Attend a vigil
DASSAN has been holding vigils at detention centres for several years, to bear witness and show support for people behind the fences. Join a vigil and stand in solidarity with asylum seekers. Email us for details.
Read what author Arnold Zable had to say about attending a DASSAN vigil.
When we hear that people are standing with us we know we are not alone.
Ali, young man separated from his family; in detention for more than 3 years
Support one of our campaigns
Keep an eye on our homepage or sign up to our regular email update to stay informed about our current campaigns.
Speak out
We know how it is – you’re angry, you’re upset, you want to do something; you want to say something to someone!
Whether you would like to be better equipped for a debate with a family member or feel the urge to spread your words further afield, find the quick facts you need on our Mythbusters page, check out our cheat sheets on specific topics, or have a look at some past DASSAN submissions for more in depth information.
Contact a politician: write a letter or make an appointment to meet your local MP.
Write to a newspaper: Like it or not the NT News is an influential newspaper in Darwin. People who compile the letters page are obliged to provide a balanced amount of letters, emails and texts in support of asylum seekers – but only if they receive letters, emails and texts supporting asylum seekers! As a 2015 NT News opinion piece said:
“To those of us who are outraged by offshore detention; to those of us who will remain ashamed of this country until asylum seekers are treated like the human beings they are; and to those of us who see no sense in locking up people who’ve done nothing wrong: We need to make ourselves heard. This silence of good, intelligent people who know right from wrong is almost as absurd as the racism this topic evokes. We just need to be louder than the xenophobic bogans.”
Letters to the editor represent a good chance to present arguments in support of asylum seekers to the general public. You can contact the NT News by emailing ntnmail@ntnews.com.au, texting 0428 686 397, or sending a letter to PO Box 1300, Darwin NT 0801. Commenting on stories on their facebook page can also be important in getting some balance.
Share stories from inside detention
We are working with other advocates around Australia to keep a record of stories we hear from asylum seekers. While we cannot always do something about these stories, we do not want them to be lost. They are being kept together in a secure database. We would like to ask if you could send any stories or concerns to us to pass on.
Please send them to dassan@dassan.org.
You do not need to include any identifying details (name, ID, dob etc) but you can as the information will be kept confidential. Please include dates and centres in any information you share. Any concerns, no matter how small, are worth recording. If you have any questions please let us know.