Western Australians came out in force on November 8 in support of the plight of 300 Vietnamese Catholic asylum seekers detained in the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre just outside Northam.
More than 200 people gathered for a candlelight vigil outside St Mary’s Cathedral, where they wrote letters of support that will be given, along with a set of Rosary beads, to each detainee.
The crowd included children, youth and the elderly, as well as members of the Vietnamese community in Perth and several clergy.
Fremantle MP Melissa Parke told those gathered that the issue had not received the attention it deserves in Australia.
“The Department of Immigration has allowed Vietnamese officials to interview asylum seekers at Yongah Hill and at other detention centres around Australia, and has given them name and address details,” she said.
“Given what we know about the situation in Vietnam, this is an outrageous breach of faith with people who have come to Australia seeking protection.
“Our treatment of Vietnamese asylum seekers is an example of the depths to which we’ve sunk in our asylum seeker policies in this country.”
Carina Hoang, herself a refugee who fled her home country after the Vietnam War, said the interviews conducted by Vietnamese officials are having negative affects on the detainees.
“Following these interrogations, some have been so frightened that they have taken desperate measures such as self-harm, attempted suicide and escape,” she said.
“I visited them recently; they were depressed and anxious because they don’t know what is going to happen to them, and very worried about the well-being of their families in Vietnam.”
Organiser Sarah Ross, from the Refugee Rights Action Network, said it was important to raise awareness about the “human rights abuse” taking place. She said the group’s visits to the Yongah Hill detention centre gave the impetus to hold the vigil.
“We found that we had no idea why people were fleeing Vietnam and we found that it was a huge issue that not very many people knew about,” she said.
“We wanted to hold this vigil to raise awareness and to inform the public about the issues still going on in Vietnam and the plight of asylum seekers in Australia at the moment.”
Parish priest of Kalamunda Fr Greg Donovan told The Record he was concerned with the lack of media coverage regarding the asylum seekers. “The issue of Vietnamese officials being allowed into Yongah Hill is surely a breach of care on the part of the detention centre administration,” he said.
“The first media reports of the escape of the five asylum seekers seemed to be designed to frighten the local community.
“It is my fervent prayer that Catholics will become more informed about the plight of asylum seekers and recognise that a Gospel response is called for.”
Attadale parish priest Fr Sean Fernandez said the issue had left him wondering what Australia has come to as a country.
“Where is our sense of compassion and humanity for people who seek our aid?” he said.
While the government avoids the issue, Catholics should get involved in raising awareness of such situations, Fr Sean said.
“We have a strong social justice teaching and tradition,” he said. “Our faith teaches us about the oneness of the human family; that we should love our neighbour in need.
“We should feel a special solidarity with our fellow Catholics. Members of the Body of Christ are suffering and we can do something about it.”
Fr Greg questioned why Australia, as a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees, was not honouring its obligations.
“We are a people who, in the past, have welcomed migrants and refugees; their contribution to this country has been enormous,” he said. “Can we not, today, extend a welcome and provide a new beginning for our latest arrivals?”