By Kirsty Anantharajah –
Kirsty Anantharajah
When liberties are taken away and when democratic institutions die, is it even worse than human beings dying?
…
when institutions die, people end up living as if they were dead.
In 2014, a boat carrying 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers was intercepted at sea near the coast of Christmas Island, Australia. They were transferred to an Australian customs boat where they were detained at sea for one month. Their location was not disclosed to the Australian public. They were held against their will, in windowless rooms. Australia attempted to return these people to India, detained them in the Cocos Islands and then in Western Australia. Finally, they were transferred to Nauru, the site of one of Australia’s offshore detention centers.
The cruel irony is that the very rule of law breakdown that pushed them from their homes in Sri Lanka also awaited them in Australia. And the lived experience of both is eerily comparable.
The rule of law has great power to determine whether life proceeds with security and hope or whether uncertainty and insecurity will be the norm. Sri Lanka’s rule of law crisis is characterised by a climate of arbitrariness, in part created by corrupt institutions and abhorrent security legislation. This breakdown is felt by Sri Lankan citizens in their experience of disappearances, torture and sexual violence. This has motivated some individuals to leave the country’s borders and begin their journey as irregular migrants. The untold story is that this same failure of the rule of law also resides in Australia.
Pull factors: myth of liberal democracy
Australia has a policy of mandatory detention: those who arrive in Australia without a visa will be mandatorily detained, and under Australian law, they may be held indefinitely.
The conditions of detention, coupled with the mental anguish caused by the arbitrariness and the potentially enduring nature of this detention, has been deemed torture. Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez, has reported that several aspects of Australia’s offshore processing policy constitute a contravention of its obligations under the Convention Against Torture.
Australia’s offshore detention centres are located outside the mainland on Manus Island and Nauru, where the burden of refugees is regionalised, provision of services are privatised and accountability is obscured. Daily life on these islands is shrouded in secrecy; NGOs, media and the Australian public are precluded from even bearing witness to the atrocities that occur.
Documents leaked to The Guardian in 2016 revealed abuse, sexual violence, suicide attempts and extreme hopelessness. One report describes a security guard bartering longer shower time allowances for sexual favours from a detainee:
“It was a male security person. She did not state if this has or hasn’t occurred. The security officer wants to view a boy or girl having a shower.”
Whilst these security personnel are contracted by the Australian government, liability for these harms are non-existent.
Australia, through Operation Sovereign Borders, has a militarised response to asylum seekers. It effectively “pushes back” boats of asylum seekers, in some circumstances, to the country they fled. In May 2016, after being (inadequately) screened at sea, a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers were returned to Sri Lanka, Australia’s obligation of non-refoulement apparently forgotten.
The Australian public is not informed about any of these “on sea” operations. The Australian people do not know how many Sri Lankans never reached our shores.
Sri Lankan asylum seekers arriving in Australia without a visa are now prevented from applying for any type of permanent protection. Many have left young families at home, promising to pave the way. However, families cannot be sponsored on temporary visas.
Those fortunate enough to be allowed out in the community while they make temporary protection applications are on bridging visas: many are denied healthcare, work rights and an education. Some people will spend several years this way — studying, working, doing their best to survive — becoming part of Australian society, only to be deported or detained without claim to any permanent rights.
The self-immolation of 29-year-old Sri Lankan man Leo Seemanpillai in Geelong, trapped in this cycle of uncertainty, illustrates this pain. A friend of the young man gave voice to the precariousness of Leo’s position:
“He went through so much in his life, and when he came to Australia he was given a visa that is filled with plenty of uncertainty, he couldn’t accept that.”
The rule of law (and some might say, morality) does not exist in Australia’s immigration policy. The tragedy is that in leaving Sri Lanka, people are again forced to relive the same nightmare of arbitrary detention, torture and lack of transparency. Australia is in the throes of a rule of law crisis, and the full burden of this falls on those who dare to seek asylum. The true horror is that this is intentional. The people languishing and suffering in Australia’s systems are there by design; their bodies a deterrent message to their countrymen who may, one day, seek safety in the same way.
