Memorial To Lost Refugee Boat People

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE

By Mary Dagmar Davies - Founder and co-ordinator

On the 19th of October 2001, a tiny fishing boat bound for Australia, sank in international waters and 353 people died.

Fearing death in their countries of birth they believed they would find freedom and peace in Australia. They believed in Australia.

Family members awaited their arrival in Australia They were so close and they wanted to be Australian citizens.

After Australia closed her borders that tiny doomed boat was their last and only hope.

This memorial is a place to acknowledge and remember the 353 precious lives that were lost to us in the tragedy.

We can think of each of the 146 children, each of the 142 women and each man who died.

We honour their lives and grieve their sad and terrifying passing. They were not numbers - they were people just like us - we should be told their names.

This is a place to offer sympathy to those who survived twenty horrific hours surrounded by death and expecting to die.

Some saw their babies die and witnessed the last painful moments of their children, their husbands and their wives, their mothers and their fathers, their sisters and their brothers.

Others separated from their families suffered alone not knowing what had become of them until much later.

This is place to offer comfort to those who will never again see the face of those they loved or feel their touch.

LET YOUR MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE HONOUR THE LOST OF SIEVX

JANNAH THE SIEVX MEMORIAL is dedicated to compassion and remembrance and the triumph of the human spirit.

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