Justice and Peace Commission Statements on Manus Island

The Catholic Justice & Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Catholic Diocese of Auckland Justice and Peace Commission have both released statements calling on the Australian Government to end the crisis on Manus Island by bringing all 600 refugees and asylum seekers to Australia immediately. Both statements also call on the Australian government to accept the offer made by New Zealand to resettle 150 refugees from the Manus Island camp.

The statement from the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane reminds us that “the men are human beings just like us. They are fathers, brothers and sons who want to live in freedom and safety. They have waited for freedom for over four years. They have suffered enough uncertainty and do not want to languish in detention centres indefinitely.”

The Catholic Diocese of Auckland Justice and Peace Commission statement says that “Pope Francis has said that we should not be afraid of refugees,” and that he “has repeatedly urged countries to welcome migrants and refugees, saying that their dignity and right to protection outweigh national security concerns.”

Catholic Justice & Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane statement (PDF)

Catholic Diocese of Auckland Justice and Peace Commission statement (PDF)