#auspol #Australia Overnight vigil in Perth for baby #refugees #asylumseekers REFUGEE ACTION COALITION MEDIA RELEASE REFUGEE ACTIVISTS HOLD OVERNIGHT VIGIL TO HALT BABY’S TRANSFER TO NAURU Refugee activists are holding an overnight vigil outside Perth’s residential detention compound, 99 Kanowna Avenue, Redcliff to try to prevent a Tamil baby and her family being moved from Perth to Darwin; the first step in the Minister’s plan to remove her to Nauru. The six-month old baby girl is one of 25 babies, born to asylum seeker mothers in Australia, now at risk of removal to Nauru following the Asylum Caseload Legacy Bill becoming law. The move to uproot the family from Perth, where the parents have immediate family members reveals the complete cynicism behind the government bill. “This adorable baby and her family should be allowed to stay in Perth,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refuge Action Coalition, “It makes no sense to tear this family from the aunts, uncles, cousins who are living in Perth. “Scott Morrison sold this bill on the basis that children and their families would be released from Christmas Island; but before the ink on the bill is dry, other babies are being set up for removal to the hell-hole of detention on Nauru. “The children on Christmas Island were just bait for Morrison’s political trap. Now the bill’s through, families and children are, once again, fair game,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition. The family had spent about seven months on Nauru before being brought to Australia for the mother to give birth. “The lack of facilities, the heat and humidity, the water shortages make Nauru an unsafe place for new babies. The physical attacks by local vigilantes have only added to the dangers there. “Late on Friday, the babies at risk of removal to Nauru won a reprieve until 30 January 2015. Now the Minister needs to intervene to keep this Tamil family in Perth.” For more information contact Victoria Martin-Iverson (at the vigil) 0427 256 131; or Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 22:03:46 +0000
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