Pleading for the rights of children

Posted Aug 29, 2018 in News

3 minute read

The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia has joined the efforts of dozens of organisations, from civil society to faith-based, in demanding that children seeking asylum in Australia be removed from detention.

The #KidsOffNauru campaign calls for the urgent resettlement of the 117 detained children to Australia by Universal Children’s Day on 20 November.

Currently, the Nauru Regional Processing Centre is experiencing a mental health crisis of unforeseen heights which is expected to continue. There is growing concerns amongst medical workers, especially from those who have provided detailed reports to the ABC’s 7:30 program regarding children researching ways to end their life. This comes not even a week after the report of a 17-year-old girl who is in hospital and dangerously ill after refusing to eat or accept medical assistance.

Self-harm on Nauru isn’t a new story.

Other reports over the past week detail how a 12-year-old girl poured petrol over herself with the intent to light, how a 12-year-old boy refused to eat for 20 days and is currently being fed through a tube, and how a 10-year-old boy deliberately ate metal wire.

Since the re-open of the detention centre in 2012 by the federal government, over 2000 reports have flooded in with allegations of government abuse, exploitation and neglect on the children detained.

Uniting Church SA Moderator, Sue Ellis, has voiced her frustrations with the Australian Government’s lack of care for those on Nauru.

“It seems surprising to me that the Federal Government invests heavily in projects such as “Emerging Minds”, which is aimed at raising awareness of children’s needs in times of crisis and trauma. These initiatives have an intervention view for prevention of mental illness in adolescence and adulthood, yet continue to keep children and their families in detention centres, which are adding trauma to these young people,” said the Moderator.

“Knowing the worth of these children and their families to God, a more compassionate and sensible response would be to bring them here, where their needs can be met.”

Since its re-open, the Nauru detention centre has been under constant controversy due to the 2010 Stop the Boats campaign that fed the Australian public the idea that too many people were seeking asylum in Australia.

Uniting Church Assembly, Assembly General Secretary Rob Floyd addressed comments that some children in Nauru aren’t in detention. in a recent Assembly article Rob responded by addressing the fact that while this may be the case, these children still aren’t able to leave the island, their freedom isn’t granted.

“Effectively, these children remain in detention. It is the Uniting Church’s position that all children should be free from harm and have the opportunity to flourish. While recently many in government seem more interested in power and personality politics, our advocacy on this is more important than ever. I encourage you to call on your federal MP to respect the rights and dignity of all, especially children.”

Uniting Church President Dr Deidre Palmer is concerned for the children living on Nauru.

“The Uniting Church holds the firm belief that no child should be kept in detention and we join the call for these children and their families to be brought to Australia with a view of finding them a permanent home.”

For more information about the #KidsOffNauru campaign, click here. To view the Uniting Church Assembly article on this topic, click here.

If you or someone you know if feeling overwhelmed or thinking about suicide, help is available. For crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au/gethelp

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