28 minute read
Fifth Royal Punjabi Dinner 2022
What a showstopper royal evening it was! The Canberra Punjabi Sports and Cultural Association (CPSCA) organised its 5th annual signature event ‘the Royal Punjabi Dinner’ on 23 July 2022 at Thoroughbred Park Lyneham ACT, after a two year covid-enforced hiatus. The cultural program involved local Canberran talent followed by renowned Punjabi singer Ms Kaur B, live in concert.
The houseful event was enjoyed by over 550 guests. The dignitaries included High Commissioner of India to Australia HE Mr Manpreet Vohra, Ms Christine Murray representing the ACT Multicultural Minister Ms Tara Cheyne (in COVID isolation), Mrs and Mr Narendra Rana (Counsellor, India), Mrs and Mr Harjit Singh (2nd Secretary, India), distinguished community leaders and representatives of Donate Life ACT.
The stage was anchored by Canberra’s own Mr Taj Sidhu (singer/poet/ actor/model) and Dr Sunita S Dhindsa (community leader/public speaker/ poet/write). The cultural program started with Punjab’s cultural folk dance performed by Amanpreet and Amneet, followed by bhangra performed by mother and sons team: Kuldeep, Ishveer and Ranveer. This was followed by a performance by Mankirat and bhangra mix by mum,dad and daughter team: Ravneet, Tejinder and Joban. Kamal sang a famous folk song.
The stage burst into electric bhangra energy with awesome performance from youngsters (age 10-14 years): Alisha, Arman, Ishveer, Japjit, Jasleen, Neil, Nimrat, Prabhnoor, and Ranveer from the Canberra Bhangra group,
Fifth Royal Punjabi Dinner 2022, with Kaur B Live in Concert
coached by Mr Jagjit Singh.
The cultural program concluded with brilliant colourful giddha by Amanpreet, Amneet, Gagandeep, Hardeep, Manpreet, Navpreet, Parwinder, Ramanjit, Sumandeep, and children Lagan and Shabd, from the group Maan Mattiyan Muteyara, coached by Amanpreet Kaur Sohi.
The cultural program was followed by the famous singer Kaur B taking to the stage, keeping the audience on their feet with her electrifying performance for almost two hours.
A delicious 3-course hot Punjabi dinner was cooked and served by Canberra’s young entrepreneurs, Rajeev Khullar, Sandeep Singh and Ashwinder Singh (Florey Pantry, Indian Town and Dawat-e-Punjab). The stage, venue setup and lighting were by the Star Party Hire Mt Druitt NSW; decorations by Govinda Events and Decorations; DJ and sound by DJ Teji Pty Ltd; photography/video by Bally
Sohal; and security by Core Facilities.
Sponsors of the event were 3T Consulting and Arvensys Group, Agam Group, Capital Green Solar, Capital Infracomms, Capital Solar Energy, Conder Dental Centre, Confidence Real Estate, Core Facilities, Expert Education, G 24/7 Security Services, Indian Town, IT Alliance, JB Slabs, Punjab Homes, Taz Building Group, Town Residential, an ACT Government.
This year, CPSCA is supporting Donate Life, and at the event, raised awareness on the importance of organ and tissue donation to save lives and encouraged people to register as a donor. CPSCA also raised awareness about the importance of learning Punjabi and speaking in Punjabi at home.
CPSCA has announced restarting of the Khed Mela (sports festival) in October and a new initiative called Punjabi Satth for Punjabi poetry. CPSCA organises annual tree planting at the Guru Ka Bagh Belconnen ACT at Guru Nanak Dev ji’s birthday, felicitates visiting Punjabi artists, conducts and engages in multicultural community activities, liaises with the Act government, High Commission of India, federal government and advocates on community related issues including culturally appropriate aged care facilities, large community hall, fully resourced hospital and health services.
Congratulations to the CPSCA team: Mr Amardeep Singh, Mr Amarjeet Judge, Mr Iqbal Deol, Mr Jatinder Majithia, Mr Naninder Khatra, Mr Paramdeep Nrain, Mr Rattesh Gumber, Mr Sumandeep Dhillon, Dr Sunita S Dhindsa and Dr Surjit Kang led by Dr Harjinder Dhindsa, for a super successful event.
