Lithgow signs to become a Refugee Welcome Zone

The signing occurred at the Lithgow Library Learning Centre, where the Lithgow Asylum Seeker and Support (LASARS) group have held their meetings for four years. The group campaigned for Lithgow to sign the declaration, handing a petition with 300 signatures to the council in September.

Mayor Lesslie said he was very pleased that Lithgow Council had unanimously agreed to sign the Refugee Welcome Zone declaration. 

“[Refugees] they didn’t want to come but due to economic circumstances, political circumstances, fear of death fear and persecution, these are the sort of things that drive people out. And it shouldn't be happening in the world.

“Give it time and the people who come become part of our culture, our society and part of our group.”

“I’m very pleased the Lithgow Council has unanimously decided it is important to sign this declaration to say that we want, as a community, to be part of the process of welcoming people and making them feel more comfortable.”

Nawwaf Mirza, a former refugee and Australian citizen who has lived in Lithgow for ten years, said he thought Lithgow was a good place for refugees to come. 

“I hope it brings more refugees in Lithgow. There are good people in Lithgow.”

Mr Mirza fled his home of Sinjar in North Iraq 17 years ago. In Iraq the ethno-cultural group he belongs to, the ‘Yazidi’, are persecuted. In more recent years the circumstances of the Yazidi in Iraq have worsened. Thousands of Yazidi were massacred in Mr Mirza’s home town in 2014 by Islamic State and aligned forces. 

Now himself and his wife Salwa are advocates for Yazidi refugees fleeing to Australia. 

“Australia is safe and free and there’s work here. It is the best country, I am Australian.” 

Natalie, Mr Mirza’s 10-year-old daughter, said she was proud of her parents. 

“I want to do the same thing my parents do, help them [the Yazidi].”

Debbie Rayner, the chairperson of LASARS, thanked Mayor Lesslie and councillor Cassandra Coleman for their support of the declaration.

“I was pretty sure it was going to happen at some point. We were not going to give up until it did.”

The ‘Refugee Welcome Zone’ declaration is an initiative of the Refugee Council of Australia and invites Local Government Areas to make a public commitment to welcome and acknowledge the presence of refugees in the local community. Currently, 148 LGAs are signatories in Australia including Bathurst and Parkes. 

“This declaration is a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into our community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion for refugees and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in our community,” the declaration reads. 

While the Refugee Council of Australia encourages signatories of the declaration to take action in supporting refugees in their community, the declaration does not confer any formal obligations on councils to uphold any statutory responsibilities or financial commitments. 

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