Wonderful NEWS we reached Marley's $20000 Target. Thank you.

I have just launched Ravi who fled for his life India only to be trapped in Manus and Port Moresby neglected for medical treatment in PNG for nearly 8 years and still trapped there nearly 9 years.

https://chuffed.org/project/ravisstoryafterthefire

If you know 1, 2 or 5 in Canada willing to sponsor and resettle Khan PLEASE CONTACT ME. https://chuffed.org/project/khan8yearsprisonpng

Please see the Northern Lights sponsorship guide to Canada for more details.

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Marley was born into an African tribe that the government carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide against Darfur's non-Arabs. He was arrested, detained and tortured by the Sudanese government for celebrating his culture and tradition.

Marley’s journey to asylum and safety from Sudan to Australia ended in him being forcibly detained in Manus Island. He spent seven years in detention on Manus. He is now in mandatory detention in Kangaroo Point Central Hotel in Brisbane, Australia. Locked in his room 24 hours a day. A "Hotel California" prison he can never leave. No court can release him. Marley is serving an indefinite sentence for NO CRIME.

There is HOPE. Officially certified as a Refugee, Marley can be privately sponsored by a group of five Canadians and brought to Canada. Marley still needs a group of 5 Canadian sponsors to submit his asylum claim to Canada.

A small price to pay for Freedom

It is possible for you to make his dream of freedom come true by donating, sharing his story or becoming a sponsor and helping him get to Canada.

Marley’s Story of surviving oppression and genocide in Sudan

Marley was born in Khartoum state in Sudan. As a child, Marley loved playing football and found he had a special talent for it. His family was from Darfur from one of the largest African tribes. The government of Sudan oppressed Darfur's non-Arab population including Marley’s family. The government carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Darfur's non-Arabs. Marley’s family fled from Khartoum back to Darfur due to the attacks and murders in his community however Marley stayed in Khartoum to complete his schooling. Hundreds of thousands of civilians died at the hands of the Sudanese government and it's President, Omar al-Bashir, was indicted for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

Marley graduated from high school and was accepted to study a Bachelor of Media so he remained in Khartoum to study. During University, Marley joined an university social group to celebrate their diverse African cultures and traditions. Marley was the treasurer and media person as he was studying journalism and distributed information and flyers to keep their traditional culture.

The situation in Khartoum slowly worsened and violence against African Tribes was escalating and with non-Arabs fleeing to Internal Displaced Camps. Marley was arrested by the authorities along with other social group members of the same university during a meeting. He was detained and tortured with the others for a period of approximately 42 days. He was released but other members were not released and their whereabouts are unknown to this day. It is believed they were killed by the authorities. Marley decided to flee Sudan in 2013 to escape persecution and possible death.

Marley’s Long Journey Begins

Marley fled to Jakarta, Indonesia in an attempt to reach Australia where he could live free from genocide and to a place where he would have justice and freedom to study. Marley crossed the sea in a boat for 3 gruelling days that held 170 men, women and children that was old and far from sea worthy. Marley had never learned to swim as he lived in a city and had never seen the ocean. Marley held tight to a tyre and prayed it would save him if the boat sunk. Eventually Marley’s boat was picked up by the Australian Navy and he arrived in Christmas Island. Marley thought that at last he had found safety and justice on arriving in Australia. He was wrong… Marley was forced to Manus Island along with 1522 other men. In this arbitrary process on Christmas Island,1604 women, children and men were forcibly sent to Nauru and in secret 1414 were taken directly to Australia.

Patiently for 7 Years “Waiting for someone to help others”

'No chance of being settled in Australia'

Manus Island Papua New Guinea was used by Australia to imprison refugees who arrived by boat. The Australian government calls the place where refugees were locked up as an ‘off shore processing centre’, many others have called it an experiment in the physical and psychological torture of refugees in an attempt to deter others from claiming asylum.

