Adelaide protest against Tamil asylum seeker family deportation
Adelaide staged one of several protests held around the country on Sunday to rally against the deportation of a couple of asylum seekers and their Australian-born children.
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About 100 people converged on Victoria Square in the city on Sunday to protest against the deportation of a Tamil asylum seeker family.
The group called on the Australian Government to let Priya, her husband Nadesalingam, and their Australian-born children Kopika, 4, and Tharunicaa, 2, stay in Australia.
The Government tried to fly the family out of the country from Melbourne on Thursday night before a last-minute interim injunction was granted and the plane was forced to land in Darwin.
Priya, Nadesalingam, Kopika and Tharunicaa were then transferred to the Christmas Island detention centre on Friday.
The Federal Court extended the injunction until Wednesday because Tharunicaa had not been assessed for a protection visa.
The family’s plight has gained nationwide attention and has even found support from unlikely backers such as radio shock jock Alan Jones and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce.
The Adelaide protest was one of several held around the country on Sunday.
Amalraj Selesteen, 32, of Kilburn, spoke at the city rally, urging the Government to allow the family to remain in Australia.
“We want them to let them stay here because the little two girls were born here and they haven’t been outside of Australia.
“They want to live in a peaceful place.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young also attended the rally and called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to intervene.
“It is just horrifying that the Australian Government has treated these two young girls and their mum and dad with such callousness and disrespect, brutality,” she said.
“I ask the Prime Minister, it is time for you to intervene and to lead with compassion – What would it mean if this was your family... What would you do?
“I ask the Prime Minister to do the right thing, to show some compassion and allow this family to stay.”
Originally published as Adelaide protest against Tamil asylum seeker family deportation
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