Sign petition - lend a hand to refugees fleeing war

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Hello everyone,

Please read the email below. Shoot a message to Immigration Minister Chris Evans NOW to stop this. Australia has become the first developed country in the world to stop processing asylum-seeker applications from Afghanis & Sri Lankans. These refugees are fleeing persecution in their war-torn countries. This policy is obscene. Seriously? These are people escaping from torture and war. Many have loved ones that are missing or dead. They've been through enough already. Why would anyone in their right minds shut the door on them and refuse help?
 
The Rudd government should be ashamed of themselves! We should not be turning our backs on people fleeing war. This is not something we should avert our eyes from. I don't want to return to the grim Howard years. Thank you so much if you do spread the message!

On the day of the Government's announcement, a young Sri Lankan teenager gave in to despair and attempted suicide, after languishing in detention for 11 months on Christmas Island. Today there's news of more desperation, with a hunger strike by 50 Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers.

Can you take a stand against this frightening return to the dark days of refugees in custody? Tell Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, that Australians reject a return to this shameful past:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/peopleabovepolitics

The Government claims that circumstances are changing in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, making them safer places to live.

The truth? We've been consulting with sources on the ground in these troubled and turbulent nations. Hazarras, an ethnic minority in Afghanistan, continue to be arbitrarily imprisoned and face violence and death, while in Sri Lanka even independent journalists are under threat and seeking escape.

Refugee opponents are busy sending hundreds of messages to our leaders urging a return to the 'Howard' style hard-line approach. Their messages are piling up on the desks of decision-makers. That's why we need to ensure that Chris Evans, the Minister for Immigration, is met with a pile of messages of support for a humane refugee policy so high that he literally can't see those sent by the forces of fear and intolerance.

Stuck on what to write? Don't worry. The link above has some good pointers. Also, if you want more facts to beef up your argument, go here:
http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/arp/facts-02.html

This website busts myths on refugees. Please feel more than free to use this webpage to explain why we should help refugees - and why fears about refugees are mainly false.