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The first time Australia introduced detention was in 1991 at Villawood in Sydney and Port Headland in Western Australia. The mandatory detention came in 1992 and the government at the time said it was to prevent the country from too many unauthorized refugee boats from South East Asia that can possibly test their resolve and capacity to ensure that immigration takes place within a planned and controlled framework.
Today, the situation has worsened and the most vulnerable people are arriving from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Sri Lanka, and Australia has been imprisoning refugees on remote Pacific Islands, setting a bad example of lack of human sympathy for the rest of the world to follow. With Europe now struggling to control a huge number of refugees coming from the Middle East and Africa, walls and fences are being built across the continent in an attempt to keep them out.
Australia has previously implemented remote detention camps with high fences for the isolation of the inhabitants.
Denmark recently introduced a bill to take refugees’ valuable belongings in order to pay for the time they served in detention camps, a policy that is very similar to Australian authorities charging asylum seekers for the time they stay behind bars.
Germany took in more than 1 million refugees in 2015 despite being unprepared for the large numbers, and is now facing a public backlash against its welcoming stance. Australia took very few people with little social unrest, and has for the last two decades unleashed a highly successful campaign to stigmatise boat arrivals to an extent that sexual abuse and violence against the refugees is now tolerated and covered up.
Documents released by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in December showed that on average, asylum seekers had spent an average of 445 days behind barbed wires. What is even more alarming is that there is a general acceptance of this situation as those who have come to the country to save their lives have been demonised as prospective terrorists, jihadists threatening the Western way of life and the system of rule.
While Europe and Australia promote themselves as regions of openness, a glance at their refugee policy shows that it really isn’t so. The discriminatory attitude of Hungary’s Prime Minister is now being viewed across Europe as the necessary prerequisites that the continent needs to take to keep itself safe from terrorism. Generally in Europe and particularly in Hungary, not too many people are publically denouncing racism.
Brussels has proposed a Border force to monitor the deport asylum seekers and Europe’s borders. Former Prime Minister, Tony Abbot encouraged Europe to turn back the refugee boats, and it seems that Brussels is following the suggestion. It seems that Europe is going to follow Australia’s stance of privatising detention centres for refugees.
While Australia and Europe are treating refugees with hostility, they are also pushing for military action in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other Muslim Nations. They need to understand that war and poverty is going to force more people to leave their homes and ultimately come to Europe and Australia for refuge.
What is actually needed is that the world leaders think over and understand the changing patterns of migration today.
It is surprising that these refugees do not choose other Islamic states to resettle in (UAE, Saudi, Kuwait). I think there are many opportunists out there that want to look for the easy way out and Islamic states would still have harsh laws that the younger generation are trying to protest against. I agree that our government should be concerned about protecting our children. We would all like to think that we can treat all people equally, but would you think the same if a group of bored young refugees decide that Australia is boring and start sex fueled rampages when they are bored. I have heard that refugees that are sent back do not fear being sent back as they will board the next boat and head back to the country they were deported from (or another neighbor). If your family is affected by crimes committed by a refugee, would you still have the same sentiment. I am aware that this can also happen on our home soil by non-refugees, but prevention is always better than needing to seek a cure to the problem. If Australia accepted a million refugees, would you be happy that the government will need to foot billions to house, educate, train and eventually employ them. What if they decide that they don't want to integrate and force their believes on you, demanding that you understand their way of life in the name of humanitarianism.
I am just wondering if the author has been to Europe to see what's happening there. It is certainly our obligation to help those in need. No matter how much I don't agree with some Australian government policies but I fully support Australian Government concerns about the security. The safety of citizens must be the priority of each government. Then, we can help the others. If you go to Europe, you will see that the significant majority of "refugees" are strong young men having iphones in their pockets. Sure, there are some genuine cases but really not many. Ask local Europeans, ordinary people who live at the borders about their experience with refugees... they are scared. Ask German young women about their recent experience on New Years Eve - crime, violence and sexual harassment... Refugees in Finland find Finland boring and cold - they don't have fun - so they are not happy in a safe country. They target Germany and Northern European countries with generous welfare payments. Do you still think those people are genuine refugees? They refuse to stay in other safe countries... they don't want to stay in Hungary or other central European countries. Spain or Portugal are not good enough, I am asking why? These young men need Germany, UK or Sweden, why? Does this make sense? Hungarian PM Orban might not be a democrat but he is protecting his citizens. Hungary was the only country that enforced Schengen treaty and was criticized by other European countries for inhumanity. Now, other European countries follow Hungary. Let's be humans and help refugees but we need to know who we help.... If you want to be in Australia, you need to accept the local culture and we have to be 100% sure, you are not a criminal or terrorist. Why should you be a threat to my kids? If you don't want to obey our laws and rules, go somewhere else. I apologize but I like Australian Government takes seriously the security. Thank you Mr. Abbott, thank you Mr Turnbull.