Community Conversations
Presented by the Inner West for Refugees and Jesuit Refugee Services - JRS.
Community Conversations
In September 2023, IW4R held an event at Colombo Social, a social enterprise kitchen, where we heard from our guest speakers.
Maggie, a sports journalist, fled Sierra Leone when her life was threatened because of her opposition to female genital mutilation. Maggie has continued to use her journalism skills and passion to advocate for the rights of her community. Maggie spoke about the need to give refugees and asylum seekers a voice, describing herself as “A voice for the voiceless”.
She urged participants to share her story to spread information on refugee issues such as homelessness. Maggie said:
“We are all seeking the same situation. We need your voices. Don’t keep it to yourself. Take back what you get from here to your communities.”
Thanush, a human rights activist, was forced to flee Sri Lanka by boat. On arrival in Australia he was placed in indefinite detention for years, including time on Manus Island. Despite being granted refugee status, Thanush remains on temporary visas, a situation which hinders his ability to secure permanent employment and plan for the future.
MC Suzanne Waldron created a warm and safe environment for our speakers to share their experiences.
Thanush told us about actions being taken by asylum seekers to raise awareness of their plight. He referred to the 22 women who walked from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra, seeking the right to permanent visas.
Thanush told us asylum seekers in Australia need our support, because without the backing of the Australian public they are powerless and voiceless.
Both Thanush and Maggie urged us to share their stories. They want to raise awareness and support for asylum seekers. They suggested educating friends and family, writing to MPs and speaking out against prolonged detention and short term visas.
The event was arranged in collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee Service
Australia and was made possible by a generous grant from Club Ashfield.
JRS supports 3,000 people each year. They advocate, accompany and serve refugees, people seeking asylum and migrants in vulnerable situations. Zoe Grant from JRS spoke about the 12,000 asylum seekers unable to secure ongoing employment or accommodation because they remain on short term bridging visas.