The Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Synod now addresses the Federal Government on the matter of asylum seekers from Iraq and Syria, in the terms of the resolution that follows. Putting simply. We want extra places for refugees from these places, not just the reserved spaces, as it were, displacing other worthy refugees from other parts of the world. Synod – (a) expresses its deep sorrow and dismay at the extreme religious and political persecution currently being faced by Christians and other minority groups in northern Iraq and Syria, (b) prays that God might graciously impart compassion and profound wisdom on all those involved in responding to alleviate the plight of such peoples, and (c) commends the Federal Government on its actions to date in setting aside 4,400 places in the Special Humanitarian Program in 2014-15 for Iraqi and Syrian people facing persecution, (d) noting that other Western democracies including Germany, Norway and Sweden have increased their overall intake of asylum-seekers in order to accept additional numbers of Iraqi and Syrian refugees, calls on the Federal Government to – (i) temporarily increase the places available in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 Special Humanitarian Program to allow for additional resettlement of Christians and other persecuted groups of people from Iraq and Syria, and (ii) take any necessary steps to process all applications for asylum in Australia as expeditiously as possible, (e) respectfully requests the Archbishop to thank the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection for the many times he has taken an interest in refugees who have been in our own church communities, and (f) respectfully requests the Archbishop to convey the above terms of this resolution to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. (Bishop Robert Forsyth/Dr Karin Sowada)
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 10:26:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015