You don’t often imagine a protest movement involving candles, prayer and the singing of hymns.
But yesterday, to mark White Ribbon Day, that’s exactly how 11 female Christian activists protested the detention of 726 child asylum seekers in the office of Western Australian Senator and Assistant Minister for Immigration and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash.
These women are the latest activists to join “Love Makes A Way”, a movement of religious leaders taking non-violent actions in the offices of Federal MPs to demand a timetable for the release of children in Australia’s immigration detention centres.
One protester, Teresa Lee, points to a Fairfax report from September uncovering significant allegations of abuse of children and violence against women.
“As Australian women we want to see the end of violence against women, and this should include the women in our care. This is in line with what White Ribbon Day is about,” Teresa says.
The protesters before they entered the office.
Teresa is a mother and a social worker. But she also lives in a community of settled refugees in Perth through the First Home Project. She draws a direct link from those she lives with to her protest action for asylum seekers currently being held in detention.
“These are my dearest friends and I would do anything to see them be happy and well and to flourish. I find it difficult to comprehend the reality of the children in immigration detention.”
“Just on Friday, I watched two little girls the same age, laughing with pure joy and excitement learning how to skate on fancy skate boards. Both of them have fled war and persecution, one from Rwanda came through the UNHCR program has been met with support. The other came by boat and spent 18 months in mandatory detention.”
Most activists who have participated in Love Makes A Way protest actions have been arrested and so I ask Teresa how she feels about that prospect.
Top Comments
It's easy to say "those on the left", but people of many different political persuasions have been advocating for changes to these policies from before the Coalition came to power. No matter who is in power, Australia should uphold its commitment to human rights, and neither Labor nor Liberal nor any other party should be ok with children and families suffering abuse and indefinite detention. I support these women stepping things up to bring the issue to light.