Queers Support Refugees – Urgent Protests!
So… Rudd wants to send all asylum seekers who arrive without a visa to Papua New Guinea, and not have them resettled in Australia.. ever. What in the actual fuck!? What kind of human-hating government is this? It is not one that we will accept, that’s for sure.
The National Union of Students Education Department and Queer Department will be endorsing all upcoming protests for refugee rights – this endorsement comes on behalf of Clare Keys-Liley (National Education Officer), Hiba Casablanca and Cat Rose (National Queer Officers). We want to get students, queer people and everyone out into the streets and to stop this humanitarian disaster.
Is this a queer issue? Well… it needn’t be. Solidarity for human rights is always important. On the other hand – you bet it is! Read on to find out why…
But first – we want to ask all student unions plus queer and education representatives and collectives (and everyone in Australia) to get these events out to your networks. Facebook, twitter, email lists, texts, go for it. This is urgent! Some of these are super soon so don’t leave it til later.
In Melbourne and Sydney there will be queer blocks at their protests on Saturday and Sunday – why don’t you do this kind of thing?
Melbourne Queer Block: http://www.facebook.com/events/1394862500731154 Contact Hiba0434 848 064 for more info
Sydney Queer Block: http://www.facebook.com/events/1401964886684242 Contact Cat 0405 770 302 for more info
SYDNEY
Snap RALLY FOR REFUGEES at ALP love-in! Protest Immigration Minister Tony Burke!
5:30pm Friday 26 July
Deloitte, 225 George St, Sydney
www.facebook.com/events/1398224947059780
SUNDAY: SYDNEY EMERGENCY RALLY: No to Rudd’s criminal refugee policy!
12:00pm Sunday 28 July
Town Hall, Sydney
www.facebook.com/events/278006302340255
Rally out West: Don’t turn away refugees
12:00pm Sunday 28 July
Mount Druitt Hub
www.facebook.com/events/608435285855996
Rally4Refugees – Sydney University
10:00am Friday 16 August
Outside MacLaurin Hall, Sydney University
www.facebook.com/events/420085068109415
MELBOURNE
PROTEST REFUGEES NOT DREYFUS
8:00am Friday 26 July
BMW Edge Federation Square, Melbourne
www.facebook.com/events/166079800244054
MELBOURNE – RALLY AGAIN FOR REFUGEES!
1:00pm Saturday 27 July
State Library Lawn, Melbourne
www.facebook.com/events/477281122362480
BRISBANE
BRISBANE EMERGENCY RALLY: No to Rudd’s criminal refugee policy!
1:00pm Saturday 27 July
King George Square, Melbourne
www.facebook.com/events/369138653211928
PERTH
Refugee Rights Rally WA: Oppose Rudd’s Deportation Plan
1:00pm Saturday 27 July
Murray St Mall, Perth
www.facebook.com/events/174379272741423
ADELAIDE
EMERGENCY RALLY – Kevin Rudd in Adelaide
5:00pm Thursday 25 July
Chianti Classico Ristorante, 160 Hutt St, Adelaide
www.facebook.com/events/181832455323629
Protest again against Rudd’s racist crackdown on refugees
1:00pm Saturday 27th July
Parliament House, North Tce, Adelaide
https://www.facebook.com/events/542392592463685/?fref=ts
CANBERRA
Refugees are welcome HERE!
12:00 Saturday 27 July
Wodon Square, Canberra
www.facebook.com/events/197298980432759
HOBART
Snap Rally: Tasmania: Don’t turn away refugees
6:00pm Friday 26 July
Franklin Square, Hobart
http://www.facebook.com/events/240322436092607
CAIRNS
Cairns for Refugees: Rally for humanity, to say no to Abbott-Rudd policies
DARWIN
Rally for refugees – let them land let them stay!
1:00pm Monday July 29
Outside DIAC
40 Cavenagh Street Darwin
https://www.facebook.com/events/496729270411267/
WOLLONGONG
Wollongong Supports Refugees
Wollongong people are organising through their own Facebook event page to attend Sydney’s rally for refugees
12:00pm Sunday 28 July
Town Hall, Sydney
www.facebook.com/events/672807569401684
IT’S A QUEER ISSUE!
Rudd wants to send all asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea for processing and resettlement – a country that has laws making homosexual male sex punishable by up to 14 years jail. The draconian policy ignores the rights of sexual minorities to flee from homophobic persecution, and settle in countries, like Australia, where homosexuality has been decriminalised.
This is a humanitarian disaster. Australia has resettled a number of gay refugees who have arrived on our shores (I’ve met and worked with them – Cat Rose), recognising the reality of danger that homophobic persecution has put them in in their home country.
It was bad enough when they were locked up, interrogated and challenged about their sexuality by our government. But now they are going to have to plead their case as refugees in a country that can imprison them for the reason they give for fleeing. The Australian government has been more than happy to prop up a reactionary and homophobic government as it continues to act as PNG’s colonial master, it should take full blame for the situation there.
Lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people report difficulty finding employment and facing societal stigma in PNG, where illegality forces homosexual life underground. To make matters worse PNG has a high prevalence of AIDS, but people live in fear of seeking testing due to the illegal status of their sex lives.
Rudd’s support for marriage equality will mean little if he banishes those of us unlucky enough to be born in countries that persecute us to this kind of life.
GET INFORMED:
What will happen to gay asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/23/gay-asylum-seekers-papua-new-guinea
How bad is PNG for gay asylum seekers?
http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/10030/How-bad-is-PNG-for-gay-asylum-seekers.htm
Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney takes queer publications off LGBTI asylum seekers
Posted on July 24, 2013, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.
NUS Queer Department 
As a point of fact Rudd does NOT intend to send all asylum seekers to PNG only those that arrive on boats (who make up a fairly small proportion of asylum seekers arriving in Australia), and its aimed at putting a stop to people smuggling. Wich is not to say I won’t be joining the protest, just that you are more wrong that right in your description of this policy.