YouGo with Rajni-Let’s Be Mindful Series Being Kind to Yourself
By: Rajni Ghai Malhotra
Why is it important to be kind to yourself?
Have you ever been angry with yourself for something that you did or didn’t do? Or lost patience with yourself? Or beat yourself up over something gone wrong? If yes, you are in the same boat as most others. It is easy to be tough on yourself. But there is a better way – to practice selfcompassion by choosing kindness towards yourself.
Self-compassion is the ability to take responsibility without blaming or criticising yourself – a mindful acceptance of yourself which allows you to treat yourself with warmth and patience over harshness and temper. Kindness is inextricably related to a positive, proactive growth mindset - you are more likely to learn positively if you treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Here are some tips on how to be kinder to yourself.
Change the dialogue within
Become mindful of your inner dialogue. How do you speak to yourself? How do you feel about yourself? Are you harsh in judging your words and actions, for things you said or didn’t say or something that you did or didn’t do?
How we talk or think about ourselves directly impacts our confidence and behaviour. Dr Kristin Neff, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin, describes self-compassion as the capacity to give ourselves the same kindness and care that we’d give to a good friend. So, the next time you sense yourself being critical of your words or actions, pause and ask yourself ‘Would I ever say that to a friend?’ When a friend comes to you with a problem you would strive to comfort them, show them the silver lining, help them accept the situation with kindness. That is the kind of courtesy and compassion you must cultivate towards yourself.
Befriend yourself
The most meaningful relationship is the one that we have with ourselves. How would you rate your relationship with yourself? Is it authentic and accepting or is it filled with self-doubt and insecurity?
Take an honest look at yourself. Note your strengths and areas of improvement in a mindful, non-judgemental manner. Make a ‘gratitude list’ for what you believe are your key strengths and a list of ‘works in progress’ for areas of growth. Read your list daily and update as you go. Allow yourself to feel tuned in and more authentic about your personality.
Celebrate yourself
When was the last time you patted yourself on the back for a job well done or situation well handled? Just like you would cheer for a friend, practice cheering for yourself. It could be a small achievement such as completing a simple task that you have been procrastinating or a more significant achievement at work. It takes as much courage to appreciate your qualities as it does to accept your imperfections, do you have it in you to do so?
Look after yourself
Self-care, in its simplest form, refers to our ability to care for ourselves and function effectively while meeting multiple challenges with a sense of energy, vitality and confidence.
Practice a routine of self-care that includes quality sleep, healthy diet, exercise and mindfulness. It is important to practice self – awareness to recognise triggers and pacifiers that affect your thoughts. Cultivate positive habits and mindset, surround yourself with positive people and indulge in activities that help you feel authentic.
There YouGo! Being kind and accepting of yourself is a powerful act of self-compassion towards leading to a happier, healthier you. In the words of Robyn Conley Downs, ‘Growth and being gentle with yourself are not opposites, they are actually one and the same’.
Yours mindfully, Rajni Follow Rajni on Facebook @YogaWithRajni
Know India Programme-Ministry of External Affairs, India
Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) Division of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India has launched the first three editions of Know India Program (KIP) for the FY 2022-23 and is inviting applications from the Indian diaspora youth. The objective of KIP is to connect diaspora youth to their indigenous roots and acquaint them with India’s latest transformational achievements. The three-week orientation programme would promote awareness among different facets of life in India and the progress made by the country in various fields for example economic, industrial, education, science & technology, communication & information technology, culture etc.
For more information on registration, last date and other details, please visit : https://kip.gov.in/
Having grown up in Mumbai as a typical Maharashtrian middle class girl I was naturally exposed to different cultures of India. However not being in the internet era I could only interact one on one with cousins, aunts, friends, and neighbors.
