Universal Children’s Day – November 20 – has been and gone without a solution to the children trapped on Nauru, Armidale human rights advocates say.
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Armidale Rural Australians for Refugees (ARAR) had called for the Australian government to resettle the children here by then, as part of #KidsOffNauru – a national campaign initiated by World Vision, and supported by humanitarian groups.
Ten days later, there are still almost a dozen children still on the island.
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The group said it would advocate for the refugees, as they have done throughout the year.
“The #KidsOffNauru deadline has passed,” a spokesperson said, “but ARAR, along with other national groups, will continue the campaign.
“We will broaden the aim to get all refugees off Nauru and Manus Island, and settled in safe, healthy environments where they can contribute to society.
“The campaign has certainly demonstrated that millions of Australians believe all the children should be brought to a safe environment with appropriate health care, good schools, and hope for the future.
“It has influenced the Coalition Government, who have now brought most of the children to Australia.”
While children have been brought to Australia for medical care, ARAR believed they are being held in detention, rather than in the community.
ARAR set up a shop front display in the mall in October to provide the community with information about the children, the campaign, and Nauru.
Pictures reminded passers-by that each of the children held there is an individual with emotional, physical, and intellectual responses to their environment.
Four people from Armidale travelled to Canberra, and joined a large rally in front of Parliament House to demonstrate rural support for the campaign.
Another group held a flash mob and sang at the last Farmers’ Market to stress their opposition to the Government policy of prolonged detention offshore.
Last month, one member organized a skype hook-up with Kurdish journalist Behrouz Boochani, who has been held on Manus for over five years.
About 60 people gathered in Readers’ Companion to hear Behrouz speak about his book, No Friend but the Mountain.
He is the most powerful spokesmen for those who have been silenced by their isolation.
For additional information, see the ARAR Facebook page.
