Challenging the racist lies and building solidarity with Challenging the racist lies and building solidarity with refugeesrefugees

Alex, Tamil refugeeAlex, Tamil refugee“When people are fleeing war “When people are fleeing war and genocide, how can a and genocide, how can a country think protecting country think protecting themselves is more important themselves is more important than helping these people? than helping these people? The world is for all of The world is for all of humankind, we are just like you humankind, we are just like you except we do not have a except we do not have a country.” country.” “We are not animals, we are “We are not animals, we are people, but we are being treated people, but we are being treated inhumanely.” inhumanely.”

Brindah, 9yrs Brindah, 9yrs oldold

““Please Please help us help us

and save and save our lives. our lives. We are We are

your your children. children. Please Please think of think of

us”us”

“This government

makes no apology for a

hard-line approach to

people smuggling and

border security.”

The Indonesia solutionThe Indonesia solution

MYTH: Indonesia or another country MYTH: Indonesia or another country should take the refugees instead of should take the refugees instead of

AustraliaAustralia

Indonesia is Indonesia is notnot a signatory to the a signatory to the Refugee Convention - no guarantee Refugee Convention - no guarantee of rights;of rights;

Indonesia poorly equipped to Indonesia poorly equipped to resettle peopleresettle people

Reports of beatings at detention Reports of beatings at detention centres in Indonesiacentres in Indonesia

Reports on Indonesian & Malaysian detention Reports on Indonesian & Malaysian detention centrescentres

"babies and children reside in maximum security third-world jails“

asylum seekers "treated like animals” Beatings fairly frequently at the hands of Indonesian military

and Immigration officials. rats running around extremely cramped conditions

…no room to sleep at same timeAlso Malaysia: Hundreds of Sri Lankan asylum

seekers at two detention centres Sri Lankan embassy forced

group of refugees to sign agreements for repatriation. Beaten when refused

While UNHCR Malaysian HRCdenied access to the refugees, the Sri Lankan govt officials gain access.

The global refugee The global refugee situationsituation

42 million refugees and internally 42 million refugees and internally displaced people officiallydisplaced people officially

Amount of refugees globally is on the rise - Amount of refugees globally is on the rise - wars, conflict, povertywars, conflict, poverty

1 person in 115 on the planet is a refugee1 person in 115 on the planet is a refugee

Global statistics on asylum seekersGlobal statistics on asylum seekersMajor refugee hosting countries (end 2008)Major refugee hosting countries (end 2008)

1,780,9001,780,900PakistanPakistan

1,105,7001,105,700 Syrian Arab Rep.Syrian Arab Rep.

980,100980,100 Islamic Rep. of IranIslamic Rep. of Iran

582,700582,700 GermanyGermany

500,400500,400 JordanJordan

330,500330,500 ChadChad

321,900321,900 United Rep. of TanzaniaUnited Rep. of Tanzania

320,600320,600 KenyaKenya

301,000301,000 ChinaChina

292,100292,100 United KingdomUnited KingdomSource: UNHCR (2009).  2008 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless Persons.  16 June 2009.

MYTH: MYTH: Australia is Australia is

a a generous generous taker of taker of refugeesrefugees

020000400006000080000

100000

120000140000

Boat Arrivals Total Refugeeintake

Total Immigration

Australian immigration 2009

Population for every one refugee settled

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

Globally Switzerland Tanzania Australia

Series1

MYTH: Asylum seekers are “illegals” or “queue MYTH: Asylum seekers are “illegals” or “queue jumpers”jumpers”

UN refugee UN refugee convention, convention, andand Australian law, Australian law, make clear that it is make clear that it is legallegal for people for people seeking asylum to seeking asylum to do so in another do so in another countrycountry

Over 85% of boat Over 85% of boat arrivals fulfil arrivals fulfil refugee criteria refugee criteria (more on appeal)(more on appeal)

NO queue: No NO queue: No UNHCR in Iraq or UNHCR in Iraq or AfghanistanAfghanistan

In Sri Lanka – In Sri Lanka – UNHCR inaccessible UNHCR inaccessible and dangerousand dangerous

Even Even withwith UNHCR UNHCR status, can languish status, can languish indefinitelyindefinitely

Asylum seekers arriving to Australia by boat or plane are Asylum seekers arriving to Australia by boat or plane are vastly outnumbered by the number of people who illegal vastly outnumbered by the number of people who illegal

overstay their visa.overstay their visa.Statistics of Visa Overstayers and Unauthorised Arrivals – 1991 to Statistics of Visa Overstayers and Unauthorised Arrivals – 1991 to