My mother had two sisters and six brothers. In my impressionable age, I always looked up to my mother, my aunts and my uncles’ wives. Since I was a little girl, I used to keenly observe their mannerisms and used to admire their sarees. Talking about my mum and her sisters, they were from three different decades. The elder one was old fashioned and conservative, wore only nine-yard sarees and had her hair tied up in a bun. She used to wear gold jewelry from the nose ring to the toe rings. My mum was modern, well educated, friendly and could interact with anyone. She wore few pieces of jewelry, a six-yard saree with a long-braided hair. She was an avid reader and outgoing by nature. I can proudly say that I have inherited people’s skills from my mum. The youngest of the lot was different in many ways. She wore sleeveless blouses and had a bob cut which was not very common in 70’s. I learnt sewing, knitting, drawing, painting, art, and craft from my mum and her elder sister, while the saree love was inherited from the younger one. My uncles’ wives were also fond of beautiful sarees, while one had a silk collection, the other had a one cotton. I grew up admiring and observing these ladies and learnt most skills from them.
I stepped out of this family circle when I joined Uni. Here, though I came across different types of dresses, I was always attracted to sarees even in my teens. My life changed with the sudden demise of my father when I was in my second year of Uni. This affected my mother’s health, though she had a supportive family and was very well looked after by her brother and his wife. As it happens in the life of most young ladies, I was married off when my family found the right match for me. From Mumbai, I moved to Dubai, a city of gold and sarees. Soon I was blessed with a boy and a girl. In 1994 we
My Story -
My Journey Through Life
moved to New Zealand. With my kids had grown older and I had a lucrative job in the National Bank. I was financial independent, and I decided to enter the property market as an investor. This move continues to keep me financially secure even today. From my husband I also learnt about stock market investment and trading in the Indian and the USA markets. I thoroughly enjoyed forex trading.
While in Dubai my friends introduced me to stone jewelry to match my sarees. Soon collecting sarees and matching them with stone jewelry became my passion. In NZ , a friend introduced me to different weaves and types of sarees from India and my saree collection that had started in Dubai, further grew in NZ. After quitting my full-time work, I went back to exploring the skills I had learnt during my teenage years. Later I learnt learn quilling and 3D origami and did some quilling projects and origami models for fun. It was around this time that I started working on making my own jewelry. My family and friends saw there was a potential and encouraged me to start a Facebook page and I had a few exhibitions too. The response was very good. After my move to Sydney in 2020, I have continued with my passion for making jewelry and have participated in a few exhibitions too. My creatiions were well received. A well-crafted piece of jewelry can add an extra layer of dimension to any outfit, be it ethnic or modern. Here in Sydney, I connected with other likeminded lovers of sarees through the Saree Club. Soon my Saree Sakhis became big fans of my jewelry and started ordering customized pieces to match their sarees. My jewelry designs are contemporary as well as ethnic. I make jewelry for all occasions and age groups. The pieces can be easily customized to suit your style and needs. If you are interested in getting a unique piece of jewelry made check out my Facebook page, “ M’s handmade jewellery and crafts”.
Dozakh and Mughal Bachcha, two dramatic theatre productions of works by Padmashree Award winning HindiUrdu writer and novelist Ismat Chughtai, were staged at NIDA on June 26, 2022.
By: Rekha Rajvanshi
The plays were scheduled to be performed last year, but Covid-19 situation caused two postponements that collectively lasted more than a year. Three performances were scheduled because of the high level of interest in these plays among theatregoers. Produced by the Adakar Theatre and Cultural Group, these plays brought back nostalgic memories of bygone era.
Naulasi and Umdah Khanam (Saba Zaidi and Suparna Mallick), two elderly women living in a small house with two charpoys and the most basic amenities, were introduced in the first drama, Dozakh. They seek solace and happiness in one another’s companionship from their miserable existence must accept the fact that they cannot live together or apart and must deal with the repercussions when one of them must depart.
The women desperately strive to interact with everyone that visits their home because
live with her. Umdah initially gets excited but soon she gets to know of Hussun Ara’s selfish intentions. She also realizes that the move will separate her from Naulasi and she refuses to go.
