Tuesday of Holy Week.

Last weekend, Palm Sunday weekend, I attended two gatherings here in Darwin regarding the on going detention of refugees here in Darwin.

These people have already been in detention for 8 years, 7 years in Nauru and one year here for medical treatment . They have been deemed to be genuine refugees by the government.

One of these gatherings was organised by doctors, mental health people and other members of the medical profession. They are alarmed and disgusted by the harm being done to these people.

However since they came to Australia by boat they will, by government decree, never be allowed to settle in Australia. NZ has offered to take most if not all, our government has refused.

This refusal is so that they will not be able to eventually come to Australia via New Zealand. This is meant to be a deterrent to others coming to Australia by boat.

The end does not justify the means!!!

Keeping people indefinitely detained is against the United Charter of refugees that Australia is a signature to! It is also against human decency.

I am not pretending that there are easy solutions to this situation. However there is serious attempt being made to find a decent and humane solution!

Good people should not be silent about this! There has been much propaganda and demonising of these people by people who are in power.

It has become politicised. We need a bipartisan solution over and above politics.

Jesus was a refugee in Egypt.

Now a days he would have ended up in detention.

Jesus said that he came to bring hope and freedom to captives.

In this Holy week I am reminded once again of our Christian call to compassion.

As lights of the world we are called to be witnesses to truth, justice , decency and compassion.