AUSTRALIA’S handling of asylum seekers has done much damage to the progress of multiculturalism, the director of Brisbane archdiocese’s Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care (CMPC), Jose Zepeda, told an international conference in Rome.
Mr Zepeda was speaking at the Fifth World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees, which was held from November 16-24.
Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Oudeman also attended.
Mr Zepeda told the congress the Australian Government referred to asylum seekers as ‘queue jumpers, illegals and boat people’.
He said the war in Iraq, and the September 11 and Bali bombings had ‘done much damage to interfaith relations and the dominance of views within the community that Muslims are terrorists’.
The media had played a negative role in relation to these matters, Mr Zepeda said.
He spoke of the role of the CMPC, including the fact it had helped in welcoming more than 1500 Afghan and Iraqi TPV holders released from detention centres.
Brisbane archdiocese was a strong advocate for ensuring the implementation of practices within legislation prohibiting racism and vilification on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion and culture both in Queensland and nationally, Mr Zepeda said.