Best actors from the Indian diaspora in Sydney – Saba, Suparna, and Akshat, along with Aditi, Nisha Thacker, and young Abhishek, gave excellent performances in their respective roles. Sets and props were meticulously created, taking into account even the smallest elements of the Mughal era. Senior citizens in the audience, in particular, were able to identify with the Dozakh women’s feelings of boredom and loneliness.
they are lonely and bored. One day a boy (Abhishek Gupta) wanders into their home looking for his ball, both make an effort to converse with him. Their life takes a dramatic turn when Hussan Ara (Aditi Dey) enters their life and convinces Umdah to come and
After a 20-minute intermission, the second play, Mughal Bachcha, was performed. Ismat Chughtai (Aparna Tijoriwala) turned the pages of her book to tell Ismat’s story as the lights were turned on the lovely sets, the eerie sound of qawwali ‘Khwaja Salim Chishti’ surrounded the imaginative world of Mughal Bachcha, and it transported the audience into a world they had been waiting to inhabit for the previous 14 months.
Amid the declining splendour of Mughal civilisation, Mughal Bachcha tells the narrative of the complex, egotistic, darkskinned Kaale Mian (Akshat Gupta) and the proud, fair, beautiful Gori Bi (young Gori Bi, Zara Khan, and old Gori Bi, Abida Malik). The performance described how Kaale Mian’s ego prevented him from removing the veil from his young bride Gori Bi twice, and a third time even as he lay dying. As a result, he left without seeing Gori Bi’s face. Gori Bi, who spent years married but was unable to coexist with Kaale Mian as his wife, was able to gain sympathy from the audience.
Other actors in the play were Saral Somaiya, Ananya Dixit, Smarajit (Bapi) Dey, who portrayed minor but crucial roles. The actors’ ability to flip quickly between moods and characters during the performance received a lot of acclaim from the audience.
Danish Iqbal adapted Mughal Bachcha, and Saba Zaidi Abdi skilfully directed both pieces. The creative team behind this successful production included; Samarjit Dey – production and ticketing, Dhruv Jyoti Gosh – art direction and lighting, Sumathi Krishnan – music, Sandhya Bose – makeup and costumes, Sunil Kumar and Tushar Bose – sound, and Saral Somaiya – stage management, Naseem Khan – graphics and photography.
Saba after the play, commented on social media. ‘Three houseful shows at NIDA this weekend reaffirmed our faith in to live theatre. I am at a loss of words to thank the wonderful, responsive and appreciative audience, who patiently waited for one year and eventually made our shows a success.’ Sydney audience, including Consul General of India Mr Manish Gupta applauded the efforts made by the Adakar Theatre Group.
Ek Garam Chai ki Pyali Ho
By: Poonam Naik
Tea or simply said Chai is integral to our cultural fabric just as coffee is to Australia now. Life revolves around chai. Back home, tea is getting more exquisite and exotic with new tea driven cafes like MBA Chaiwala. Inspired Down Under and you get Dropout Chaiwala. From international students to entrepreneurs in the making, the humble unassuming chai is surely getting a makeover to another level.
Yummy snacks like pakora and vadas, eggless cakes, maska buns to go with your chai are all available at your nearest Drop out Chaiwallah shop. Chai in a takeaway biscuit edible cup is a great sustainable idea. They also use kullad – traditional mud cups or chai in a glass cup just like
desi hawker style tea stalls from your Chaiwala bhaiya.
Their chai’s are made from naturally sourced ingredients, served in 8 flavours – Classic cutting chai, Cardamon Chai, Masala Chai, Ginger Chai, Lemon Grass Chai, Saffron Chai and one is their own Mystery Chai. They also offer a wide range of quick bites hand-selected to complement whichever delicious chai you’re interested in experiencing.
Drop out Chaiwala sources its tea from India in form of loose crushed tea. With three stores around Melbourne and surrounds, don’t forget to check their offerings at dropoutchaiwala.com.
Much luck to these chaipreneurs!!
Khazana - A festival of Ghazals, Mumbai
2 evenings of soothing musical journey of outstanding Ghazals.
By: Daljeet Bakshi
After previous few years of virtual festival, KHAZANA a ghazal festival was live again in the Regal Room , The Trident , Nariman point , Mumbai . Khazana family paid humble Tribute to dearest Maa Saraswasti Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar ji.
