Shaggy Dog Comments...
So it may be a new year, but some things don't change... or go away. We couldn't fit in the rest of the series about the myths surrounding asylum seekers, courtesy of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education www.erc.org.au) last year, so here they are. Why do we believe it's important? Because over the holiday break, we've even heard the refugees being blamed for the bushfires. Funny thing is they're our nice white Anglo-saxon kids the police are arresting over these appalling arson attacks. Sometimes we have more to fear from each other than from strangers.
Myth 15: It is easier to get refugee status in Australia than overseas.
Fact: According to the UNHCR, the total acceptance rate for all asylum seekers in Australia is equivalent to other western countries.
The Government has claimed that Australia cannot afford to allow asylum seekers to land in Australia because our court system enables asylum seekers to appeal within our court system and thereby gain easier access to refugee status. In contrast, they claim that only 10-15% of Iraqi asylum seekers are granted refugee status by the UNHCR in the Middle East, and similar results are found in Indonesia. UNHCR figures do not support this. They have approved over 77% of Iraqi asylum seekers processed in Indonesia. This does not include those who gain access through the UNHCR's appeal system.
Myth 16: People who destroy their identification can't be genuine.
Fact: Most refugees are not able to travel through conventional channels because they cannot obtain a passport from the government that is persecuting them, or they are fleeing from.
Identification documents enable not only Australian immigration officials to determine identity but also representatives of the regime people are fleeing. This places relatives within countries like Afghanistan and Iraq at risk. Moreover, people fleeing from political persecution are at greater risk within their own country if they can be identified when they are on the move.
Myth 17: Asylum seekers are 'ungrateful' and behave badly.
Fact: There has been a series of allegations in the media since the Tampa incident concerning the 'behaviour' of asylum seekers. These claims have been continuously proven false. One newspaper reported that the violent activity of asylum seekers on board the Manoora led to a child having their arm broken. Former defence minister Peter Reith denied such reports. The Government has alleged that prior to being picked up by HMAS Adelaide refugees threw their children overboard. The Australian Navy's video of the incident shows that these allegations cannot be substantiated.
Myth 18: Detention centres are better than the countries they have left behind.
Fact: The German Government recently condemned detention centres, comparing them to concentration camps. Many asylum seekers have been the victims of persecution in the countries they have fled. For many, Australian detention centres continue their persecution by removing many basic human rights and freedoms including access to families, and to the media. Adequate support services for the most basic of needs are limited. Constant surveillance, musters and other intrusive practices characterise people's daily lives. According to the Head of Psychiatry at Westmead Children's Hospital, a young child confined within a detention centre was recently diagnosed with an extreme form of depression, directly attributable to his confinement. This was not a one-off case. Many cases of severe depression have been reported.
Myth 19: Sending boat people to other countries solves Australia's asylum seeker problem.
Fact: Australia pays for the processing of asylum seekers who are intercepted by the navy and then transported to other countries. Total bill for this policy is now $500 million, and rising. In contrast Iran receives $60 million to process over two million refugees.
Countries in the Pacific will not continue to accept asylum seekers coming to Australia. In the past Indonesia has accepted people for processing. However many nations, including Australia have refused to accept those who successfully receive refugee status. This has left the vast majority of asylum seekers in Indonesia indefinitely. Many in the Pacific fear the same will happen to them.
Nimbin's community radio station, Nim-FM, recently held a raffle to raise funds for the station. The first prize of $1,000 went to Nimbin resident Ron Morley, who promptly gave the money straight back to Nim-FM. We think Ron's letter to the station summed it up pretty well... 'Thank you all for your fantastic efforts in creating and running this community asset. You have provided me with entertainment, news (good and bad), music, interesting guests, sometimes even silence, but most important of all is a feeling of belonging. Thanks Nimbin.' Ron we think, quite simply, that you're a bloody legend. If there were more people like you in the world, it would be a richer (and we're not talking money) place.
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A special Happy Birthday must go out to one of our favourite human beans, Vicki Sheaffe (pictured) who batted her first half century on Sunday. Not only is she a beautiful and intelligent woman but she also makes great coffee, without which the cogs of The Echo would surely cease to turn. Happy birthday, babe.
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 While Shaggy is not normally a pussy chaser, we couldn't let this one slip by. A plea came from London this week from a lovely two-legged animal named Sarah who desperately wants to know if her cat Jimmy or James (pictured) is safe and sound. Sarah lived in Byron Bay from 1996-1997 and when she left for London she gave her beloved Jimmy to a friend, Jodie Law. Since then she has not returned to Byron Bay and while in London all her personal contact numbers were stolen, so she is unable to find Jodie.
Sarah doesn't want to reclaim Jimmy (she says he's always felt at home in the sunny, laidback atmosphere of Byron Bay), she just wants to make sure he's healthy and happy. If you know or have seen Jimmy (or Jodie) email sarahc@motherlondon.com or phone Sarah's mum, Jean, on (08) 8388 3223.
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