Government's Treatment of Refugees Racist: Expert Library: LIF-SOC Keywords: AUSTRALIA REFUGEES RACISM MIDDLE-EAST ASYLUM Description: The Australian Government's treatment of so-called "boat people" verges on racist, according to one of the country's leading independent commentators on refugee and asylum seeker issues.
http://www.newswise.com/articles/2001/7/REFUGEES.ADU.html
The Australian Government's treatment of so-called "boat people" verges on racist, according to one of the country's leading independent commentators on refugee and asylum seeker issues.
Adelaide University PhD graduate (Politics) Dr Don McMaster, who is also author of Asylum Seekers: Australia's Response to Refugees, says the Government's attitude towards different groups of illegal immigrants is mixed at best and discriminatory at worst.
"When the 50,000 or so people - mainly from Britain and North America - overstay their visa each year, the Government doesn't put them in an isolated detention centre in the Australian Outback," he says. "So why are the 4000 people who arrived by boat in the last year treated differently?
"I think their place of origin has quite a bit to do with it: those arriving by boat are mostly from the Middle East and Asia, and they quite often can't speak English. This is compared to the vast majority of people who overstay their visas; these people are mostly Britons or Americans who do speak English and who often do have that Anglo-Saxon heritage."
"I believe the Government tries to paint these boat people almost as invaders, it's like a return to the days of White Australia - these people are invading us from the North; if we let these people in too easily then whole hordes will follow, and so on."
Even the Government and media's use of the label "illegal" colours public attitude towards the asylum seekers, according to Dr McMaster; it denotes criminality and is a form of scare-mongering and fear. He argues that there is no middle ground where the public is getting correct and balanced information on the arrivals and conditions in the detention centres from both the government and the media.
"The reality is that over 80% of recently detained asylum seekers have been recognised as genuine refugees," he says.
"So why is Australia, as a so-called civilised country, treating these people so harshly when the majority of them are genuinely fleeing persecution, torture and even death? It is impossible for these people to safely obtain the necessary travel documents, either because no office exists or it simply is too dangerous."
Dr McMaster says he is also concerned the problem of treating asylum seekers poorly will get worse before it gets better.
"The recent outbreaks and protests at detention centres have exposed a
system that is mismanaged and in crisis," he says. "It doesn't matter that
there's an election this year and there could be a change of Government.
>From the research I've done, the two major parties adopt a very similar
position to the treatment of boat people and I don't see that changing in
the foreseeable future."
MEDIA CONTACT: Dr Don McMaster, Tel: 0419 031 228 (mobile), +61 8 8303 3521 (w). Ben Osborne (media office), Tel: +61 8 830 ooooooooo Kevin Dean Buffalo, NY ***Visit http://www.yaysoft.com for the latest in computers, politics and strange off-the-wall news and discussions!*** ICQ # 8616001 ooooo
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