The other week I spent several hours chatting with 4 refugees. 3 are Afghanistani, 1 is from Eritrea. This is the story of the third person.
Before I start though, I just want to say, I have not written this series of articles as political articles (I know I put them in the politics category, but that was because I couldn't find another one that fitted). I don’t watch the news since I got back from my trip in January. Recently, I’ve let myself get distracted in a couple of my forums by letting people engage me in political debates, but I’m more interested in people. That’s what these stories are about. I want to show a human side to something we all talk about. I hope that you find a way to connect with these stories of 3 gentle and kind blokes.
Sadiq has just received his permanent visa. The others are all on Temporary Protection Visas, which at least allow them to work and use Medicare, unlike the Australian Government’s infamous and illegal Bridging Visa Es. Sadiq applied onshore for refugee status after having fled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan just before September 11 sparked our interest. He too knew of only one way to get to safety in Australia: he paid a people smuggler to put him on a rickety boat and brave the seas. The leaflet saying “Being oppressed by the Taliban? Why not apply for refugee status in Australia! Just join the queue!” never reached his mailbox in Afghanistan.
Sadiq had to flee the Taliban several years ago and since then he has not known the whereabouts of his family. He left behind several brothers, his mother and his father. He does not know if they are alive. He does not know which country they have gone to. He has had no news from them or way of contacting them to let them know where he is. He sort of looked off into the distance when he told us this. His eyes went a little moist. He didn’t say much about it, he said he didn’t like talking about it. However, he said his new Permant Visa gives him more protection so that he might be able to make some enquiries and find out where they are. Under the Temporary Visa, which he had for years, he had absolutely no opportunity to try to find them.
Sadiq is very very happy to have this visa. He wanted to throw a party but feels guilty because many of his friends do not have permanent status yet. He feels much less tense and stressed as a result of getting the visa, and indeed it showed in his manner. He said he hadn’t had as bad a time in the detention centres, but still he didn’t want to talk about that place.
Sadiq is a well-educated man and is currently studying in Australia. Like the others, he has only been in mainstream Australia (as opposed to the detention centres) a few months but already speaks English incredibly well, even if at times he struggles to convey some of the more complicated ideas he wanted to express (he’s quite the intellectual and wanted to get into some pretty complex stuff). What I would do to pick up a language as quickly as these guys. They are motivated to do so because they are so keen to make a go of it in this country. They are so appreciative of the opportunity they have, even if it is far lesser opportunity than I have.
The priest who convened the meeting also told us a little something about the Law. According to international laws that Australia is signatory to, the fact that Sadiq came by boat does not make him an illegal immigrant, as many would label him, but a legitimate refugee whose circumstances forced him to apply onshore in Australia. Like about 95% of onshore applicants, his application was eventually approved when the Department of Immigration got around to it, after he’d spent several months in a detention centre. After all, it’s not like he was in any hurry.