Sri Lankan asylum seekers, from their origin to their destination, are forced to remain in these shadowy limits of the law; they are forced to live as though they were dead. We must do more than give voice to this unique form of suffering. Broken institutions, at both ends of the journey, must be rebuilt.
Sunil Dahanayake / February 16, 2017
Dear Writer,
Please do not write bogus statements justifying human smuggling trade. Sri Lankans who have gone to Australia on irregular mode or “by boat” are economic migrants looking for greener pastures. I can give the following example justifying my statement.
I visited Hobart, Tasmania, Australia during the last week of December 2016. I went to a Sri Lankan restaurant and it is run by a Sri Lankan Tamil Family. They have treated us very well. They can speak very good Sinhala as well. I asked them whether they are visiting Sri Lanka during vacations. Their reply was that they do not want to go to Sri Lanka as they have landed in Australia by boat. They told me if they visit Sri Lanka, they would not be able to come back to Australia, as they live in Australia as Sri Lankan refugees.
Not only this scenario, I have met several Sri Lankans who have gone to Australia as refugees on bogus claims.
These economic migrants and their backers have done an enormous amount of damage to the good will of Sri Lanka. Not only this damage to Sri Lanka, these irregular migrants have caused serious problems to the Australia way of life and economy.
I fully support the Australian Immigration policy adopted to the Sri Lankan boat people. I am a Sri Lankan and I can live anywhere in Sri Lanka without any fear or doubts about the law and order situation of Sri Lanka.
If the Sri Lankan Tamils cannot live in Sri Lanka due to security threats why are they going to Australia? They can easily go to Tamilnadu (Only 21 miles from Sri Lanka) and live safely among other Tamil brothers and sisters.
Whatever, this writer has written is to support the illegal human smuggling trade for Sri Lankan economic migrants.
/
Spark / February 16, 2017
[Edited out] Comments should not exceed 300 words.Please read our Comments Policy for further details.
/
lal / February 16, 2017
Excellent response by Sunil. Tamil Nadu is only 21 miles away and it is the homeland Tamils should go to if their lives are in danger in Sri Lanka. Human traffickers and bogus refugee claimants have been dealt a severe blow by the Australian authorties who are tired of liars of worst sort. The writer as do others cannot resort to blackmailing the Australian authorities, it is well known fact in Australia that the Tamil refugee claimants are not to be trusted. Many lie, cheat welfare organistions, resort to violent activities and ungrateful to their hosts. Activists such as Kristie should advise Tamils to take a safer journey across the Palk Strait to Tamil Nadu rather than wasting time demonising Australia for adopting measures to protect and adminster the territory. And. arrange safe passage to those in”detention” to their homeland.
/
Spark / February 16, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake, as a typical Sinhalese you will see only one side of the coin. Even if you see other side of the coin, you will prefer only your Sinhalese side of the coin. This is typical of everything in Sri Lanka i.e. governance and state services. Only today, your beloved Chandrika Kumaratunge makes a revelation “Tamil women who survived Sri Lanka’s civil war now face widespread sexual exploitation by officials in their own community as well as from the army”. Like a typical Sinhalese you would state Chandrika is paid by LTTE or diaspora. You would not care two hoots about this sexual exploitation because they are Tamil and more important you would want to protect “hero’s” in the army. What if these women were Sinhalese and belonged to your own family (daughter or wife), what is your feelings? Then, you would not even dare to write the bull shit written above. The wife or mother of a dead Sinhalese soldier gets pension for life. Those widowed in the north are also Sri Lankan citizens, but Tamil, would you care to know the circumstances they lost family members and now destitute? Noway, cannot be implemented, even if implemented it cannot consist of independent or foreign body but your own Sinhalese who will meticulously hatch a nice story like the one they did for Thajudeen, Raviraj, Kumar Ponnambalam, etc…. According to your logic, those widows and family members need to stay put, enjoying rape and providing sexual favors and not endeavor to leave the country. Would you scream if this happened in Matara, Galle and southern Sinhalese areas? Oh come on, they are Tamils and they deserve it?
