people who are sleeping rough in support of these refugees. Let these political prisoners see that most Australians are not cruel like the politicians who are keeping them in indefinite detention.
If you see some person on Main Street give you the finger, give them a cheery wave. It's okay for them to let you know that they voted for cruel politicians!
Free the refugees. Let them stay.
Roy.
July 2, 2020
Can't make it in person?
If you cannot go in person to the blockade, you can still have your say.
Visit the RAC Qld Letters page for info about writing to our politicians about refugee issues.
Here are just a few of the helpful letter writing guides issued by groups in the community.
Not in Brisbane?
Rural Australians for Refugees has an excellent resource to help you Find a Group in your state
There are so many people who demand a kinder Australia, so please get involved today!
Bio: Roy Hives
I was a Labor member when it was socialist, before Bob Hawke. Then I resigned. Cleaner, engineering technician, Army Reserve Officer, Maths/Science teacher, Degree in Social Science, TAFE volunteer English language home tutor, RAC (Qld) member. 20 years involvement with refugees. Spent months in Eritrea with friends. Also visited Swiss and German refugee communities. I've had a life-long interest in military history.
Context
This letter was written during, and in support of, the Community Blockade at the Kangaroo Point Hotel & Apartments in Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Qld. The hotel is currently being used as an Alternative Place of Detention (APOD) by the Australian Border Force. About 120 men have been indefinitely detained there after being transferred from offshore detention for medical treatment under the short-lived Medevac Bill. The bill was repealed by the LNP government in December 2019.
More information
Refugee Solidarity Brisbane/Meanjin @refugeesolidaritybris
All photos courtesy of Roy Hives 13 June 2020