Time for humane, bipartisan approach to asylum seekers
Asylum seekers are people in need of care and not to be feared, say Australian Churches.
At the recent National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) triennial Forum, the Churches affirmed the Australian Government's right and responsibility to ensure legitimate border protection but also expressed grave concern over the treatment of asylum seekers.
"It is time that both political parties stop misleading our community by painting pictures of asylum seekers as people to be feared. Asylum seekers are vulnerable, often traumatised people fleeing conflict and persecution. As a safe and secure country we must treat asylum seekers with compassion rather than placing them in detention in enforced limbo," said Revd Tara Curlewis, NCCA General Secretary.
"Australia's Churches are calling for the humane treatment of asylum seekers, the expeditious processing of their protection claims and a new bipartisan commitment to accommodate asylum seekers within Australia while claims are assessed.
"Australian Churches have repeatedly stated strong opposition to Government approaches that transfer processing from Australian territory. Past experiences processing asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island have demonstrated the devastating effects such policies can have on people's lives, such as extended separation from families and serious mental health problems. These methods have caused increased traumatisation, difficulty integrating into community life and problems finding jobs once released into Australian communities. We are concerned that proposals for a processing centre in East Timor or any other country will repeat previous mistakes and fail to adequately protect the rights of asylum seekers," Ms Curlewis said.
Source: NCCA