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Immigration blocks Greens/CFMEU friendly Villawood visit today
Sunday 25 July 2010
Lead Greens Senate Candidate Lee Rhiannon has criticised a decision by the Department of Immigration to block Greens, CFMEU and APHEDA representatives attending Villawood Detention Centre today for a friendly soccer match and picnic. The visit has been characterised as a ‘security risk’.
The event is a semi-regular occasion to maintain the spirit of detainees while in detention. Greens Federal Senate candidate Brami Jegan, NSW Upper House lead candidate Clr David Shoebridge. Candidate for Sydney Tony Hickey and Cook Naomi Waizer are in the group that is being refused entry.
Ms Rhiannon is speaking at a Tamil vigil later this afternoon (details below).
“I know from previous visits that contact with the outside world is critical to maintain the spirits of asylum seekers at Villawood,” Ms Rhiannon said.
“Blocking this friendly visit is unnecessary and a blow to those living day after long day inside Villawood.
Ms Brami Jegan, a Greens Senate candidate, Australian Tamil refugee and regular visitor to the 39 Tamil asylum-seekers held at Villawood Detention Centre said,
“The uncertainty of open ended detention makes human contact absolutely central.
“A game of soccer and a BBQ is gold for detainees and the decision by the Commonwealth to refuse us entry highlights the brutality of the Gillard government’s stance on asylum seekers,” Ms Jegan said.
Contact: Lee Rhiannon: 0427 861 568, Brami Jegan 0433 054 712
Tamil event today, with Lee Rhiannon speaking
4.00pm Black July - Remembering Silenced Voices
What: Remembering the 3000 Tamil lives that perished, the 150,000 rendered homeless as a result of the state backed anti -Tamil pogrom in Sri Lanka.
Where: Parramatta Church Street Mall Amphitheatre
