Statement by the organisers of the Melbourne refugee encampment: reaching 100 days of protest

On October 22nd, we will mark the 100th day of our refugee encampment — a powerful movement that has been entirely self-organised by refugees in Melbourne. This encampment has been sustained through the hard work of many volunteers who have come together every day to cook meals, ensure overnight support, and hold countless meetings to keep the protest going. Many refugees took days off work and made personal sacrifices to ensure the encampment continued. We are reaching 100 days thanks to their incredible dedication, despite the uncertainty they live with daily, all to fight for their freedom.

This movement has had a significant political impact. Twenty-five crossbench MPs wrote to the Prime Minister calling for action on the issue. Many MPs spoke at our Friday night rallies, and numerous community groups came forward in support of the refugees. Library workers set up a small library for both adults and kids, and local residents offered coffee and homemade cakes, bringing the community together and raising awareness about the seriousness of this issue.

Tragically, over the last 100 days, we have lost four refugees to suicide. Mano Yogalingam, one of our own, was part of this encampment, and it has been incredibly painful to witness the loss of one of our people to suicide. This campaign has required immense energy, and refugees have given their all to make it happen. It is a historic moment in Australia’s resistance movements, where a small group of refugees took on the state and led a fierce and unmatched campaign. This will serve as inspiration for those fighting for justice in the years to come.

As we approach the 100th day, it’s important to highlight that we are changing the format of our campaign. While we are wrapping up this 24/7 action and bringing an end to the encampment, our fight for permanent visas for the 9,500 refugees will continue in other forms. We will be organising a National Day of Action, targeting the offices of Labor politicians, and setting up information stalls. We will continue this fight until every refugee impacted by the fast-track process receives a permanent visa. It is unacceptable for people who fled genocide and persecution to remain in limbo after 12 years of living in this community. Whether you fled the genocidal war in Sri Lanka or the oppressive regime in Iran, you deserve to live in peace—and this movement will continue to fight for every one of you.

This encampment has achieved what it could, but our campaign will persist until we win permanent visas for all refugees.

We invite everyone to join us on October 22nd at 5:30 p.m. for a closing rally. We will bring together all the groups that have supported our campaign over the past 100 days. There will be food, a march into the city, and other activities as we celebrate 100 days of courageous resistance.

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