Media Releases
26th March 2002
Australian Bishops speak out on
Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Archbishop Francis P Carroll, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops'
Conference, today released a Statement on behalf of the ACBC.
"Clearly" stated Archbishop Carroll, "we need to be more sensitive
to the plight of these people, many of whom have experienced hardship and pain
most of us would find difficult to comprehend. There needs to be a more determined
effort to recognize the human dignity and rights of our sisters and brothers
from other countries and enable them to live with dignity and in safety as valued
members of the human family".
Last July, the Bishops issued a Statement on the Pastoral Care of Migrants
and Refugees. This present Statement gives further attention to the problems
and challenges that still face Australia in dealing with refugees and asylum
seekers.
This Statement calls on the Australian Government to reconsider some of its
policies, such as arbitrary and long detention and the abandonment of the "Pacific
Solution", and renew its efforts to bring relief for refugees and asylum
seekers.
Archbishop Carroll went on to point out that "the challenge, however,
is not only for the Government but for the whole Australian Community. As part
of that Community, the Catholic Church pledges its continuing support for these
suffering people".
Click here to view
the Statement in html format.
or
Click here to download a pdf
version of the statement (File size: 34KB). You will need Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view the file.
For further information and comment contact:
Archbishop Barry Hickey, Perth, 08 9223 1350
Fr John Murphy, Director, ACMRO, mobile
0418 224 524 |
