From The Australian
EIGHTY-TWO Sri Lankans plucked from the Indian Ocean last month will have their asylum claims processed in Nauru after the Howard Government scrapped plans to send them to Indonesia.But The Australian understands that Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews, who announced the move yesterday, still regards Indonesia as a viable option for processing future unauthorised boat arrivals. The formal decision to send the Sri Lankans for processing on Nauru follows more than three weeks of negotiations between Australia, Nauru and Indonesia.
So their fate is to be certain uncertainty and indefinite isolation in Nauru, with the possibility of further uncertain temporary protection visas in years to come.As unconscionable as it sounds future arrivals may simply be turned back to Indonesia. It is unclear why we should be so fearful and so tough on ‘boat-people’ and not ‘jet-people’. Asylum seekers who arrive by boat (into our morally contemptible excised migration zone or even the mainland) are not afforded any of the legal protections given to those who arrive by plane. The majority of asylum seekers actually reside in our community, simply by virtue of the fact that they were able to arrive by plane.
From Machine Gun Keyboard:
In terms of actual numbers of undocumented or ‘illegal’ migrants, Anglos who arrive by plane and overstay their tourist visas outnumber Asian boat people transported by people smugglers by a very significant margin. It’s a lot easier for an Anglo to blend in with the general Australian herd. Even in terms of the actual headcount of illegal migrants to Australia by boat, the numbers are miniscule, certainly in comparison to the overall numbers of all ‘illegal’ migrants.
Kevin Andrews said, “The transfer of these illegal arrivals will send a strong message to those considering any attempt to enter Australia illegally.” If I imprison children born out of wedlock this is going to send a strong message to those who engage in premarital intercourse. That’s true, but it also doesn’t change the fact that I have unfairly treated an innocent person for some sick utilitarian purpose. And why the hell would it work? The people smugglers have been paid by the time they are out to sea, whether we have refugees lined up and shot or otherwise. It can only attempt to serve as a deterrent to asylum seekers who hear of their compatriots languishing in our detention centers.
Asylum seekers do pay people smugglers who get them into Australian waters on criminally neglected vessels, but they are innocent parties. It is not a crime to enter Australia to request asylum which is why no asylum seekers, officially a refugee or otherwise has ever been charged with a crime. This makes Andrews’ comment all the more misleading and par for the course in demonizing refugees.
This is the only possible justification for the elaborate and expensive “off-shore” processing we have in place. Claims of possible terrorists, filthy diseased Muslims or just downright dodgy people are all utter nonsense. Approximately 84% of all ‘boat people’ are found to be genuine refugees and are allowed to stay in Australia.
Whilst there remains no sustained public outcry, and Labor simply says the Sri Lankans should be processed on Christmas Island, there remains some measure of hope. A couple of weeks ago I was heartened to hear the following amongst a group of first year university students on a train:
Sometimes it makes me sick how racist Australians are, makes me feel ashamed of being an Australian y’know? How would we feel if Aborigines locked us up in detention centers? I mean we were all boat people after all.
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