RISE: Refugees, Survivors and eX-detainees the FIRST self-determined advocacy and welfare organisation in Australia run by Refugees for Refugees makes a public call for a boycott of “Australia Day” aka invasion day, for the ninth year in a row. Even before making our first public statement, our organisation has never “celebrated” this day.
As eX-detainees, Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Australia, we acknowledge that the land we seek protection on is the land of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples whose sovereignty was never ceded. ‘Always was, always will be Aboriginal land’.
RISE fully supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples sovereignty and self-determination and stands in solidarity with them every day in our commitment to fighting for justice on this land on their terms.
Refugee rights campaigners in Australia have frequently paralleled the 1788 arrival of white occupiers who came with the purpose of colonising this land and its people, with the arrival of refugees to seek protection: this is offensive and disingenuous. The racism that pervades this country’s institutions and public spheres – the racism that our community members are subjected to in the form of mandatory, indefinite detention – has its foundations in the systemic and structural violence that Indigenous peoples in Australia continue to experience to this day.
Finally, RISE calls on members of our community to stand on the side of justice and equity and take action at the very least, by condemning community representatives who partake in “celebrations” on “Australia Day” or any other day or event, that disrespect and erases First Nations people by glorifying stolenwealth and genocide.
Donate / Amplify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples-led movements and organisations
Black Rainbow Living http://www.blackrainbow.org.au
Curtain the podcast https://curtainthepodcast.wordpress.com
Djirra https://djirra.org.au
First Nations Telegraph http://www.firstnationstelegraph.com
IndigenousX http://indigenousx.com.au
Djab Wurrung Heritage Protection Embassy https://dwembassy.com
Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance https://www.facebook.com/WARcollective
The above list was given to us by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members who support /work with RISE eX-detainees. If you would like to add any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples-led organisations to this list please email admin@riserefugee.org
In Solidarity