Lata mangeshkar ji has a huge contribution in popularising ghazals through films and Khazana is way of thanking her and celebrating her music life and legacy it was full of capacity and sold out on both the days receiving overwhelming response from the music lovers. Khazana a festival of Ghazals on 29th and 30th July presented by The Oberoi, Mumbai and Union Bank of India in aid of CPAA INDIA (Cancer Patients Aid Association) and Parents Association Thalassaemic Unit Trust - PATUT, The Oberoi and Union Bank of India and other sponsors extended their unconditional support.
Because of continuing efforts by the driving force of Khazana Padam Sri Pankaj Udhas and supporting team of singers and musicians, Khazana is on continuing journey as marvellous event. Leading most sought-after Ghazal singer and composer Sudeep Banerji has composed the khazana this song.
Prior to the event Khazana Ghazal Festival press conference held at the Trident (Oberoi) Mumbai, was attended by Senior Vice President Trident, Shri
Vyankatesh from Union Bank Of India, Neeraj Roy CEO Hungama Digital , Shri Pankaj Udhas and fellow artists Shri Anup Jalota , Ghansham , S Vaswani, Sudeep Banerji ,Rekha Bhardwaj ,Priyanka Barve , Pratibha Singh Baghel , Pooja Gaitonde , Runa Rizvi , Vishal Dhumal and Ojas Yogesh Adhiya. Rohini from Radio Nasha hosted the event so gracefully.
The Biggest Khazana Festival of Ghazals line up of artists for 2 days was
Shri Pankaj Udhas , Shri Anup Jalota ,Shri Hariharan ,Rekha Bhardwaj ,Pooja Gaitonde Priyanka Barve, Priyanka Pratibha Singh Baghel ,Rahul Deshpande, Shivani Vaswani , Ghansham ,S Vaswani ,Runaa Rizvii ,Shivamani ,Talat Aziz and Vishal Bhardwaj Aalok Shrivastav Nayaab Udhas and the lovely musicians Ojas Yogesh Adhiya, Sanjoy Das , Manas Kumar, Ninad Mulaokar, Vishal Dhumal ,Nirmal Pawar, Bernard ,Vaz Ashish Choubey on Sound Bimal Joshi Stage design , Vaibhav Patil Ginger PR. Rakshanda Khan and Madiha Khan were the host of the event.
Those who attended the event were full in flow of enjoying the mesmerizing musical journey of Ghazals and surely will be waiting for more in the next year.
Opera Events brings all the fairies to Sydney
Opera Miss/Mrs India Worldwide 2022 was held in Sydney on 10th July at Windsor Function centre Sydney under the guidance & mentorship of Anuj Kulshrestha Director of Hindi Gaurav & Opera Events - & The Director of opera Events & Yoga guru-Swechha Kulshrestha.
The event was 3 days long with first 2 days of training & grooming sessions like -art of ramp walking, yoga session. The sessions were also facilitated by NSW POLICE in order to make women more empower along with talent round. The gala day started with the lamp lighting by the chief guests-
1. Mrs Nimeesha Gupta 2. Rohit Pathak 3. Ritesh Duggal 4. Minu Sharma 5. Deputy Lord Mayor of Parramatta Sameer Pandey along with Anuj Kulshrestha & Sweccha Kulshrestha
The curtain raiser started with Ethnic round followed by sports round, western gown & questions answers round.
The fashion show was also organized along with lots of dance & singing performances.
The contestants & models were trained by Jo Shetty & Brinda Pandya. Teena Bhardwaj. The show was emceed by Kangan sharma.
After the tough competition The crown was given to the Sneha Chandrashekhar- Mrs India Worldwide 2022. Ramanpreet Sandhu- Miss India Worldwide 2022 Isha Khera- Mrs India Global 2022 Ekampreet Kaur- Miss India worldwide 2022
Jury Members were- Ajit Vastyan, Nimeesha Gupta, Rohit Pathak, Dimple Doshi, Dr Neeraj Duggal, Divya Flora, Nidhi Malhotra, Harvi Chugh, Sanjiv Bhalla. The event was attended by dignitaries and the members of Indian Australia community.
