City church bells to ring out for walkers on Palm Sunday

Across Australia in cities and regional towns Palm Sunday is being observed by Faith communities, Academics, School students and ordinary Australians who are deeply disturbed by the current treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

In Melbourne  bells from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and St.Michael’s and St.Francis churches will ring out across the city as the WALK FOR JUSTICE FOR REFUGEES begins. The walk is organised by the Refugee Advocacy Network, working with a broad coalition of groups from across all ages, faiths and political persuasions.

Churchgoers from St. Paul’s, St. Patrick’s, Wesley Church and the Welsh Church will converge on the State Library to join  the Walk.  Church leaders, Professors and academics, Union leaders, School students, Community and Human Rights groups as well as politicians from the Greens and Labor parties will gather at the State Library. Choirs will serenade the walkers at the major intersections along Swanston Street.

Speaking on behalf of the Refugee Advocacy Network, Sister Brigid Arthur said: “We are walking for Justice for Refugees, because ‘stop the boats’ is not a policy worthy of Australia. It’s a cruel way of shirking our moral and legal obligations.  People have a right to seek asylum in Australia regardless of how they travel here”.

Sister Brigid went on to say: “If we are genuinely concerned to stop people drowning at sea, then we must provide, safer ways for people to seek asylum in Australia. We must work closely with other countries not to stop the boats, but to protect vulnerable people fleeing war and persecution.”

 Australians are calling for an end to the current policies. They are asking that we:

•      Stop sending asylum seekers offshore and process claims for asylum here in Australia

•      Close Australia’s detention centres

•      Arrange for fair & speedy processing of Asylum Claims and Family Reunion

•      Stop deporting people to places of danger

•      Substantially increase our refugee quota

Walkers for Justice for Refugees will gather on Palm Sunday 13^th April from 1.30pm for a 2.00 pm start at the State Library, Cnr Swanston & La Trobe Streets Melbourne before setting off for Princes Bridge.

Refugee Advocacy Network
Contact Sister Brigid Arthur 0408101134

(text media release from Refugee Advocacy Network)

Uniting Church people are meeting in front of Wesley Uniting Church, Lonsdale Street at 1.30pm and will then move as a group to the State Library for the 2.00pm start