By ANGELICA SNOWDEN and YUCHONG LIU
Thousands of protesters took part in the Palm Sunday Justice for Refugees walk to voice their concern about the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.
Detained Sudanese asylum seeker Abdul Aziz Adam, who has been imprisoned for more than four years, spoke live from Manus Island, saying he wanted to speak directly to the government.
“I want to send a message to the Government … open your hearts and open your minds and attitudes toward people who are in need of safety,” Mr Adam said.
“To politicians we say: think about your humanity, not your pockets, because your humanity will take you somewhere you never expected to go."
The event, which has run for five years, is endorsed by more than 50 organisations, including the Uniting Church of Australia, Amnesty International, the Australian Greens and Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children.
World Vision Chief Advocate and keynote speaker Tim Costello in his speech condemned some politicians for the language they used when discussing asylum seekers and called for solidarity.
“This march signals that we completely reject cruelty done in our name. We completely reject the confusion of refugees with terrorists in Australian minds,” Mr Costello said.
The event also hosted an interfaith panel that called on the Government to abandon their current policies of processing and detaining of refugees offshore.
Uniting Church of Australia interfaith panel moderator the Rev Sharon Hollis told protesters she hoped the march would lift the spirits of refugees still in detention.
“We have not forgotten you, and you are human beings,” Ms Hollis said.
There were events across Australia on Palm Sunday which saw thousands of protesters gather in major cities and rural towns to protest against the unjust treatment of refugees.
Refugee Muluu Baqqalaa said she used music to protest against the government in Ethiopia, before fleeing violence in the country to Australia.
“We are here to help free refugees in the offshore camps. We know the challenges of coming to this country ... it’s a long journey,” Ms Baqqalaa said.
Ms Baqqalaa and her bandmate Samrat Kabadar performed in front of the State Library as protesters gathered before the march.
Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children spokesperson Gillian Essex said she would keep fighting for change, regardless of when it came.
“I’m emotional because we’ve been doing this for years now and things haven’t changed, they’ve got worse,” Ms Essex said.
“But I still live in hope …I’ve been a part of other movements that protested the Vietnam War and Springbok tour and we succeeded, and I have to believe this will succeed.