Here Marley was kept in a container with no windows in the punishing heat and humidity of PNG with 5 other men and locked in that compound for 2.5 years until Papua New Guinea supreme court ruled the detention centre as illegal and unconstitutional and must be closed. Many became sick, both physically and mentally and were forced to queue for hours in the sun for razors, toilet, water, showers. Whenever someone was sick, all were given paracetamol and water. The men to queue for up to two hours in the searing heat only to find no food left or that it was rotten. Water and electricity were frequently and deliberately cut off, at one point leaving Marley and others no choice but to dig a well and collect rainwater. Men were attacked by locals and beaten with steel bars by guards. On Manus 7 died, 5 died on Nauru from neglect of medical and psychological treatment and murder. Six years of medical and psychological illnesses from trauma, uncertainty, indefinite detention and neglect has led to their minds and bodies being broken. Marley fought to keep well and busy playing football and supporting his community.

“In my Journey I didn’t have any hope of people helping others”

Still No Freedom ‘8 Years Future Taken Away’

Marley spent 6 years in Manus and the May 2019 Federal election which saw no change in policy was the last straw of resilience and hope for all offshore including Marley. Marley was medevaced from Manus for medical treatment and detained at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel in Brisbane. He is kept in a small room with one other man for 24 hours a day. He is not allowed out of this hotel prison for exercise to play his favourite sport football and visits are not allowed since March even though there is no Covid-19 in Queensland. No court can release him.

Marley has no idea when this indefinite nightmare will end. It’s particularly difficult in these times of the Coronavirus. With no way to isolate or use social distancing, Marley and the other men live in constant fear of the virus being brought into the hotel by the revolving staff.

The Australian government does not have to EVER release Marley from Mandatory Detention and he is not eligible to settle in Australia or claim asylum. Marley is serving an indefinite prison sentence for No Crime. He has a right under the Geneva Convention to claim asylum, which Australia has signed but does not honour.

“There is a good side out there waiting for me”

Marley’s Dreams as a Champion of Social Justice

Marley’s dreams are simple. He doesn’t want fame or fortune. He simply wants to live a normal, peaceful life and follow his dream as a Social Worker. His pseudonym name Marley comes from his love for music including the epic Bob Marley ‘King of Reggae’, Hip Hop and Arabic. He would love to study Social Work at University. Marley believes he can help other refugees and people experiencing mental health issues with his lived experience. And of course, he wants to play football again and possibly see his team FC Barcelona. A big dream is to reunite with some of his siblings in France. Marley has so much to offer the world; he just needs the chance to live as a free man.

“Marley believes he can help others: refugees and people with Mental Health issues”

Funds for Marley will be held until he arrives in Canada by Jill Horton Facebook, Whatsapp +61422619199, jillelizabethhorton@gmail.com.

Jill Horton's media coverage

https://www.portnews.com.au/story/6856371/jill-fundraising-for-a-small-price-to-freedom/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-25/australian-online-support-network-for-manus-island-detainees/11245388

Stephen Watt, who is a seasoned private sponsor and volunteer in Toronto, reachable by Facebook or email.

Stephen Watt's media coverage in sponsoring Amir Sahragard from Manus

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.5353214/canada-like-a-dream-for-refugee-who-spent-6-years-in-australia-s-manus-island-camp-1.5353217

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/402828/canadian-aussies-save-refugees-from-png-prison-fate

There is Hope

We need your help looking for a Group of 5 Canadian citizens or permanent residents to team up to bring Marley to future. Before we can submit an application, we need to confirm to the Canadian government that we have funds placed in a secure account and group of 5 to support his first 12 months of life in Canada.

Your donation will contribute to Marley's living expenses for the first year, including:

+ 12 months of income

+ housing

+ food staples

+ startup costs

+ household needs

+ furniture

+ clothing

+Flight from Brisbane to Canada

Every dollar we raise will be held in trust by Jill Horton and the group of 5 sponsors in Canada and will go directly towards Marley's first year of support. When he arrives in Canada, the funds will be disbursed to him immediately, as per the guidelines established by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. If Marley is unable to come to Canada or his application cancelled for any reason, your donation will be directed towards the sponsorship of another Manus or Nauru refugee trapped in detention.

NOTE: These are funds for Marley to live on during his first year in Canada and extra money fundraised that will go towards the next person who is in detention in Australia to be sponsored to Canada by Jill Horton.

If donating with direct deposit contact Jill and I will issue a receipt. +61422619199

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