A Socialist Alliance Forum on Refugees, Racism & War
Sat Nov 21, 2pm
Resistance Centre
23 Abercrombie St
Chippendale
The Sri Lankan government's genocide of the Tamil people and its detention of 300,000 people in concentration camps has provoked a mass refugee flight.
At least 3,700 Tamil refugees have fled from Sri Lanka to India this year (23,000 in last three years). Only a few hundred have braved the dangerous sea voyage to Australian territory but the Rudd Labor government is seeking to have them intercepted and taken to detention camps in Indonesia. The "Indonesian solution" is Rudd's alternative to Howard's failed "Pacific solution". And worse, Rudd Labor government has offered millions of dollars to run the concentration camps in Sri Lanka and promised to assist the Sri Lankan government hunt down Tamil freedom fighters allegedly helping the refugees flee.
But people of conscience, including John Pilger, the ACTU and several trade union leaders have spoken out and the refugee rights movement is organising mass protests (Sydney march for refugees: Sun Nov 29, 2pm, Sydney Town Hall).
Guest speakers include a representative from the Tamil community in Australia, Susan Price, UNSW president NTEU, and a live hookup with Ignatius Mahendra, an Indonesian comrade who recently visited the 255 Tamil refugees who are refusing to leave their boat in Merak, Indonesia.
Read regional left groups' statement on the refugee crisis here. Socialist Alliance initiated this statement and coordinated solidarity action is being organised with Indonesian and Malaysian comrades.
More information: Peter 9690 1977 or 0401 760 577
No comments:
Post a Comment