RCAA COVID-19 Relief Taskforce established in collaboration between the Refugee Communities Association of Australia Inc (RCAA) and Help Himalayan Youth Foundation (HHYF) has continued food distribution to refugee communities, Asylum Seekers and international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The RCAA is an independent refugee-led peak national advocacy organisation providing a unified voice for people with a lived refugee experience in Australia. RCAA Chairperson Juma Piri Piri said, “We are very humbled and touched by the appreciation, trust and hope refugee communities and international students have shown to us for our small contribution when they are doing tough.” Since the start of the relief program, RCAA COVID-19 Relief Taskforce distributed over 2 tons of food packages, each package includes essential food items to last for ten days to Assyrian/Chaldean, Iranian, Bhutanese, Burmese and Rohingya Asylum Seekers families including Nepali, Nigerian and Vietnamese international students. This initiative has brought established refugee communities to support refugees from new and emerging communities together and empower each other. RCAA would like to acknowledge kind and generous contribution from Vietnamese Community members, refugee businesses and wider Australian communities. While receiving a gift of vouchers and welcoming card from 14 year old Kyana Bui, a daughter of a former Vietnamese refugee, an ISIS survivor, ten year old Chrestina Obada said, ‘ she was very empowered by the generosity and support and pleased to see that refugee communities are helping their own at time when they need support the most’. Thanks to the RCAA COVID-19 Taskforce Relief Committee members, Elijah Buol OAM, Parsu Sharma- Luital JP, Juma Piri Piri, Bwe Thay and Nasiba Akram for their hard work and commitment to create a better place for our community members. Also, thanks to Co-patrons Huss Mustafa OAM, Hakeem al-Arabi, Inspector Chris Allen, Victoria Police and Victorian Multicultural Commission for helping with relief distribution. Thank you to Muslim Aid Australia for adding a good donation to the relief package. ‘In life there is no greater joy than knowing that fellow former refugees and the organisation that you belong to, have helped someone in a time of need’ said Huss Mustafa OAM, a former refugee. Please join us and let’s support our brothers and sisters in need. For donations, financial or in-kind, please visit our website www.rcaa.tempurl.host for details or contact RCAA General Secretary, Parsu Sharma Luital JP on 0412 265 317 or by email: [email protected].

The Refugee Communities Association of Australia Inc (RCAA) in partnership with Help Himalayan Youth Foundation (HHYF) has provided basic food items to support 40 Rohingya Asylum Seeker families during Ramadan. These Asylum Seekers are struggling to provide basic food for their families during the Holy month of fasting and are not eligible to receive any government or other support during the COVID-19 crisis. The RCAA is an independent refugee-led peak national advocacy organisation providing a unified voice for people with a lived refugee experience in Australia. RCAA is active in every Australian state and territory. It has established the RCAA COVID-19 Relief Taskforce to support Asylum Seekers and other temporary visa holders and international students affected by the pandemic. The RCAA has so far used its own savings and contributions from committee members to provide the support. RCAA Chairperson Juma Piri Piri said “If any fellow Australians are able to help us support vulnerable Asylum Seekers at this time, please contact us so we can make a difference together.” Mr Piri Piri said, “From day one, the RCCA has been committed and dedicated to work with grassroot refugee communities, often left out, vulnerable and neglected. I am very proud my team has made a small difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable families overlooked by the system. At this unprecedented time of uncertainty, I urge fellow Australians to think of those temporary visa holders and Asylum Seekers with no job or income, who depend entirely on acts of kindness. Any contribution you can make will contribute to the greater cause of humanity.” While receiving a food package from the RCAA, Faisel Mohammad, Chairman of the Australian Burmese Rohingya Organisation (ABRO), said “This relief food package, especially during Holy month of Ramadan means a lot to our community. As Rohingyas we are forgotten people, and we thank the RCAA for supporting our community at this critical time.” ABRO spokesperson Aung Soe (Ro Habib) said, “We have about 60 to 70 Rohingya Asylum Seekers in Victoria on bridging visas who are not eligible for any kind of government support. These families have no job and income, and I am seeking financial and other support for them, particularly during Ramadan.” “I request RCAA raise our issue with Hon Alan Tudge MP, Acting Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Minister and urge him to finalise these cases and provide protection visas so that they are eligible for support. I thank RCAA for providing temporary relief for my people and supporting refugee communities. As an organisation formed by refugees with lived experience RCAA will understand the exact issues of refugees better than any other,” said Aung Soe. Ms Hazara, also a Rohingya Asylum Seeker said, “I will do 1000 Duwa (Pray 1000 times) for RCAA for coming to my door with food when I don’t have enough to feed my family in the most important religious time in my faith. I will use all this food to break our Ramadan fasting as long as it lasts.” Another Rohingya Asylum Seeker, Ms Begum said, “Until today no one has provided food like this to my family. We have no support from the government or Centrelink. This food will mean a lot to us, thank you RCAA and Rohingya leaders, she said.” Mr Piri Piri said, “While consulting our refugee communities across Australia during the COVID-19 crisis, we have also found a need for digital devices (tablets, laptops, smart phones) for students to study from home. Many families have only one or two devices but have around five or more family members who need individual devices to be able to study from home. I urge fellow Australians or organisations to donate if you have spare devices in your homes.” For donations, financial or in-kind, please visit our website www.rcaa.tempurl.host for details or contact RCAA General Secretary, Parsu Sharma Luital JP on 0412 265 317 or by email: [email protected].  

The Refugee Communities Association of Australia Inc (RCAA) applauds the Morrison Government’s leadership in managing the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Australia. The RCAA is led by refugee communities and their representative groups in every state and territory, as a unified peak national body that advocates for people of refugee background, with lived experience in Australia. The RCAA has been working with refugee communities and other vulnerable groups, including asylum seekers and international students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. RCAA would like to urge the Commonwealth Government to extend support for temporary visa holders who have been financially affected by losing their work as a result of COVID-19. The RCAA supports the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia’s (FECCA) statement, “Temporary visa holders must not be left behind.” Juma Piri Piri, RCAA Chairperson, fears that failure to extend these payments to students and others living in Australia on temporary visas will create another humanitarian crisis. Mr Piri Piri called on the Government to extend the Jobkeeper and Jobseeker payments to temporary visa holders and to establish a dedicated hardship fund for international students who are unable to return to their home countries. Elijah Buol OAM, RCAA Deputy Chairperson and 2019 Qld Local Hero said, “he is very pleased that the Morison Government has shown active and strong leadership in dealing with the current crisis. It is, therefore, very important to extend this same admirable act of leadership to those who need our support the most in our community, regardless of their visa or residency status,” Mr Piri Piri said, “Excluding students and other temporary visa holders from the Jobseeker and Jobkeeper payments denies a safety net to people who have no income and no way to return to their home countries. This can only end in tragedy. One international student is already known to have taken his own life. The COVID-19 crisis also creates a future economic risk for Australia, as major Australian industries, including education, agriculture, and hospitality rely on temporary migrants’ workers. “Further, Australia risks its reputation as a preferred destination for people from around the world for work and study and there will be a long-term impact to international education sector, valued at over $35 billion, said Mr Piri. For more information, please contact the RCAA General Secretary, Parsu Sharma Luital JP on 0412 265 317 or by email: [email protected]