Join us on Sunday March28th for the Unity in the Community BBQ – calling on our government for a fair go for Sheikh Mansour Leghaei.

This is a chance for all of Sheikh Mansour’s supporters – Muslims, Christians, people of other faiths and people of no specific faith – to come together to express their concern for the man and his family.

Festivities will be held at Steel Park (Illawarra Road, Marrickville) beginning at 11am and continuing until 4pm.  Sausages will be provided, courtesy of the Imam Husain Islamic Centre but you can equally bring your own picnic (but NO alcohol please).

Download the full-sized poster by clicking here.  Print it and post it up in your  school, church, mosque or office.

Having submitted his formal appeal to the Minister for Immigration, Sheikh Mansour Leghaei has broken his silence and spoken openly to Lateline about his concern for his family and his ongoing hope for justice.

Sheikh Mansour’s story has been widely publicised in all the major Sydney papers this week and is gaining international attention.  Amongst other media pieces published this week:

• Sydney Morning Herald: “One last chance for cleric in ASIO’s sights“
• The Canterbury Torch and Valley Times publish “Forced Out“.
• The Australian publishes “Sheik Leghaei wins another month’s visa“
• The Leader publishes “Sheikh fights deportation after ASIO concerns“
• Sheikh Mansour and Ali are interviewed on JJJ Hack Radio
• Father Dave speaks on his relationship with Sheikh on ABC’s The Drum.

And the good news is that Sheikh Mansour has now been given an extension on his visa until the Minister for Immigration has considered his appeal.  The extension currently takes him through to the middle of April 2010

Sydney, March 15:  The Australian children of a moderate Shia Muslim cleric who is facing deportation have appealed for their parents to be allowed to stay in this country.

Sheikh Mansour Leghaei has submitted a final appeal to Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans to reconsider his deportation, originally scheduled for Friday.

The deportation would split the family, with Dr and Mrs Leghaei and their 20 year-old son, Ali, being forced to return to Iran and their 14 year old daughter, Fatima, and two older sons remaining in Australia.

Fatima, who was born in St George Hospital Kogarah in 1995, has sent a letter to Senator Evans describing  how the anxiety and uncertainty over the threat of deportation have impacted the entire family.

“I am proud of my father and all that he stands for… He has taught me to love who and what I am and where I am,” she wrote to Senator Evans.

“As an Australian I have the right to live in my country with my family. I deserve the love and support of a father.”

Although Dr Leghaei  has lived in Australia for 16 years, his application for residency has been denied due to two adverse security assessments made by ASIO several years ago.

Dr Leghaei strenuously denies that he has ever been a threat to national security.

His bid to remain in Australia is backed by a large group of multi faith supporters, including Anglican, Catholic, indigenous and other community leaders in inner Western Sydney.

Dr Leghaei leads the 1500-member Imam Husain Islamic Centre in Earlwood and is the elected head of the local Interfaith Committee.  A moderate Shia and Australia’s only English speaking Iranian cleric, his community work involves youth outreach, marriage counseling and online university education.

Dr Leghaei and his family are available for interview.  Media can apply through a comment on this post.

March 2010 – the Australian TV media reports on the Save the Sheikh campaign.

ABC Lateline breaks the story March 8, follow by both Seven and Ten News on March 9.

Channel 7, March 11th, 2010

Channel 10, March 11th, 2010

ABC Lateline, March 8, 2010 (the transcript)

Other major media pick up the story:

The Australian, March 10, 2010: “Sheik in last-ditch bid to stay here“

ABC News, March 9, 2010: “Peace-making sheikh on verge of deportation“

The Australian, March 14, 2010: “Muslim Cleric hard to replace”

9 Mar 2010 1:37PM

Sydney, March 9: Anglican, Catholic, Indigenous and Muslim community leaders have joined in seeking to block the imminent deportation of one of Australia’s most senior Islamic leaders.

Sheikh Mansour Leghaei, his wife and one of his four children are facing deportation to Iran on Friday, March 19, despite having lived in Australia since 1994.

Dr Leghaei plays a leading role in “interfaith” dialogues which work across religious divides to develop social services, such as youth outreach. More than 1,000 letters are being sent to Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans from prominent community leaders including:-

• Anglican Minister Father Dave Smith
• Former head of the Cancer Council Australia, Professor Alan Coates
• Franciscan nun Sister Aileen Crowe
• Uniting Church Minister Rev Hannie Hoffman
• Boxer Nader Hamden
• Indigenous leader Pastor Ray Minniecon
• Marrickville Mayor Sam Iskander

“Dr Leghaei has been central to our combined work in the community with the young and the disaffected. We are horrified at the thought of trying to continue this work without him,” said Father Smith, founder of the Christian Save the Sheikh Coalition.

“At a time when it is more important than ever to build bridges between people of different faiths, his removal will provoke enormous bitterness and tension.”

Dr Leghaei, a moderate Shia and Australia’s leading English speaking Iranian cleric, leads the 1500-member Imam Husain Islamic Centre in Earlwood and is the elected head of the local Interfaith Committee.

He has been denied permanent residency in Australia due to two adverse security assessments issued by ASIO several years ago. He has been fighting for 10 years to have these assessments overturned but  an immigration appeals tribunal last month rejected his final application to remain in Australia.

Dr Leghaei strenuously denies that he is a threat to national security.
Community leaders say he has never been told the reason for the assessments and has repeatedly been denied procedural fairness and natural justice.

“I can vouch for the fact that Dr Leghaei is no threat to national security. We call on the Minister to order a new security assessment and enable the sheikh’s important work to continue,” Father Smith said.

www.savethesheikh.com

Christian Save the Sheikh Coalition spokesperson: Father Dave Smith 61-2-9569-1255