R4R JOINS IN BRISBANE RALLY FOR REFUGEE RIGHTS

Group members gather with their placards under the
 Redlands for Refugees banner in King George Square, 
Brisbane, on 12 April 2014.

About 10 members of Redlands for Refugees participated in Brisbane’s rally and march for refugee and asylum seeker rights on Saturday, 12 April 2014.

It was the first time the R4R group participated as a body under its own banner at a public event of this kind.

Group members held placards which had been used at the prayer vigil for asylum seekers the previous night. These placards had a Christian theme, with quotes from the Bible and from statements of concern made by Australian church leaders and agencies.

The Redlands for Refugees banner was prominent in the
 march through Brisbane city streets.

The rally, organised by the Refugee Action Collective, drew over 500 people from a wide range of groups, who gathered for an hour of speeches in King George Square before a march through city streets. Two speakers at the rally, Rev. Dr Peter Catt and Rev. Kaye Ronalds, had spoken at R4R’s prayer vigil the night before.

The Brisbane event was the first in a weekend of rallies and marches for refugee rights in cities across Australia.

David Busch

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE WAS VIGIL FOCUS

The value, quality and dignity of human life needs to be the central consideration in thinking about responses to asylum seekers.

 Uniting Church Queensland moderator, Rev. Kaye Ronalds,
speaks at the prayer vigil.

Pastor Jim de Witte of the Redlands Christian Reformed Church in Ormiston said this in opening the prayer vigil for asylum seekers, organised by Redlands for Refugees and held at his church last Friday night, 11 April 2014.

More than 100 people from across the Redlands and further afield attended the vigil.

Speakers included church leaders and two asylum seekers, with music from members of the refugee choir, Scattered People.

Participants lit candles of remembrance and hope, and wrote messages of encouragement for asylum seekers on cardboard hands which were placed inside a small boat.

Pastor de Witte said the vigil sought to offer a place where people could connect with the human faces and stories of asylum seekers, in the context of the Christian and humanitarian principles of dignity, compassion, respect, welcome and valuing of life.

Some members of the Scattered People choir, 
performing at the prayer vigil

Tamil priest Fr Pancras Jordan spoke about the situations of violence and oppression around the world which forced many to flee their homelands; the Anglican Dean of Brisbane, Very. Rev. Dr Peter Catt, who chairs the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce, spoke about the need for truthful language and a focus on human and moral rather than political considerations; and Uniting Church (Qld) moderator, Rev. Kaye Ronalds, referred to biblical injunctions to care for widows and orphans and welcome the stranger, and gave many examples of people and communities responding with practical compassion to asylum seekers.

    David Busch

PRAYER VIGIL FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS

A prayer vigil for asylum seekers is being held on Friday, April 11, from 7:00 pm at the Redlands Christian Reformed Church, cnr Sturgeon and Delancey Sts, Ormiston. Key participants will include the Uniting Church (Qld) Moderator, Rev. Kaye Ronalds; Anglican dean Peter Catt who chairs the Australian Churches Refugees Taskforce; Tamil Dominican priest Fr Pancras Jordan of Pax Christi; and the Scattered People refugee choir. The vigil is organised by Redlands for Refugees, a non-political church and community group based at Trinity Uniting Church, Wellington Point, which aims to offer hospitality and support to asylum seekers and refugees in the community. The one-hour vigil will focus on prayers for countries in conflict and turmoil, asylum seekers and refugees fleeing their homelands, the complex domestic and international challenges which this creates, and the overarching need for asylum seekers to be treated with dignity, care and support consistent with their human rights and with Christian values. All are welcome. Supper will follow, and there will be opportunity to register interest in being part of the Redlands for Refugees group. Further details: Uniting Church pastor David Busch, 0438 646 559, or Reformed Church pastor Jim de Witte, 3286 4700.