By CASEY NEILL
GREATER Dandenong refugees say the ALP and Coalition are failing asylum seekers.
Association of Hazaras in Victoria secretary Hamed Saberi said the Springvale-based group’s members were very disappointed with the policies announced ahead of the 7 September federal election – particularly Labor’s Papua New Guinea (PNG) plan.
“Compared to the Coalition they’ve been more compassionate towards refugees,” he said.
“This is a dramatic change in government policy.
“Afghan people, I have been hearing that because they have been very disappointed with the recent announcement they are confused.
“They’re not sure if they’re going to vote Labor.
“We came to Australia. We are part of the community here.
“This dramatic shift in policy is very disappointing for people like me.”
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced last month that asylum seekers who came to Australia by boat without a visa would never be settled in Australia, but instead sent to PNG.
“The new arrangements will allow Australia to help more people who are genuinely in need and help prevent people smugglers from abusing our system,” he said.
The Opposition announced Operation Sovereign Borders – a Defence Force-led response to turn back the boats – and plans to deny permanent residency to asylum seekers already in Australia who arrived by boat and reintroduce temporary protection visas.
Mr Saberi came to Australia from Iran by boat in 1999. He was forced to leave his home in Afghanistan and sought refuge in Iran but could no longer stay.
He said the ’boat people’ issue was very complicated.
“I’m not sure how they can deal with this global problem,” he said.
“But they’re responding to the result rather the cause.”
He said sending asylum seekers to PNG would be “traumatic for people who have already been traumatised by war and persecution”.
Another asylum seeker, who wanted to be known only as Kumar, said Australia should seek the truth behind people fleeing Sri Lanka, rather than calling them ’economic refugees’.
He said Tamil areas were being changed to reflect Sinhalese culture, Tamil businesses were being forced to shut down, and people who questioned the government disappeared.
“Australia should also have conditions on its funding to the Sri Lankan aid program, to promote Tamil areas,” he said.
“Non-government organisations know the reality of the situation and should be funded directly by the Australian Government and not through the Sri Lankan Government.”
Kumar said filming the boat journey for documentaries or short films would discourage economic migrants.
“But the real refugees will still come,” he said.
He suggested sending people back to Sri Lanka as “spies” to catch people smugglers.
Greater Dandenong resident and Friends of Refugees member, Sri Samy, said she was very sad and disillusioned with the PNG deal.
“I may sound too idealistic when I say that ’stop the terror to stop the boats’,” she said.
“Countries that can make this a possibility don’t care or don’t want to for political reasons.”
