Deborah has made this wonderful card for Ranjini – you can do the same

(click to enlarge)

 

I am shocked and saddened by your plight.

Please keep your hopes alive.

Changes will happen.
Rhavy, London, UK

Dear Ranjini,

I am so sorry for your plight. I am disgusted with authorities who give you no answers as to why this is happening. I agree that Australia is better than this. We have come far enough to surely treat people with compassion and dignity – but the actions and non-communication taken by authorities here sets us back 200 years.

Please believe that this dreadful situation will turn in your favour soon – it will!

Dear Ranjini & Family,

I was shocked to read your story and find it unbelievable that this kind of ridiculous thing can happen in Australia.

Please stay strong and know that you have a lot of support and you will be free one day.

Kind regards,
Angela

The following is taken from , Thank you Minister for a considered response.

“Dear Anthony.

Thanks for your message. The reason I have not replied earlier is not because of time constraints, but because social media is not usually the best place to discuss personal cases, particularly very difficult ones which involve sensitive matters of national security. I understand you are a friend of Ranjini’s and feel strongly about her detention. There is no doubt that this is a very distressing case for all involved.

As the minister who introduced the release of children and families into the community instead of detention, I can assure you that revoking a community release is not done lightly. Obviously, I can not share with you the reasons that ASIO has for determining that someone will be a threat to national security. However, I can assure you it is only done after a very thorough consideration and with very considerable evidence.

The Government continues to consider the policy issues around introducing a review mechanism for adverse ASIO assessments.”

Whilst I appreciate the response, I will continue to remind the government that the indefinite detention of anyone without trial is a grave injustice, and I encourage anyone reading this to do the same.

Thank you to everyone who has kept the pressure on the Minister and kept the cause on his radar – the last thing this Government wants is for people to be talking about Ranjini – Which is exactly why we must continue to talk about Ranjini!

Regards,
-Anthony

Dear Ranjini, I am deeply saddened by your indefinite detention without knowledge of the reasons why. I hope that you and your sons may be free soon. Many Australians are appalled by what has happened, and look forward to an appeal process being set up.

May God bless and strengthen you as you wait.

Paul Walton

#1MonthTooLong

Tomorrow will mark one month since Ranjini, a pregnant mother of two, was forcibly removed from her family in Melbourne and sent to the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney. 

Ranjini has been given no reason for her detention, which under the current laws can be indefinite, and has not been charged or accused of any crime.

We urge Minister Bowen to use the powers assigned to him as Minister for Immigration to immediately release Ranjini, and allow her and her sons to return to their home in Melbourne. A failure by the Minister in this regard will expose Ranjini and her 2 sons to a substantial risk of mental illness, as well as harming Australia’s international reputation. As 4 corners demonstrated on Monday night, ASIO are prone to mistakes and given the consequences of their decisions – a thorough review process is critical to avoid tragedies.

Ranjini’s detention is a clear breach of human rights, and the denial of access to an appeal is a breach of the accepted rule of law.

Please keep Ranjini and her family in your thoughts tomorrow, and continue to tell and remind your friends and family of the tragedy that is occurring in their name, in their own backyard.

One month in detention is one month too long. The Minister must release Ranjini and her sons immediately, or be held liable for the ramifications of their detention. One wonders how he gets to sleep at night.

-Anthony Bieniak

 

 

For those who were unable to attend the candlelight vigil last Thursday night, Pam – a close friend of Ranjini’s – wrote this very touching and inspiring speech which was read to the crowd of over 300 people. 

Click here for

I saw Ranjini, her husband and 2 boys for the first time since their Easter wedding when I
visited Villawood Detention Centre on the weekend. We talked for hours, laughed and shared
memories of their wedding. We cried too. The big smile was still there, the kind, gracious,
generous and brave woman was still there , but behind the eyes there was much sadness. She
told me again how hard her life was in Sri Lanka, how happy she was in the community in
Brisbane and trusted and respected the Australian ways. But now she feels confused and sad.
Ranjini and her newly wed  husband have no privacy at Villawood, no outlet to comfort each
other, no tender moments together, to kiss or hug as they are under constant watch. They
meet in a common room.
Parenting is very hard for them, there is no consistency with Ganesh returning to Melb for
work after visiting. The boys ask the security guards ‘Can you bring my dad to stay with us’
Why not’ what happened’ what did I do wrong’ When can i bring a friend over to play ‘When can
we go home’
The boys got angry with Ranjini when she was too sick to come to the common room to see
Ganesh. They didn’t understand , she said. He was allowed one minute by his wifes bedside.

Ranjini’s face lit up when I showed her a bundle of cards and letters supporters had written
We shared a book on HOPE. She wanted me to tell you how grateful she is for all the kindness
and support you have shown her

‘A HERO IS JUST AN ORDINARY INDIVIDUAL WHO FINDS THE STRENGTH TO PERSEVERE IN SPITE OF
OVERWHELMING OBSTACLES’

Continue to fight for justice until Ranjini is released

As Gough Whitlam would say’ MAINTAIN YOUR RAGE’

It was an amazing night, our friends at  actually ran out of candles – they have some photos  up in their . You can also read Benjamin Millar’s article about the vigil at the .  

Dear Ranjini

Keep strong. God Bless

Thomas

Ranjini,

I really hope you can reunite with your kids and get back to a normal life it really sounds like you have had a rough time of it so far. ASIO should be and no doubt is answerable to someone and all this national security trumpet noise they keep blowing, is kind of like a free pass to detain indefinitely without stating a reason other than ‘national security’, a system like that is open to criticism and corruption for all sorts of political and economical international leverage reasons.

A supreme commission of an independant nature and of sound recognised integrity should be formed as a buffer for the public with such ASIO matters. I hope that you get the freedom you deserve, and if you are guilty of something we as the public are not privy too then im sorry for your children but in all fairness i find it hard to believe that one pregnant woman is solely to be blamed as a threat as opposed to what that woman has done and who she has known and what she intends to do here, having said that one is lead to believe that there is some sort of political interest in you maybe due to the sensative nature of the things you may have witnessed. So who is scared of what you have to say?? thats your man there find him and you have your reason for your predicament!

Good luck

Paul