A crowdfunding campaign raising money ahead of the Nadesalingam/Murugappan family’s return to Biloela has announced that it has smashed its initial targets. This means more dollarydoos for the family to get back on their feet once they get home.
The Bring Them Home to Bilo campaign ran the fundraiser on Chuffed with an initial goal of $148,000, but ended up with a beautiful $200,000 to cover the family’s lost wages.
“We are so grateful to everyone who has chipped in to help replace the wages lost to Biloela’s Nadesalingam family during 1200 days of unjust detention at the hands of the former government,” a spokesperson for the Bring Them Home to Bilo campaign wrote on Facebook.
“At Priya and Nades‘ request, additional funds donated to this crowdfunder will be shared between local causes that are important to the Nadesalingam family and campaigns to win freedom and safety for others at risk of being forced from Australia to danger.”
The Murugappan family has been cleared to return #HomeToBilo, bringing to a close a four-year nightmare for Nades, Priya, Kopika and Tharnicaa.
More here: https://t.co/Zkoycpz5eb
Photo: @HometoBilo pic.twitter.com/zygEI0rJyL
— marie claire Australia (@marieclaireau) May 27, 2022
The Nadesalingam family were granted temporary bridging visas in late May and are due to return home to Biloela on June 8.
However, it should be noted that the family were not granted permanent protection.
“We have spoken with Priya and Nades and they share our overwhelming sense of joy and relief at this news, and we all welcome the decision to issue the entire family with bridging visas,” the campaign wrote last month.
“But this family will never be safe until they have permanency in Australia.”
We hope that the new government can acknowledge the distress that prolonged detention and uncertainty has caused for many Tamil people in Australia, and grant them the safety and security that only permanent protection can bring.
8/
— HometoBilo (@HometoBilo) May 27, 2022
Interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers passed on a message from Priya Nadesalingam after she received news that the family would be returning home with bridging visas.
“My prayer is that the Government will make a change to the lives of every single refugee who comes here,” she said.
“All refugees are survivors. They need hope,” she said.
“I had the support of Nades and we had the support of the people of Bilo. But many others don’t have that support. So I want to help.”
Youngest of the family Tharnicaa will celebrate her first birthday outside of immigration detention on Sunday when she turns five years old. We bloody love to see it.
