We, eX-detainees at RISE in Australia, mark the 17th of September 2018 as eX-Detainees? Day, for all asylum seekers and refugees who have been forcibly detained whilst seeking protection. This is our 3rd annual eX-detainees? day. Crucially, this initiative is entirely managed and controlled by eX-detainees who are asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, as an assertion of our self-determination.
?Asylum seeker and refugee detainees who have been detained or are currently detained in detention centres are among the most persecuted and oppressed people in the world. We have endured abuse in our own countries, and upon seeking protection, are disenfranchised and suffer institutional abuse within detention systems.? eX-detainees
In this 3rd year of commemorating eX-detainees? day we raise the collective voices of asylum seekers and refugees around the world, who are facing discrimination and criminalisation due to detention. eX-Detainees? Day will highlight and oppose all forms of refugee and asylum seeker detention that we are subjected to globally: whether the detention lasts 1 day, 30 days, 1 year, or longer periods of time.
We eX-detainees are thankful for those who have shown meaningful solidarity and allyship. We also like to see more eX-detainee voices put at the forefront in the refugee debate in Australia and across the world. In Australia, eX-detainees have been working towards dismantling immigration detention centres over two decades now. Do not bury eX-detainee voices as has been done continuously by successive Australian governments. Recognition, respect and autonomy should be given to many eX-detainees and detainees who have never compromised on the goal of abolishing detention centres and spoken out against detention centres, risking our freedom and families. Respect our voices and our well being. Here is the link to our demands http://riserefugee.org/exdetaineesdemands/
Last year we eX-detainees at RISE established the #SanctionAustalia Campaign and we have received overwhelming support for the campaign in Australia and as well as across the world. Further, in the process of developing our Sanction Australia campaign, eX-detainees have been consulting with national and international wide activists, rights groups and civil society groups to endorse our Sanction Australia campaign.
We offshore and onshore eX-detainees from Australia strongly condemn successive Australian governments and other governments around the world for holding hostage our community members in detention torture camps across the world. We eX-detainees demand that all refugee survivors who are forcibly held in detention centres immediately release and provide them with permanent protection and proper support services.
eX-detainee Team
?As ex-detainees in Australia, we acknowledge that the land we seek protection on is the land of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples?
‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ – While you are reading our advocacy materials, media statements and following our campaigns, please remember RISE is entirely governed by and for by eX-detainees, asylum seekers and refugees. Furthermore, all of RISE’s hard work is managed and developed by eX-detainees, asylum seekers and refugees. Support self-determination of RISE: Refugees, Survivors and eX-detainees, by making a tax deductible donation TODAY via https://www.givenow.com.au/riserefugee
Recent Comments