Presbyterian Church urges Government to do more for refugees

The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is calling for an urgent review of the country’s quota for accepting refugees for resettlement.

“Only 750 refugees are allowed into New Zealand each year under our existing quota. We can do more, and we should,” says the Church’s Moderator, the Rt Rev Andrew Norton.

In Syria alone, the United Nations Human Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that there are 3.8 million refugees, and a further 7.6 million people who have been displaced.

“The need is great,” says Andrew. “And sadly, Syria is only one of many countries where children and families have been displaced by war.”

According to UNHCR, at the end of 2014, a total of 59.5 million people had been forced from their homes due to war (an increase of 3.8 million on the previous year) and around half of these displaced people are children.

“New Zealand has a proud reputation of responding to calls for international humanitarian aid, and we have a tradition of providing a safe place of hospitality and welcome,” says Andrew.

“We can not close our eyes to the great humanitarian need in countries like Syria. Children have lost parents, families have lost homes, all have lost dignity. The effects of displacement are deeply unsettling and profoundly sad.

“We strongly urge the government to take action now to increase the number of refugees we accept for resettlement.

“In this global humanitarian crisis where so many millions of people have been forced from their homes, a response that increases the quota of refugees accepted into New Zealand is part of what it means to be a good global citizen.

“As a Church we are called to advocate for those in need, and we believe allocating more of the country’s resources to supporting refugees is the right choice. It will make a massive difference in the lives of children and families who are offered resettlement here in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

ENDS

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