Solutions

 

7 April, 2015

An Open Letter to the Australian People

Former psychiatrists and social workers employed on Nauru demand a Royal Commission into sexual abuse at the Australian-funded detention centre.

 

Here are some great ideas for overseas refugee rights supporters, from Australians and Allies Overseas Against Mandatory Detention

 

CURRENT projects:

 

LEGAL AID

* Lawyer Ben Lomai has gained legal instructions initially from 25 asylum seekers to bring the case on their behalf. This was only possible because legal statements were smuggled out while asylum seekers were in jail following January's hunger strike. Donate and share wide friends. Let's shut this thing down! https://www.chuffed.org/project/fund-png-court-challenge-to-manus-island-detention?fb_action_ids=10206244378131099&fb_action_types=og.shares

 

AUSTRALIA IN THE WORLD'S SPOTLIGHT

* To meet other people who live near you overseas to organise protests and projects either post on the group wall and tell people where you are or check out the tumblr for our list of contacts.
http://australiansoverseasforrefugees.tumblr.com/ Your city not there? Click the button to be added to contact list.

 

*AWESOME POSTERS for overseas! Click on this link to download posters. Send the jpg off to your local printer, wherever you are in the world and stick them up- on embassies, on tourist offices, in the streets. We need to let Australia know that mandatory detention isn't a good look! http://australiansoverseasforrefugees.tumblr.com/resources

 

* Travelling or living overseas? Organise a vigil wherever you are in the world to show your support of refugees. Post pictures here or tag them directly to the tumblr
http://australiansoverseasforrefugees.tumblr.com/

 

* Film nights. Organise a film night at your house/ community centre/ local university. Between the "Devil and the Deep blue sea" is an excellent one to start with. You can buy the digital download here: http://deepblueseafilm.com/

The proceeds go to ASRC in Melbourne, an excellent organisation.

Another film is MaryMeetsMohammed which can be downloaded here: http://marymeetsmohammad.com/wp/

 

TARGETING COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM TORTURE

 

*HESTA superfund has a large number of shares in Transfield, which run the concentration camp on Manus Island and on Nauru. Let's call on them to divest: https://www.facebook.com/hestadivest?fref=ts

 

*Qantas have lifted their no-fly ban on Paul Leary but refused to apologise. They still have a no-fly ban operating on a woman who protested in the same way on a different flight. This page has been set up as part of a broader campaign against Qantas deportations.
https://www.facebook.com/QantasTakeAStand

 

ROUSING THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC

 

* A great initiative by some Australian individuals. They have designed a banner that people all over Australia can hang on their homes, shops, and offices, to show they welcome refugees. They want to get 500 of these banners made, and distribute them to people who are willing to display them publicly. Click on the link to donate and/or share!

https://chuffed.org/project/people-just-like-us

 

*App for Refugee Myth Debunking:
Lucas Yuwaganit Li is leading a team of designers, programmers and film makers to create an App to debunk the misconceptions many Australians have about refugees. Please PM Lucas for more details.

 

ROUSING AUSTRALIAN POLITICIANS AND LEADERS

 

* Name and Shame our politicians: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Go here to write to your local rep: http://www.sanctuaryforrefugees.com.au/take-action/ Stay tuned for a Facebook working group on lobbying our politicians.

 

*Australia is in contravention of a number of international laws. Sign here to ask the ICC to step in and hold our government accountable: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Prosecutor_International_Criminal_Court_Force_Australia_to_end_mandatory_detention_of_asylum_seekers/?pv=16

 

How it all works:

 

* Got an idea? Welcome to our think tank! There's no such thing as a silly idea, only endless possibilities!
Our Facebook group functions as a place of storming and sharing ideas. To go through ideas in finer detail (and in a more orderly fashion) join us on Loomio where we are discussing different strategies for bringing the atrocities of the Australian government into the world's spotlight: https://www.loomio.org/g/RcsENIiA/australians-allies-against-mandatory-detention

Our final projects are shared with the public through media releases, contacts in journalism, youtube, through this Facebook group and our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AustraliansAlliesOverseasAgainstMandatoryDetention