Go back to where you came from.
 

I'm not sure what the situation with refugees and asylum seekers are like in other countries but here in Australia it's a make or break type situation that has the potential to rally people together, divide them and cost politicians their seat in Parliament. There's currently a huge controversy over the current Prime Minister Julia Gillard planning to push ahead with plans to send 800 Asylum seekers in our country to Malaysia for 4000 of their "processed" refugees. If that isn't enough, Malaysia hasn't signed the UN refugee convention and has been found to cane refugees in camps.

There is little support for this "Malaysian solution" and there have been an alternative to send them to a purpose built detention camp in Nauru..Hopefully we can find a better way than this..

We had rally's yesterday for World Refugee Day to support refugees and argue that there should be no detention camps at all in this country and that we should find better ways to accept them into this country. I was able to do my bit and take part in the one in Sydney. :





Back to the topic on refugees. In Australia we have a program coming up called "Go back to where you came from" where a few Australians experience what it is like to seek asylum in another country and it proves to be a very eye opening experience for not only them but the Australian public. There has been a simulation type game if anyone is interested in finding out a bit more about what a "typical" refugee would go though. Here's the link: Asylum: Exit Australia

The link for info about the upcoming show is also here:
Watch Online | Go Back to Where You Came From on SBS

So what are your thoughts on either the simulation, the upcoming series or refugees in general? Let's keep it civil though. ;)

Wow. An eye-opener if there ever was one. I thought I was being careful when I should be and taking risks when I needed to, but I totally screwed up in the end. Thanks for posting Pa'li Makto, and I will definitely continue to learn more about this.

Semi off-topic, but you wouldn't happen to know the name of that righteous marching band in the video, do you? I just love a good public bunch of musicians who are not afraid to take a stand on something.

Oh, the whole thing with Australia and how we treat refugees (I'm not calling them asylum seekers, as to me it shifts the emphasis. They are fleeing persecution and war, they are refugees) just makes me so damn mad.

I wasn't able to take part in any rallies, but good for you for doing so, Pali.

they should send back the unthankful ones that recieve a place to live and food to eat but instead decide to riot and burn down their own homes D: fuken pieces of shiit

...who?

the ones who demand better conditions and protest by standing on the roofs of the buildings, or the ones who set fire to their own homes. yes it's happened. the living conditions may not be the best or up to standard but atleast the government is giving them a place to stay. if they come here to get away from their countries devestated by war but decide to start causing chaos then are they better than the people they despise back in their home countries?

reminds me of a dude from highschool who stayed at my place for a week during the school holidays since he had no where to go. my parents took great care of him but all he did was complain. what a prick

I'm sorry, are you talking about the detention centres? Because if so, damn STRAIGHT they should be complaining. Those places are causing so, so much harm to those who are locked up in them. And, you know, they are trying to find a better life - one where they aren't persecuted, where they aren't in danger of being killed, where their CHILDREN might, possibly, might just be safe. I think protesting bad living conditions makes them human, and to say that protesting means that they are like the governments they are fleeing from...Yeah, we're really going to have to disagree on that.

And if you are talking about something else, do you mind providing citations/sources? I honestly have no idea what you are talking about.

i was talking about christmas island. there's a detention centre there that has been lit on fire (some of the buildings) and also the people refused to eat and stood on top of buildings. like i said it's not the best conditions but the government does what they can to take these people in temporarily. and remember this is all payed for by tax payers who work for their money. we live in a world where money controls pretty much everything in society so i assume you're smart enough to connect the dots.

but this is where i shall end. i never intended to force my opinions on to you or anyone, just wanted to see if anyone felt how i felt, and you seem like the know it all that won't back down so if i continue i'll be wasting my time. have a nice day :)

btw here are some references as you requested
http://www.smh.com.au/national/fire-...318-1bzkn.html
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/con...1/s3167639.htm

I disagreed with you on the protests (my opinion, clearly different from yours), and then asked for a source if you were speaking about something else (in this issue, I try not to rely on hearsay, particularly with the amount of misinformation that goes around - Children Overboard, anyone?)

If this makes me a know-it all, so be it. But frankly, I find it a misnomer.

This country has one of the lowest population densities in the world. Persecuted people who wish to move here should be welcomed with open arms.

Possibly, but we seem to have an ever present crisis of housing, and social security.

No problem :) I had some trouble before I finally got to stay in a safe country in the simulation but I couldn't send my parent over here and the violence got worse. Accordingly 90% of applications to have family sent over with you is rejected. Unfortunately I don't know who the band was but I'll try and look for you: They're called the Riff Raff Radical Marching Band! :D Riff Raff Radical Marching Band | Facebook

Thank you so much Tsmuke, the refugees need all the support they can get. If we can all band together we should be able to do something about their horrific treatment.

Here's a different look on that event. Socialist Alternative - Refugees have a right to resist Remember, you're only looking at lone side of the story that the media has given to you. Best thing do do is look at both left wing and conservative media on the same event and make a decision.

Here's more recent articles:
http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?optio...on?&Itemid=453 (What's the alternative to mandatory detention?)

Socialist Alternative - Not Malaysia, not Nauru: Let refugees into Australia

It seems like there's no way to "win" at being a refugee. :(

Oh, and thanks for finding out who that band was, I appreciate it. :)

I think there's no answer for every person. Some people go to countries because they know they can live on benefits and never work, while others make an honest effort to get a life going and do many important things. The former shouldn't be able to stay, the latter should.

Yes, but I highly doubt that anyone who is desperate enough to put themselves and their children onto a leaky, overcrowded deathtrap of a boat is the kind to go 'lol, we'll never work again'.

That is pretty true, one thing people need to realise is that for most refugees they do want to find work but their qualifications aren't recognised and normally they are thrown into the deep end with no job finding/ job education services being offered to them at the time of arrival. Normally it's, "We're signing you up for social welfare"
:facepalm:

When many Vietnamese fled to Australia via boat in the 1970s they were sent into Australia and given somewhere to stay temporarily till they got on their feet and were given job education and they all managed to find work and hold down that job. They managed to "integrate" into the dominant "society".
That should be done again, for all the refugees. It's not a question of the will to work when they arrive, it's a question of the usage of social security without job education by western countries and job opportunities that should be offered when refugees arrive.

Opportunities are offered, including for training and qualification, or to gain recognition for foreign qualifications if they have them, at least here. What isn't mentioned is people who are capable of working but choose not to.

I'm not so sure about here though..
The show was like a rollercoaster though, there were good moments but it's all mostly sad..