Friends of India Australia’s (FOIA) SpiceFest was held on Sunday August 7, 2022, and was attended by dignitaries including Federal Minister for Climate Change Hon. Chris Bowen, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Hon. Mark Coure and NSW Minister for Corrections Hon. Geoff Lee among others.
SpiceFest commenced with the Australian Air League marching in their sharp blue uniform playing band music. The Aboriginal smoking ceremony was the first stage program. Only fitting for Australia’s First Nation to inaugurate the event as it always was and always will be Aboriginal land. As the Aboriginal dance concluded all the dignitaries ascended the stage. They were welcomed by FOIA president Mrs Viji Sampathkumar whilst at the backstage FOIA vice president Mrs Rajani Nayak was ensuring smooth transition in the background. The event commenced with acknowledging the Dharug people, the traditional owners, and custodians of Parramatta.
On the stage all the dignitaries lit two giant lamps. Australian and Indian National anthems were sung by several FOIA youth volunteers, the latter in acknowledgment of the 75th year of Indian Independence. Councillor Charishma Kaliyanda of Liverpool delivered the FOIA welcome address and concluded with Councillor Sandhya Reddy’s vote of thanks in her trademark cheerful manner. All the dignitaries were felicitated with a shawl, sweet box, and a plant. A symbol of growing together.
Once dignitaries dispersed, Shivagarjana’s drums resonated through the park. Their characteristic white outfit with saffron sash and their rhythmic movements as they beat the drums truly launched SpiceFest. Crowd started to build. Then children took over in the circus workshop, learning to juggle, hula hoops and other skills.
Colourful costumes of dancers of various nations decorated the stage who were introduced by MC Chilly Philly.
Chilli eating competition saw twelve
A unique day and night festival experience
competitors from seasoned chilli chomping champions to young newbies. The competitors wore gloves because those chillies were so HOT they could BURN.. St John’s ambulance and ice cream van were nearby in case of chilli casualties. Chilli competition reminded us how not to react no matter how sizzling one’s life becomes, or their tongues become.
The lion dance contrasted the softness of the dance with curt movements even the lion’s eyelid movements were choreographed. Children received the opportunity to catch what came out the lion’s mouth. Interactivity was key throughout the event as it capitalised on the audience’s attention. Likewise, MC Wayne with his sidekicks, his words, Amogh and Medha involved them wherever possible. Before twilight the 200 plants had found new homes.
The outdoor stage performers became exquisitely spicy with belly dancing getting standing ovation. The night culminated with Brazilian samba with a lot of wiggling and jiggling in vibrant bird-like costumes. Literally jaw-dropping. Drawing crowds of people from eat street. There were a sea of faces outnumbering the seats.
Both the morning show Simha: The Lion King musical and the evening dance showcase Spicy Fusion at the Riverside were nearly sold out. Janaki Easwar the youngest contestant from last year’s Voice, sang in Korean, sang a Billy Eilish song and her very own song. Her talent knew no bounds.
In Spicy Fusion the audience’s hands and bodies became percussive instruments thanks to Girls on Tap and Lucky African dance. The turning Kathak dancer’s Jugalbundhi and capturing Arjuna’s dilemma as he faces his kith and kin in the war demonstrated Ruchi Sanghi’s range from fluid movements to dramatic emotional landscapes.
The Ettinghausen’s Jazz routine was stunning, transporting the audience to the 1920s. After the intermission Movement Nation’s hip hop and IMI’s Kpop contrasted the former’s staccato movement with the latter’s flowy ones. Phoenix Latin dancing brought Samba to Riverside rows of seating. They even threw in a lesson in salsa moves. Bollywood Dance School Australia numbers were full of energy. The various acts were threaded like strings of pearls by MCs Nick Fury and Saloni. The frenetic energy of SpiceFest transmitted from the stage to everyone’s beating heart and scintillating spirit.
FOIA volunteers worked diligently for over ten weeks, and they poured their passion for uniting people from all walks of life into SpiceFest. Investment NSW planted the CBD Revitalisation seed, FOIA nurtured it and cultivated the SpiceFest tree, a symbol for the diverse communities to grow together, a platform for a community event to tackle climate change in a positive manner. In FOIA they Engage, Educate and Entertain!
