On Saturday 10th August, Melbourne mums, grandmothers and teachers will gather near the Broadmeadows detention centre where Priya, Nades and the girls have been held for almost 18 months.
There will be painting, singing, puppet-making and a reading by June Factor of Far Out, Brussel Sprout! fame. Please - can you join this positive, family-friendly event?
Our petition to bring Priya, Nades and their QLD-born girls home to Biloela has just reached 200,000 signatures. But it has been a terrifying month for this beautiful family.
Three weeks ago, two-year-old Tharunicaa vomited after being struck on the head by a heavy whiteboard in the detention centre common area.
It took seven hours before detention centre staff would allow her to be taken to hospital, where she was diagnosed with mild head injury (also known as concussion).
Last Thursday, after months of repeated, painful mouth infections, Tharunicaa was taken to hospital again, where four of her teeth were removed under anaesthetic.
Tharunicaa and Kopika are not the only Australian-born children being held in detention in Melbourne. Baby Isabella has spent her entire life in detention, with her mum Huyen. Two weeks ago, she was rushed to hospital with Influenza A.
Before Mr Dutton’s Border Force snatched them from their Biloela home, Kopika loved to play outside in the park and baby Tharunicaa adored mashed avocado.
You only have to look at Kopika’s beautiful smile in family photos to see that she and sister were just like any other happy, healthy Queensland kids.
But then Border Force took these beautiful little girls 1,800km away from their QLD home and locked them indoors, away from sunlight for 23 ½ hours a day - for months.
Kids with darker skin need more sunlight to produce vitamin D, a vital nutrient for developing teeth and bones. But when Tharunicaa and Kopika were finally examined by an independent paediatrician, they were diagnosed with severe vitamin D deficiency.
The stress of detention meant Priya could no longer breast-feed her baby. She was denied access to fresh, healthy foods that Tharunicaa loves, like avocado and grapes. Visitors are banned from bringing fresh vegetables or fruit with them.
I know it’s distressing to read all of this.
But there is hope. Shadow Immigration Minister Kristina Kenneally, Victorian Children’s Commissioner Liana Buchanan and influential broadcaster Alan Jones are all calling for this family to be released from the detention centre and returned to Biloela, where they are loved and wanted.
Right now, I desperately need the people of Melbourne to help me show that our love and support for this family goes much further than signatures on a petition, by coming together on Saturday 10th August (click here for more info).
But wherever you live, you can do something for this beautiful family right now, by sending a message to government and independent Senators, inviting them to ask Immigration Minister David Coleman to step and help this family on compassionate grounds - just as he has done for others.
For everything you are doing for Priya, Nades and the girls - thank you.
With hope,
Angela xxx