Plea For climate refugees of Tuvalu
source: http://www.northcoteleader.com.au/article/2008/07/21/39552_nlv_news.html
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- JanforGore
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TUVALUAN elder Fikau Teponga's island homeland is sinking and he wants Darebin Council to help save his people.
Now living in Fairfield, the leader of Victoria's tiny Tuvaluan community is calling on Darebin Council to lobby the Federal Government to set up a new climate-change refugee category.
He is backed by Darebin Ethnic Communities Council, which will discuss an action plan with Darebin Council this week.
Mr Teponga fears for the safety of his mother, five brothers, two sisters, two sons and eight grandchildren, among the 11,000 living on Tuvalu already experiencing dire climate change consequences.
"Water from the wells is contaminated with salt and undrinkable. People see their taro root and vegetable crops dying before their eyes and the waves are creeping further and further on to the coastline," he said.
Tuvalu was a tropical paradise, but at just a few metres above sea level. The rising tides of global warming would wipe out this group of nine islands north of Fiji.
Councils have lobbied the Federal Government on behalf of asylum-seekers before.
In 2003 Victorian local government lobbied on behalf of 800 East Timorese asylum-seekers who wanted to stay in Australia.
Darebin Ethnic Communities Council chairman Gaetano Greco said New Zealand had a category for refugees displaced by the environment and Australia should do likewise.
Minister for Immigration Senator Chris Evans said Australia could help resettle people displaced by climate change.
Now living in Fairfield, the leader of Victoria's tiny Tuvaluan community is calling on Darebin Council to lobby the Federal Government to set up a new climate-change refugee category.
He is backed by Darebin Ethnic Communities Council, which will discuss an action plan with Darebin Council this week.
Mr Teponga fears for the safety of his mother, five brothers, two sisters, two sons and eight grandchildren, among the 11,000 living on Tuvalu already experiencing dire climate change consequences.
"Water from the wells is contaminated with salt and undrinkable. People see their taro root and vegetable crops dying before their eyes and the waves are creeping further and further on to the coastline," he said.
Tuvalu was a tropical paradise, but at just a few metres above sea level. The rising tides of global warming would wipe out this group of nine islands north of Fiji.
Councils have lobbied the Federal Government on behalf of asylum-seekers before.
In 2003 Victorian local government lobbied on behalf of 800 East Timorese asylum-seekers who wanted to stay in Australia.
Darebin Ethnic Communities Council chairman Gaetano Greco said New Zealand had a category for refugees displaced by the environment and Australia should do likewise.
Minister for Immigration Senator Chris Evans said Australia could help resettle people displaced by climate change.
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JanforGore
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It is so sad to see them lose their homes and their lives. This is what we need to be addressing as well for other areas where billions of people are at risk. Where would climate refugees go? Those in coastal areas of course would move inland. Then watch wars occur over resources. There is so much to this that so many refuse to see.
- 3 years ago
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JanforGore
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onechance
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Next up, New York, California... God I wish Texas was coastal...
- 3 years ago
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onechance
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jefftego
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And so it begins.
I saw a documentary a few years ago about Tuvalu and ow it was being impacted by rising sea levels. Sad that they are losing their country.
- 3 years ago
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jefftego
