For the past four years, I have spent my Friday afternoons
in the home of a Sudanese family who came seeking asylum from their country.
Each Friday, I work with three of their children and last night was no
different. Except for an announcement from our government.
While I was in the warmth of their home, Kevin Rudd, the man
who calls himself leader of our country, was announcing that asylum seekers who
arrive by boat will have simply no chance of being settled in Australia as
refugees. Instead of keeping our agreement to the Refugee Convention and our
values as Australians with “boundless plains to share”, our government has
agreed for asylum seekers to be processed and resettled in Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea, the poorest country in the Asia-Pacific
that has endured many years of political instability and in-country conflict
resulting in a breakdown of infrastructure. This is the country Kevin Rudd has
deemed suitable for the immense and complicated task of processing and
resettling refugees. Just recently I finished working on the Live Below the Line campaign, where I was raising awareness and funds for the people of Papua
New Guinea as more than half their population are living on less than $2AU each
day. These funds were to go towards assisting the young people of Papua New
Guinea to access education where there is a severe lack and to gain the
necessary skills needed for employment. Yet, this is the same country where
Kevin Rudd believes is the right place for the already vulnerable people
seeking asylum from their countries.
I currently have a family friend who is working with Save
the Children in Papua New Guinea. I have heard first hand of the conditions
there. The conflict and instability has not passed with time. Each day, there
are large armed guards at her hotel and place of work. Even our own government recognises
the dangers of travelling there and warns Australians to “exercise a high
degree of caution in Papua New Guinea” through their Smart Travellers website.
Yet, this is the country Kevin Rudd has agreed to send those seeking asylum at
our shores.
“Australia has international obligations to protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees who arrive in Australia, regardless of how or where they arrive with or without a visa.”
How can it be that our government can pass such a ridiculous
and unjust policy that goes against our international obligations and the
compassion of the Australian people? I do not understand one iota what went
through Rudd’s head as he signed that document. Kevin Rudd, a fellow Christian,
was certainly not asking himself the question of “what would Jesus do?” Jesus,
who I may point out, had to seek asylum and flee from his home country just
like those seeking refuge at our borders. But Kevin Rudd did not think. He just
signed.
We can make him think. We will make him listen. We have to
do what is just.
Australia must take action and rally against this
unbelievable injustice. So please, I ask of you to call, write, email, paint
the sky with messages of human rights. Seeking asylum is not illegal, we will
help our neighbours.
Australia has obligations to not return or send people to
countries where they will face risks of violation of human rights, whether they
are proven to be refugees or not. Kevin Rudd, I believe has lost his sense of
human rights.
We need to make Kevin Rudd see that he is not leading
Australia in a positive direction.
