Compassion is the key

There seems to be a race to the bottom between Labor and Coalition when it comes to their views on refugees and asylum seekers. Both these parties seem to have forsaken their basic values of human decency as they pander to the fear-mongering created by shock jocks and by being slaves to the short term polls. Helping another in need is basic human value, and refugees who travel across dangerous oceans are not coming to Australia to invade it; rather, they are escaping from countries where tyranny and oppression is a part of their daily lives. It will be a test of true leadership if these parties stand by what they believe in, rather than what is being forced upon them through petty politics.

Australia is a lucky country. With a vast land mass, the climate a blessing and resources in abundance, it is a country which can easily be shared with the less fortunate. Even smaller countries like Turkey have over 18,000 refugees and asylum seekers, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. In the United Kingdom there reside 238,150 refugees and 14,800 asylum seekers, making it over 252,000 migrants who have

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

escaped the atrocities in their homeland. In Australia, one tends to take basic freedom for granted and most find it difficult to understand and comprehend the life stories of these refugees, which number less than 25,000 here.

Perhaps one needs to consider the truly desperate reasons that will lead these refugees to flee from their country of birth. As migrants to Australia, most Indian Australians still talk about going “back home” for holidays, and they mean India. For most, it is difficult to forget their country of birth and its easy to imagine how emotionally devastating it would be if one could never return to one’s homeland. Most refugees do not have an easy option to just get onto a plane and go back home for a holiday.

Most Indian Australians with young families enjoy the security of a roof over their heads and a warm, caring environment. Now simply imagine the desperation that would lead you to put yourself and your family in the hands of corrupt people smugglers, braving storms and rough seas in a leaky boat in the middle of the ocean. And all for the smallest glimmer of hope of a life in Australia! One needs to understand and show some compassion to the situation and these people.

“Boat people” is not a dirty phrase. These are people, human beings whose need for relocation is urgent and dire.

Refugees need to be treated with respect and allowed some dignity. They do not need to be banished to Malaysia, Nauru or any other place. Their paperwork can be processed while they are in Australia, mandatory detention should not be enforced, and certainly not in the case of children.

The political parties – Labor or Coalition – should be mature enough to cease playing on people’s fears of new refugees. After all, all migrants to Australia are, in a way, refugees in their new home.