Ukrainian supporters and Townsville’s Iranian residents ally in push for policy change
Supporters of Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war, and Iranians living in exile will come together to push for policy changes this weekend in Townsville.
Townsville
Don't miss out on the headlines from Townsville. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Clutching a keepsake from her time in Ukraine and a reminder of those she’s fought for over the past year tight, Krissy Regan is reminded of just how much suffering has been endured over the past twelve months.
Since February 24 of last year, when the Russian military began its assault, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their home, and millions more have had to seek shelter abroad.
In the time since, Ms Regan, who has strong ties to the region due to a prior career located there, has raised tens of thousands of dollars and essential supplies for Ukrainians at home and abroad.
Now, she’ll be joined by others who’ve experienced the horror and tragedy that comes with state-sanctioned violence, with members of Townsville’s Iranian community joining with her in a joint day of awareness raising for the plight faced by both countries.
Shahen Wheatley, an Iranian exile who was forced out of her home country during the government’s upheaval in 1979, reached out to Ms Regan about a shared show of support that will be held this Sunday.
“I thought we need to get united and add our voices together,” Ms Wheatley said.
“The Iranian regime is fiddling around with a lot of countries and exporting their fanatical ideas to them. They’re working very closely with the Russian government, giving them drones and missiles.
“We’re two communities that share the same pain.”
Iran is currently undergoing a mass of protests and demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after being taken into custody for ‘improperly’ wearing a hijab.
But the incident that sparked the alliance is an older, deeper wound and one the event will commemorate.
Three years ago, on January 8 in 2020, a missile fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps destroyed a Ukrainian passenger plane, killing all 176 people on-board.
Ms Regan said the incident was a painful reminder of what both the Iranian and Russian governments were capable of.
“Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, that was shot down over Ukraine got a lot of global attention, the Ukrainian flight got very little global attention, but the loss of life was devastating both times,” Ms Regan said.
“There’s a lot of parallels between the two flights and Russia and Iran were responsible for them.”
Ms Regan said little had been done in the intervening time to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“That’s the issue, they could still do it,” she said.
Both women have been hard at work providing material support for the people they’re fighting for, whether through donations, fundraisers or other essentials, but they say it’s past time for the Australian government to step up.
“For instance, we could set up an Australian donation point where all the donated items of warm clothing could be centralised and shipped,” Ms Regan said.
“As opposed to someone like me packing boxes in my front room and taking them to Australia Post; some get there and some don’t.
“We need to have a long term plan and a long-term solution to help these people. There were a lot of individuals willing to provide help that just wasn’t capitalised on.”
Similarly, Ms Wheatley said the Australian government shouldn’t normalise relations with a country like Iran.
“I do not understand how they can justify it. Having a relationship as usual with a country that has lost it’s legitimacy, a country that rapes and kills 15-year-olds who they’ve imprisoned, I can’t understand that,” Ms Wheatley said.
“I know the people of Townsville don’t want those things to happen. They can relate to that pain and that’s the purpose, is to make sure everyone in Townsville is aware of these things and having those discussions.”
Both women, and their communities, will be holding a gathering on Sunday, January 8 at the Strand Amphitheatre at 5pm to raise awareness of the issue.
More Coverage
Originally published as Ukrainian supporters and Townsville’s Iranian residents ally in push for policy change
‘Device was inert’: Police update on Kelso bomb incident
Investigations are continuing into a suspected homemade bomb found near a burnt-out car in Kelso. Police are appealing for anyone with information or relevant vision to contact them.
Massive 350-home estate to tackle housing shortage
A proposed 350-house estate could play a key role in tackling Townsville’s housing crisis by helping older residents to downsize. See where it would be built.