Thursday, 29 August 2024

Mano Yogalingham

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:58): Last night the community gathered on the steps of Parliament for Mano. Mano Yogalingham took his own life and passed away yesterday after 12 years of suffering at the hands of Australian governments who refused to allow him to live here permanently. He arrived here as a child. He made good friends at high school and should have been looking forward to his life, but at 23 he could not take the pain of this limbo anymore. As was remarked by those paying tribute to him last night, the act of self-immolation is an act of profound pain. What are we doing to people in this country? Mano was one of thousands of people seeking asylum and refuge who were unjustly denied permanent protection, because of the Liberals’ fast-track scheme. Despite its veiled promises, Labor has refused to review and reassess all those who were unfairly denied permanent protection by Scott Morrison and his government, which waged a war on people seeking asylum and refuge in Australia. Maybe that is because Labor were the architects of our cruel border regime when they denied thousands fleeing war, including Tamils from Sri Lanka, the right to live peacefully here, because of their political need to look tough. Mano had helped to organise the encampment that has been protesting for 45 days and is now outside the Department of Home Affairs office. They have been keeping vigil, desperately pleading for the government to listen to their plights. Our community grieves for him, his family and friends. Politics in this country is killing people.