'I was terrified because the robbers were shooting at and killing innocent people. They raped some of the young people, including my cousin. She was only about ten years old at the time. I felt very scared for my own life when I saw what happened to my cousin.'
These are the words of Anthieng Majak, a Sudanese refugee describing the 12 years she spent in Kenyan refugee camps before arriving in Australia. Anthieng Majak arrived as an asylum seeker by boat and after spending time in detention was eventually granted refugee status. She now lives in Melbourne.
Asylum-seeking immigration has recently been the centre of media attention. This year alone, eight boats attempting to carry asylum seekers to Australia have been intercepted before reaching the shore. The seventh boat load of people approaching Australia exploded four weeks ago killing five Afghan's and injuring dozens of others. It is still un-clear as to what happened to cause the explosion.
When boat loads of people attempting to illegally enter Australia are intercepted the people are taken by authorities and detained in off-shore detention centres. Currently Christmas Island, off the coat of Western Australia, is home to a centre holding asylum seekers. The reason people are taken to off-shore detention centres is to prevent them applying for visa's and refugee status. A person can only apply for a visa on-shore, not in an off-shore detention centre.
The Rudd Government has made some changes to Australia's immigration policy since their rise to power. The changes in policy ensure:
- A person is released into the community from detention after health and security checks are completed while they wait for an outcome of their refugee application. In the past this has been under temporary protection VISAs, this is how to could work again but also there may be other ways.
- There is funding for legal representation to asylum seekers in detention centres
- Each person's case is reviewed every six months instead of every two years
The reality is that while these changes are a positive move there is still more needed to be done. Australia still only accepts a small number number of asylum seekers and mandatory detention still exists for people without papers to provide identification information seeking asylum in Australia. Both of these things need to change.
Australia needs to accept more asylum seekers
'An asylum seeker is a person who has who has left their country of origin, has applied for recognition as a refugee in another country, and is awaiting a decision on their application' (UNHCR UN Refugee Agency
http://www.unhcr.org.au/basicdef.shtml).
Australia is a developed country with a secure economy and reliable infrastructure. We have the ability to offer a life free from persecution to many more people than we currently do.
- In 2008 Australia accepted only 4,750 asylum seekers. In comparison, Canada accepted 36,900, Britain 30,500 and Italy 36,000.
- According to World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello, more than 90 per cent of people who arrive by boat are found to be genuine refugees.
Abolish mandatory detention of asylum seekers
Mandatory detention of asylum seekers needs to end once and for all. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) believes Australia can accommodate asylum seekers in a 'community based reception centre model' until health and security checks are complete.
This community based model they recommend is based on the principle of not locking people up, instead housing asylum seekers in community hostels while they are being processed. The positives of this model compared with being held in a detention centre are obvious, the emotional and physical well-being of a person is being prioritised at the same time as they are assisted with finding housing and jobs to enter into their new life.
The ASRC explain this model has worked in Australia in the past. Between the years of 1977 and 1981 over 2000 Vietnamese refugees arrived by boat to Australia and were not detained by instead housed in hostels. If it has worked well in the past then there is no reason why it cannot work well again.
I have spent the last week reading stories written by young refugees from all over the world living in Australia. Each story is telling of a world I will probably never experience. Worlds of persecution, torture, grief, loss, corruption and violence I will never fully understand. These worlds are so different and removed from life in Australia. I wonder if this is why our immigration policy is the way it is. I wonder if we would be so ready to turn away asylum seeker's if we had grown up in world's like these.
How do I know this?
Arap, Tom and Murphy, Damien, 2009. 'Blast warning revealed as Rudd declares war on smugglers.' The Age, April 18, viewed 7/5/09,
http://www.theage.com.au/national/blast-warning-revealed-as-rudd-declares-war-on-smugglers-20090417-aa9i.html
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, 2009. 'What the changes to mandatory detention really mean.' Asylum Seeker Resource Centre website, viewed 7/5/09,
http://www.asrc.org.au/act_now/changes-to-mandatory-detention.html
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, 2009. 'Why asylum seekers don't get a fair go in Australia.' Asylum Seeker Resource Centre website, viewed 7/5/09,
http://www.asrc.org.au/uploads/File/Why%20asylum%20seekers%20dont%20get%20a%20fair%20go%20page%204(1).pdf
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, 2009. 'The truth about asylum seekers.' Asylum Seeker Resource Centre website, viewed 8/5/09,
http://www.asrc.org.au/uploads/File/
The_truth_about_asylum_seekers[1].indd(1).pdf
The Age, 2009. 'Another boat of asylum seekers intercepted.' 26 April, viewed 9/5/09,
http://www.theage.com.au/national/another-boat-of-asylum-seekers-intercepted-20090425-aiol.html
Bolt, Andrew, 2009. 'Yes, Rudd is indeed luring people to their deaths.' The Herald Sun, 18 April, viewed 8/5/09,
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/
index.php/heraldsun/comments/
yes_rudd_is_indeed_luring_people_to_their_deaths
Kalia, Nayha, 2009. 'Afghan refugees die in explosion on boat escorted by Australian navy.' The Guardian, 16 April, viewed 7/5/09,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/16/asylum-seekers-afghan-australia
McManus, Gerard and Trickey, Gareth, 2009. 'Debate flares over Afghan refugees after boat burns.' The Herald Sun, 17 April, viewed 8/5/09,
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25344873-662,00.html
Ricci, Colleen, 2009. 'Slow boat to tragedy.' The Herald Sun, 27 April, viewed 8/5/09,
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/slow-boat-to-tragedy-20090424-ah83.html
The West Newspaper, 2009. 'Australia should lift refugee intake'. 23 April, viewed 9/5/09,
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=28&ContentID=137618
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2005. 'Refugee newsletter.' No. 2, viewed 7/5/09,
www.unhcr.org.au
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2003, 2005. 'Refugees telling their stories.' UNHCR Australian High School Article Writing Competition, viewed 6/5/09,
www.unhcr.org.au
