On Sunday hundreds of local residents will walk through the streets of Launceston calling on the Australian Government to release all refugees being held in off shore detention on Nauru and Manus Island.
The Palm Sunday Walk for Justice for Refugees is being held simultaneously in 18 cities across Australia.
Prior to the Walk a bring-your-own picnic will be enjoyed in Princes Square from 12.30pm. The Walk will depart promptly at 2pm, arriving in City Park in time for a brief Celebration at approximately 12.30pm. These will be positive community events, not strident protests.
The Celebration will be held outside Victoria’s Café on the park side of the Albert Hall. The program will include contributions from former refugees, Migrant Resource Centre Northern Tasmania and churches.
Alternate wet weather arrangements have been made.
All community groups and individuals are encouraged to join in. Groups can wear their t-shirts and carry their banners. Banners and placards will also be available in Princes Square.
In 2017 Walks across the country, forced MPs to speak out and made headlines around the world.
Yet still over 1800 people including 158 children remain imprisoned in the Australian Government’s offshore detention regime.
The Turnbull government is claiming the men, women and children detained on Manus and Nauru are no longer their responsibility and is pointing to the sluggish US resettlement deal — that will leave hundreds behind — as if it will resolve everything.
The Launceston Walk has been organised by three local churches.
Jeff McKinnon Pastor, City Baptist Church
