Tim Costello calls for end to offshore detention
Friday, March 23, 2018
Chief Advocate of World Vision Australia, Rev Tim Costello, today challenged the “moral equation” of the Federal Government’s indefinite detention policy as a deterrence to other refugees seeking asylum in Australia.
“Locking people up indefinitely in order to deter future refugees is not a moral equation that we should be happy to live with,” Rev Costello said. “Not in my Name is the message we need to take to the streets this Palm Sunday,” he added.
Rev Tim Costello will speak about his personal experience of seeing refugee detention conditions on Manus Island when he addresses the Palm Sunday Walk for Justice Rally in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon 25 March.
After the walk, at Bayside Church in Cheltenham, Federal MPs Claire O’Neil and Tim Wilson, Rev Costello, Bayside senior pastor Rob Buckingham, and former a former refugee Shabnam Safa will discuss how Australia can help do its fair share.
“I am speaking for justice on Palm Sunday because like many Australians I want to see an end to offshore detention.
“I've been to refugee camps and humanitarian crises all around the world. But when I visited Manus Island and saw the suffering firsthand, it felt personal.
“These people have been locked up by my government, in my name and yours. We should all be taking this personally,” he said.
Rev Costello said the Australian government has a moral responsibility to bring those being detained on Manus and Nauru to Australia immediately.
He criticised the Government’s policy as inhumane and callous, especially to people almost universally found to be legitimate refugees.
“With more than 65 million people displaced worldwide, more than half of them children, displacement is the biggest humanitarian challenge of our times.
“Everyone deserves to be safe and free,” he said.
More than 130 community and religious organisations support the Walk for Justice for Refugees and are urging Victorians to turn out in solidarity to support a humane response to refugees and people seeking asylum.
The Palm Sunday Walk for Justice for Refugees starts at 2pm on Sunday 25th March at the State Library. Speakers will include Sudanese refugee Abdul Aziz Adam live from Manus Island where he has been imprisoned for more than 4 years, and Hazara refugee, Taqi Azra.
The Bayside forum will be at Bayside Church, Argus St, Cheltenham, at 3pm.
Find out more at: www.facebook.com/palmsundaywalk . Available for media interview: Rev Tim Costello, contact his assistant on 0432 130 002. World Vision media inquiries: Brianna Piazza 0408 624 934. General media enquiries: Chris Breen 0403 013 183 Jean Ker Walsh 0413 834 646.
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