Thousands of refugees and supporters are expected to converge at Sydney Town Hall. Asylum seekers & supporters marched from Sydney Town hall to Hyde Park. The rally called on the new Labor government to convert Temporary Protection Visas and SHEVs to permanent ones immediately, after refugees have spent up to ten years without family, and having their children miss out on university, 2pm, Sunday 24 July 2022. Boats being sent back and offshore detentions need to end for good.
The opening speech was delivered by Hon Senator David Shoebridge (Greens NSW), with more speeches after from Ian Rintoul Refugee Action Coalition, Ramisyar (Ramsi) Sabanayasam Medevac refugee from PNG, Ali Nayyef Australian Refugees in Limbo, Md Abdullah Yousuf, Bangladeshi Refugees of Australia Inc chief advisor, Renuga Inpakumar Tamil Refugee Council, Cian Galea Vice President, Australian Young Labor.
The rally is part of national protests to mark the ninth anniversary of 19 July 2013, when Kevin Rudd declared Pacific Solution II and that asylum seekers who arrived by boat would be sent to Manus Island and Nauru and never allowed to settle permanently in Australia.
19 July set the stage for the Coalition’s Operation Sovereign Borders and was the beginning of nine long years of abuse and demonisation of refugees and people seeking asylum.
The end of the Morrison government has left over 19,000 refugees on Temporary Protection Visas and SHEVs; people who worked during the pandemic are separated from their families, denied the right to travel, and their children denied tertiary education. Labor has promised they will all be granted permanent visas – but they are still waiting to hear when and how that is going to happen.
Thousands of others are on bridging visas
that have to be renewed every six months. Afghanistan is firmly in the grip of the Taliban and crisis has paralysed Sri Lanka. Thousands of people from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan who can never return to their countries are victims of the fast-track processing system that has rejected their protection claims.
Thanus, a Tamil refugee brought to Australia from PNG under the Medevac laws, said “…July 19 policy has destroyed our lives & continues to make us suffer… this Government could change one or two words in this visa, just to let us study, to travel, but there has been no change.
“We can look after ourselves; we just need permanent resettlement…A permanent visa that is it, that is all.”
“When he was elected Anthony Albanese declared that ‘no-one would be left behind’. But refugees and asylum seekers are being left behind,” said refugee leader Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition, “Some of the punitive conditions imposed by the Morrison government could be changed with a flick of the Minister’s wrist.
“The people left behind in Nauru and PNG could be brought to Australia immediately. More than 500 of the people who were exiled offshore will not have a permanent future unless Labor grants them a permanent future.”
Md Abdullah Yousuf, Bangladeshi refugee chief advisor said, “Our refugee brothers & sisters did not come here for holiday. The government of Bangladesh is targeting students, businessmen and opposing politicians, as well as enforcing their disappearances, extra judicial killing them. That’s why they are unable to stay there. The current government of Bangladesh oppresses innocent people, so they have no choice but to run way from the country. When they came to Australia in order to save their lives, the Australian government continues to play with them. It is time to see what the current government done. Bangladeshi Refugees are suffering from their own High commission and consulate. They are government servants but treating refuges like animals. Refugees need to be treated as equals and fairly like others. He urged and requested the Australian government: Please give them (Refugees and Asylum seekers) a chance, accept them as a Permanent visa holder and give them the opportunity to contribute to the community, shoulder to shoulder in society. “All the refugees are very tired. After ten years, they have waited enough.”
Bangladeshi Refugees of Australia Incorporated (BRA) arranged excellent large Banners and T-shirts, as well as some colourful play cards which attracted a lot of the audience. Suprovat Sydney, the only Bangladeshi Newspaper in Australia (www.suprovatsydney. com.au), were the Media Partner of the events. Around 200 Bangladeshis joined and took a vital role on the rally.
Entire events organised by a senior Refugee leader Ian Rintoul (Refugee Action Coalition).
This report was provided by: Md Abdullah Yousuf (Editor in Chief Suprovat Sydney)
Our best wishes to Indian Community celebrating Independence Day!
