BRISBANE archdiocese’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has spoken out about its concerns over the Federal Government’s decision to suspend pro-cessing of protection claims from Sri Lankan and Afghani asylum seekers.
The commission’s executive officer Peter Arndt said the decision announced on April 9 showed no respect or compassion for Sri Lankan and Afghani asylum seekers.
The Government announced it was suspending new asylum applications from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, with claims from Sri Lankans suspended for three months and those from Afghanis suspended for six months.
“This blanket suspension of processing claims from Sri Lankans and Afghanis does not treat people as human beings with personal stories and experiences but as bureaucratic categories devoid of any human dignity,” Mr Arndt said.
“Our fundamental concern in relation to the refugee policies of both the Government and the Opposition is whether they prioritise the dignity of individual human beings who seek asylum.
“We are concerned to see that compassion and respect for human dignity underpin their policies and decisions.
“For us, these ‘strangers’ who come to our shores seeking protection must be treated in the same way as we would treat Jesus himself if he arrived in a boat.
“Jesus told us that we must welcome strangers and, when we do so, we are welcoming him.
“These asylum seekers challenge us to be signs of God’s love in the midst of much fear and mean-spirited attitudes.”
Mr Arndt said it was “incredible that the Government thinks things have improved in Sri Lanka when there are on-going reports of human rights abuses including ones which suggest that journalists and newspaper editors were arrested or intimidated during this month’s Parliamentary elections”.
“It is just as extraordinary to hear that the Government thinks things may be better in Afghanistan when fighting is still going on there,” he said.
“We, once again, urge Christians to adopt attitudes to asylum seekers which show the same love and generous compassion which Christ showed.”
