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Dear Prime Minister Anthony Albanese,
C/o Australian friends of ours

My name is Neil. I arrived at your shores on the 9th of August, 2012, amongst 200 other hopeful souls, hailing from Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. We were taken by the ADF Navy to Christmas Island, a refuge from the turmoil we were escaping. Today, I stand with them as part of the Union of Australian Refugees (UAR).

The recent Resolution of Status (RoS) visa announcement has provided hope for 19,000 individuals. However, this leaves another 12,000, including TPV, SHEV, and BVE holders, in the same unsettling situation. How can this imbalance exist in our egalitarian society?

Our children, who have embraced Australian culture and language, are being denied their rightful privileges. Despite having siblings with Australian citizenship, they are unable to enjoy their inherent rights. Isn't it heartbreaking?

Writing this letter was challenging due to language barriers, but I saw it as a vital testament to my journey and the invaluable support from my friends in Ballarat.

Our story echoes in the silence that met us during our four-day sit-down strike outside Parliament House. It was a disheartening moment, when despite being seen, we were not heard. We are not just faces in the crowd; we are contributors to Australian society, taxpayers, and hardworking individuals. Yet, we are caught in an uncertain limbo regarding our visa status.

Your government's slow issuance of RoS visas, the continued predicament of ex-detainees in PNG and Nauru, recognized refugees left in limbo, and those denied work rights - all these constitute an ongoing series of injustices that cry out for resolution.

Prime Minister, we believe in you as our champion. Your life story of overcoming hardship resonates with us, reinforcing our faith in your ability to empathize with our struggles.

Our dreams are humble, yet profound. I aspire to serve as a police officer, and my wife desires to work in the aged care sector. Our children have ambitions of becoming a cardiac surgeon, psychologist, and lawyer, and one of them dreams of being a rock star in their free time. We yearn to contribute to the society we now call home.

We beseech you to bring an end to the decade-long uncertainty. We implore you to grant us the FREEDOM and CERTAINTY that we long for. When can we expect your government to put an end to these inequities?

This petition isn't just my voice, Neil, but echoes the pleas of all refugees and asylum seekers represented by the Union of Australian Refugees and the Union of Australian Refugees-Friends Group. We urge you to stand with us, sign this petition, and help make Australia a beacon of hope and freedom.

Respectfully,

Neil Para
M: 0452533759
E: unionofaustralianrefugees@gmail.com
My little story: https://ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au/community-stories/a-plight-without-end-neil-para-pens-familys-story-of-fortitude-and-hope