2008.2008.YearYear

No. ofNo. ofoverstayersoverstayers

Total no.Total no.unauthorisedunauthorisedarrivalsarrivals

No. unauthorisedNo. unauthorisedarrivals by seaarrivals by sea

No. unauthorisedNo. unauthorisedarrivals by airarrivals by air

91-9291-92 81,16481,164 n/an/a 7878 n/an/a

92-9392-93 n/an/a n/an/a 194194 n/an/a

93-9493-94 n/an/a n/an/a 194194 n/an/a

94-9594-95 n/an/a 1,5261,526 1,0711,071 485485

95-9695-96 n/an/a 1,2521,252 589589 663663

96-9796-97 45,10045,100 1,7151,715 365365 13501350

97-9897-98 50,95050,950 1,7151,715 157157 1,5581,558

98-9998-99 53,15053,150 3,0273,027 921921 2,1062,106

99-0099-00 58,74858,748 5,8705,870 4,1754,175 1,6951,695

00-0100-01 60,00060,000 5,6495,649 4,1374,137 1,5121,512

01-0201-02 60,40060,400 4,8424,842 3,6493,649 1,1931,193

02-0302-03 59,80059,800 987987 00 987987

03-0403-04 50,90050,900 1,3231,323 8282 1,2411,241

04-0504-05 47,80047,800 1,6321,632 00 1,6321,632

05-0605-06 46,40046,400 1,6541,654 5656 1,5981,598

06-0706-07 46,50046,500 1,5231,523 135135 1,3881,388

07-0807-08 48,50048,500 1,4761,476 2525 1,4511,451

Myth: Refugees cost “us” Myth: Refugees cost “us” greatlygreatly

““Border control” highly expensive systemBorder control” highly expensive system Millions more now to Indonesia to run Millions more now to Indonesia to run

torture camps, “outsource” refugees torture camps, “outsource” refugees Mandatory detention costs $104 per dayMandatory detention costs $104 per day A humane policy that A humane policy that

welcomed & helped welcomed & helped settle refugees would settle refugees would be be far less costlyfar less costly. .

Daily cost of refugee processing methods

$0.00

$20.00

$40.00

$60.00

$80.00

$100.00

$120.00

Parole Mandatory Detention

MYTH: Cracking down on ‘people MYTH: Cracking down on ‘people smugglers’ will stop asylum seekers smugglers’ will stop asylum seekers

reaching Australiareaching Australia ““People smugglers” fulfill a service that is People smugglers” fulfill a service that is

absolutely necessary for those that use them. absolutely necessary for those that use them. The greater the barriers to refugees (low intake by The greater the barriers to refugees (low intake by

rich countries, no UNHCR access), the more asylum rich countries, no UNHCR access), the more asylum seekers are forced to turn to people smugglersseekers are forced to turn to people smugglers

What if your family faced torture, persecution or What if your family faced torture, persecution or even death? even death?

Oskar Schindler was a “people smuggler”Oskar Schindler was a “people smuggler” The only way to end people smuggling is to get rid The only way to end people smuggling is to get rid

of the need for them – by providing passage to of the need for them – by providing passage to safety. safety.

Use the Navy that polices refugee boats to bring Use the Navy that polices refugee boats to bring people safely to Australia. people safely to Australia.

MYTH: Won’t a humane policy ‘open the MYTH: Won’t a humane policy ‘open the floodgates’ and we will be ‘swamped’ by floodgates’ and we will be ‘swamped’ by

refugees?refugees? Pre 1992 – no mandatory detention, refugee Pre 1992 – no mandatory detention, refugee

applicants lived in hostels…yet NO floodapplicants lived in hostels…yet NO flood Refugees only come when FORCED. Refugees only come when FORCED. East Timor example – people would rather be East Timor example – people would rather be

in their own country, even when poor, than in in their own country, even when poor, than in a rich foreign land.a rich foreign land.

Why WOULD you want to come here!Why WOULD you want to come here!

Want to get rid of Want to get rid of refugees? Stop refugees? Stop creatingcreating

them!them! Afghanistan war and Afghanistan war and occupationoccupation

Iraq war and Iraq war and occupationoccupation

Support for Sri Support for Sri Lankan government Lankan government during genocide of during genocide of the Tamilsthe Tamils

Creating climate Creating climate refugeesrefugees

Role of racism under Role of racism under capitalismcapitalism Refugees – a scapegoat for the system. Refugees – a scapegoat for the system.

Tampa overshadowed workers rights, GST & Tampa overshadowed workers rights, GST & moremore

Racism used to draw support for those in Racism used to draw support for those in power, and to distract from unpopular power, and to distract from unpopular actions. actions.

Media’s role in racism Media’s role in racism Corporate media driving racist racist fear Corporate media driving racist racist fear

mongering mongering Use of racist language to fan hysteria: Use of racist language to fan hysteria:

“boatpeople”; “illegals”; “flood”; “swamped” “boatpeople”; “illegals”; “flood”; “swamped” Media failed to bring reality of Tamils to the Media failed to bring reality of Tamils to the

people of Australiapeople of Australia Racism Racism used used by the system by the system Break solidarity between the poor and Break solidarity between the poor and

oppressed. oppressed.

Conclusion – turn racism on its head!Conclusion – turn racism on its head!