Grooveon Forums

Id be interested to hear your views on this topic.

This is mostly in reference to the recent boats that have been intercepted off the NW coast of Australia.

Many of the people on board these boats claim to be from Afghanistan.

My issue is that Afghanistan does not have a port. It’s nearest port is from either Pakistan, Iran and Iraq.

The people on board have claimed that they are fleeing their wore torn country.

My belief is (and im from that part of the world and i know that bribery and corruption rules that area)

I believe these asylum seekers from Afghanistan have paid their way thru channels in the above neighboring countries and gotten onto boats either bound for Indonesia or Australia. The real poor suffering Afghan’s are still stuck in Afghanistan or fleeing to areas in Pakistan.

I think our law here are a bit soft in regards to this issue. I mean if your fleeing a wore torn country why come all the way to Australia...wouldn’t you be happy to be away from your country in a neighboring country like for example Saudia Arabia or UAE. Is the answer that Saudia and UAE have strict laws and thus people take the long boat ride to Australia because they know we are soft?

All im saying is that being from that region and knowing how corrupt governments and certain people are i dont understand how our laws are so soft.

uh-oh, we had this topic a while ago and it turned into an all out flame war. Lets try to keep this thread civilized shall we.

Its funny you mention the word civilized when speaking of Asylum seekers....are we civilized towards people who are just seeking the same rights as what you and I have? Why do we treat them as if they don’t deserve to live in safety?

Every person has the right to live free from persecution, or the fear of persecution, based on their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Though every government is obligated to provide this right, many fail. Every year millions of people face persecution for traits they cannot control or exercising their religious or political beliefs. When governments fail to protect these rights, people have the right to move to a country that will protect them. This is the right to asylum

I have no issue with Asylum seekers so long as they:

1.  abide by the laws and customs of the country in which they enter (laws and customs that may vary dramatically from the ones they may have been exposed to)
2.  do not abuse the financial benefits that may be afforded to them as refugees.

I know this may be deemed selfish (point 2 is) and all this coming from a person who parents whilst not asylum seekers certainly entered Australia as migrants seeking a better life for them and their children

B-Love

All for them but not in the inner suburbs/city! We need help building rural infrastructure - send em out to the bush!

We all want people to live in peace and harmony. Im all for helping Asylum seekers...however my post is about what is a genuine asylum seeker.

No one read my post...it about people who use money to make their way from wore torn areas and get on a boat to come all the way to Australia...if i was running away from a country where my home and my people are being destroyed i would be very grateful to flee to a neighbouring country. My issue is why travel all the way to Australia...its because past history suggests that we are soft on laws. Theres alot of corruption in that part of the world..whos to say taliban or other people bribe their way onto a boat and then throw all their ID off the side of the boat before nearing australias shores.

My question is. Why not go across to Bharain or Dubai or other places in that area. The answer is they know that many people luck enough to get on a boat are not genuine refugees...they have paid their way onto the boat...and the people organizing the boats know that they stand no chance sailing to those countries as those countries are strict so they take the route to australia cos they know we are soft.

Ive lived in Pakistan..in Karachi which is the port city....its very hard to distinguish who is who there are over 30 or 40 different groups of people....MQM, Taliban amongst many....its near impossible to distinguish who is fleeing or what their political alliance is there is no way of distinguishing whether they are a pakistani or a afghani let alone a genuine refugee getting on those boats bound for australia...so our border control has to be very tight. Money and bribes rule in that area....look at the news Pakistan is in a huge political storm the country is heading towards a failed state its out of control...i know of many people some even well off who are trying any which way to flee the country...when money and bribary and corruption is rife in the higher levels of the government then its really foolish to think that people fleeing that part of the area are genuine refugees. They mite be but its a very very small percentage.

The genuine refugees are the ones who are still stuck at the afghan/pakistan border caught up in the crossfire of Taliban, Al Queda, Pakistani and Colition forces. The ones who have money or know of connections in Pakistan are able to bribe their way onto boats.

^ what definition are you using to decide who is a refugee and who isn’t?

Remember how Australia used to be described as the land of opportunity? Could it be that our high standards of living are what is attracting people to make a treacherous journey in an attempt to get here?

I don’t think you can discount someone from being classified as a “genuine” refugee simply because they paid their way on to a boat. How do you know that that person didn’t use every last cent of their savings to do it?

Furthermore, since when is it necesary to be poverty-stricken to be a refugee? You can have all the money you like, it doesn’t necessarily free you from persecution for other reasons.

I read your post. And who is to say what the people who have money went through and sold to get onto these boats. To bribe and to have those connections is most probably the only way they knew how to get to safety- it doesn’t mean they are living life large..It doesn’t mean they are not a genuine asylum seeker.

If we tighten our boarders (which we are doing) they will go elsewhere. Its still leaving life on the oceans- I feel its turning our backs on humanity.

You seem to have alot more insight into this than many pp here- What about the Afghan refugees facing deportation from Iran? Is that happening in Pakistan too? What guarantee of safety do they have in the neighbouring countries?

This topic seems to be based around “afghan refugees” but i thought I’d mention that my family was pretty well off in Iran, but escaped (numerous different ways) as their lives were in danger, just like the rest of the religious minority there. It’s just an example of how money and threat have nothing to do with each other. Also, they didn’t want to escape from one Islamic state to flee to another one and hope that their religious beliefs were enough to claim refugee status.

It’s unfortunate that there are some that claim refugee status to take advantages of the benefits provided and not abide by the laws and customs, because they jeopardize the safety of people who are truly in danger.

OMG stupid groove on...i bloody typed a long post and somehow pressed something and it dissapeared pressed back button and bam gone.

lol

lol We know u mean well Radman...type again! I’m interested to read your point of view.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25508030-421,00.html

I’ll reply...just that IPL is taking over my time. lol bloody Chennai lost last night.