There’s clearly an endless assortment of cooked issues with our government’s current approach to asylum seekers and refugees. This Saturday in Sydney, however, the Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) is hoping to spotlight/give some much-needed attention to the need for a comprehensive assessment of asylum seeker and refugee health conditions on Manus Island by staging a march.
This comes in response to the Federal Government’s failure to openly assess and report on the health and wellbeing and living conditions of those in detention – conditions that, y’know, probably need to be put under a microscope given actual lives are at stake. This is why Australian medical students are taking it upon themselves to march in protest, scheduled for 12pm this Saturday at Hyde Park.
Students told PEDESTRIAN.TV they have been reaching out the government since December last year to ensure that refugees are receiving the same standard of medical care as available in Australia, and that the response has been nothing but “disappointing”.
“We asked the Department to confirm that they are ensuring medical care is being delivered to the asylum seekers on Manus Island in a timely and sustainable manner, without interruption, to a standard equal to that in Australia,” says Project Coordinator for AMSA Crossing Borders/the AMSA Global Health Project,Adele Evans,.
The responses have been disappointing. They have not directly addressed the concerns we raised, and have not clarified the health status of the asylum seekers. The Government refuses to be accountable for the treatment of the asylum seekers on Manus Island, insisting that it is the PNG government’s responsibility. But under international law, the Government has a legal and ethical obligation to protect and provide adequate health care to these asylum seekers.
A resounding a-fucking-men to that.
We want to highlight the Government’s inaction and lack of transparency. As future health professionals, it is our responsibility to advocate for our most vulnerable patients. We want members of the community to march with us and protest this inhumane treatment. We cannot stay silent while our government attempts to wash their hands of the continuous violation and disregard for human rights.
If you’re reading this and subtly nodding your head in agreement, then be sure to head down to their march this Saturday.
EVENT DETAILS
When: 12 pm Saturday 7th April, 2018
Where: Hyde Park, Sydney
SCHEDULE
12:00-12:45pm Acknowledgement of Country & Speeches
12:45-1:15pm March – from Hyde Park to Martin Place, Pitt St, Park St, back to Hyde Park (TBC)
1:15pm Closing
Stay up to date by following the Facebook event HERE.
