Since September 2017 BMRSG has been financially supporting nine young men originally evacuated to Australia from Manus Island and Nauru with severe medical and psychological conditions. Already traumatised by their experiences and still new to Australian life, they were cut off from government payments without a warning date and given 3 weeks to get outRead more
Walid Zazai speaks from Manus
31 December 2017 As the clock ticked towards midnight, I felt both dread at another long year and hope for what seems unimaginable to me – freedom.
Hello everyone, my name is Walid Zazai. Thank you for asking me to speak again.
Much has changed since last year’s Palm Sunday Rally.
On 7 August 2017, Hamed Shamshiripour died on Manus.On 21 September 2017, 24 Manus men left PNG for the US, thefirst to be resettled under what Donald Trump called a ‘dumb deal’.
On 29 September 2017, Rajeev became the sixth Manus Island refugee to die in the last four years. His death follows those of Reza Barati, Hamid Kehazaei, Kamil Hussain, Faysal Ishak, Ahmed & Hamed Shamshiripour.
November 2017 is a month I hope one day my memory will erase.Read more
Imran, a refugee on Manus, has written this letter on behalf of the refugees and asylum-seekers on the island to coincide with Palm Sunday rallies across Australia. Dearest Friends, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to everyone joining the rally on Palm Sunday, and of course, to those who support us in myriadRead more
Join us at the Palm Sunday Rally Sunday 25 March at Belmore Park (near Central) 2pm – 4pm. This year’s theme is “Refugees are Welcome Here”. BMRSG will be behind the bus stops in Eddy Avenue. The mountains contingent will get the 11.38am train from Katoomba and will be on the second carriage from theRead more
The Government is trying to impose sweeping draconian security measures on all immigration centres. Susan Templeman member for Macquarie is opposed.
Listen to Susan’s speech on the second reading of the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2017.
Read the transcript. Feb.7 2018
This is why it is so important for us to keep our politicians informed.Read more
Michelle Nayahamui Rooney grew up on Manus Island and returned to her home in November 2017. Here is the story of her childhood, what Manus island means to her as she tries to explains what the detention centre has done to this community.
“My poem Chauka, yu we? started as an angry reaction to the appropriation of the Chauka and the inhumane treatment of asylum seekers. As a scholar and as a Manus Islander, I have tried to reason through the historical, political, social and moral issues that gave rise to the detention centre. At the same time I am left angry, sad and guilty…”Read more
