Action for asylum seekers

Posted Nov  9, 2016 in News

At the November Presbytery and Synod meeting, members passed a proposal adopting a statement in regard to the treatment of those seeking asylum and refuge in Australia. The proposal was created as a response to the introduction of legislation imposing a lifetime ban on all asylum seekers who attempt to reach Australia by boat.

As a result of the decision made at the meeting, Moderator Rev Sue Ellis sent the following letter to South Australian federal parliamentarians on Wednesday 9 November. The letter has not been edited by the New Times editorial team.

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I write to urge you to oppose legislation to impose a lifetime re-­entry ban on people who arrived by boat seeking asylum in Australia.

As the Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of South Australia, I am writing on behalf of the members of the Uniting Church in South Australia. Three hundred and two leaders from across the state met last Saturday November 5th in formal council. Together, they decided by Consensus to adopt the following statement:

The Uniting Church in South Australia responds to the grace

proclaimed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who himself was a refugee.

We are called to work with all our hearts and minds to love this God,

who is revealed in Jesus Christ.

We are called to express love and generosity of spirit to the world

for whom Christ died, including the most marginalized people.

We seek to love the neighbour who is different

and welcome the stranger in our midst.

We implore civic leaders to reflect the deep values of South Australians,

shaped by different nations and cultures,

who seek to live in a world characterized by peace and goodwill.

We therefore ask those leaders to embrace a spirit of compassion and concern

for human dignity in their considerations

with regards to Refugee and Asylum-seeker policy development.

The gathered Synod further requested me to express to you our grave concern that the proposal (announced by the Prime Minister on 30 October 2016) to ban refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru from ever coming to Australia and banning any refugee and asylum seeker arriving by boat to ever be granted an Australian visa, will result in:

1. Increased likelihood of refoulement (return to place of danger and risk - it is our responsibility to ensure that we do not return people to situations of harm),
2. Increased psychological stress on those refugee and asylum seekers currently awaiting processing and assessment of status,
3. Increased distress to migrant communities in Australia, including members of the Uniting Church in South Australia, recovering from refugee experiences and associated trauma,
4. Australia breaching Article 31 of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees* and subsequent recommendations by the UNHCR,
5. Further punishing victims of persecution and oppression
6. Australia missing the opportunity for the contribution of these refugees at every level of community now and in the future.

The Uniting Church in Australia has been working with refugees in Australia for decades now, supporting community services and providing opportunities for healthy integration in our community. It is from our experience that we say the proposed legislation is immoral. It punishes already traumatised people who seek care and protection, qualities we believe are an important part of our national character. Penalising victims or people who are engaging their right to seek asylum is not the appropriate way to stop the evils associated with the people smuggling trade. Such punitive measures send a message to those who have suffered abuse and oppression, to the Australian people and to the rest of the world that we are not a compassionate country, and that we have little regard for the long-term consequences of separating families and punishing innocent people.

You have the opportunity to vote against this legislation, and to show leadership in demonstrating the kind of country we are and can be. We would further encourage the Federal Parliament to ensure that we can again be considered to be a ‘fair’ country. We therefore request that any future legislation related to asylum-seeker relocation include the participation of an independent Committee of Review so that individuals and communities adversely impacted by changes have a right of appeal.

Please be assured that the members of the Uniting Church in South Australia are committed to supporting the ongoing work of community building and development in this beautiful land. We uphold our civic leaders in prayer and seek to do our part to ensure this is a grace-filled and just society. We ask that you hear our voice as one pleading our common humanity and the desire of our many congregations, faith communities, aged care organizations and schools to play our part in developing a spirit of hospitality and goodwill in this nation.

* Article 31 of the Refugee Convention (1951) states that “signatory nations shall not penalise refugees for illegal entry when they have come directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened”. This was reiterated in 1979 by the UNHCR Committee which stated, “It is the humanitarian obligation of all coastal States to allow vessels in distress to seek haven in their waters and to grant asylum, or at least temporary refuge, to persons on board wishing to seek asylum…” 

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The original proposal is available here (Proposal 14). Changes were made to this proposal at the Presbytery and Synod meeting before being passed by consensus. Further details about the discussion and the final version will be provided in the meeting minutes, which will be available here at a later date.

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