/
lal / February 17, 2017
Spark,
Everybody has a responsibilty to respect human dignity regardless of ethnicity, religion or caste. This is sadly missing in Sri Lankan society, both Sinhala and Tamil. Sexual harassment of women (and men) is unacceptable and the puportraitors of such crime out to be punished. However, there is no doubt that human smuggling takes place and some claimants of persecution are not genuine. The Australian goverment has to address people coming over violating their boundaries and their laws, and many who come here illegally are not refugees or war widows. They are mostly men. The point is if they want to escape persecution as they claim their homeland, Tamil Nadu is 21 miles away. Why not go there? Are you able to answer the question?
/
Spark / February 17, 2017
Majority Sinhalese are ignorant of the origins of the persons living in SL, in fact even the Sinhalese are doubtful of their origin even with names like Wijeratne (Wijeratnam), Jayasundera (Jayasunderam), Wijesinghe (Wijesingham), Weerasinghe (Weerasingham), Mahindapala (Mahindapalan), Patali (Patali), Padmakumara (Padmakumaran) all bastardized Dravidian names with just one letter dropped. Sinhalese believe they are Aryans (Persian & European platelet) however cannot logically state why their physical structure, color and resemblance is Dravidian. Take Jaffna Tamils, their origin is Jaffna and any person with a little knowledge of SL history will know they are indigenous to this island having their own history north of the country, otherwise the GOSL will not have a Thesawalamai ordinance. Further proof is in the birth certificate which states “Sri Lanka Tamil” while those Tamils in the central hills are “Indian Tamils” or “Tamils of Indian Origin” with a clear lineage to Tamil Nadhu (even the British will vouch for that). The Tamils of Indian origin are citizens of Sri Lanka originally by Registration unlike the Jaffna Tamils who are stated “by origin”. Therefore your ignorance to call for Jaffna Tamils to leave for Tamil Nadu is typical Sinhalese ignorance. Just bcos Sinhalese are a majority, it does not mean they own the country and can do anything they want. Even in a marriage, the husband (physically more stronger) can beat the wife everyday, but if it goes on either the police will get involved and warn the husband or the wife will look for separation. Just replace husband with Sinhalese, wife with Tamil, Police with UN / IC and the picture in SL will more clearer to you, unless you still want to keep to ignorance. Before you tell a Jaffna Tamil to leave the country, check your own origin and be surprised.
/
Shiva / February 17, 2017
The world knows that Sri Lanka is a rogue state under successive Sinhalese that has no respect for rule of law, R2P, Human rights, Justice and democratic values.
The only way this nation can be brought to understand democratic values is to launch military intervention by the international community, investigate all war crimes, human rights abuses and genocide since independence and take strong action to put an end to Sinhala Buddhist racism, Apartheid and madness.
/
Spark / February 16, 2017
Did you ever try to find out who created the “economic migrants” as you say but AKA Tamil diaspora? Diaspora was created by Sinhalese racism of 1915, 1956, 1958, 1977, 1983 pogroms where thousands of innocent Tamils fell victim, houses burnt, businesses destroyed all of this done by ordinary Sinhalese. The diaspora are those who managed to flee to secure countries and continue their life. These were all criminal acts committed by ordinary Sinhalese with state sponsorship. State sponsorship bcos absolutely none of the perpetrators in these incidents were identified, arrested and sentenced. Do you believe if I were to tell you that in 1983 riots, even hospitals with pre-dominant Sinhalese health workers refused to treat innocent Tamil injured victims; and do you still claim Sinhalese are Buddhists?
Would you care to know that during the period of war in the north, a simple drug used for flue and headache known as Panadol was banned from being transported from the south to the north by the Ministry of Defense, not describing thousands of other basic items that were not allowed? Did you know that their was a check point in Vavuniya, that was like a border where Tamils had to get the visas from the Ministry of Defense to come to the south, very often this was refused and they went back. Majority of them did not like the LTTE but they also did not like the Sinhalese Army for their arrogance, inhumanity and criminality but were pushed back by the Sinhalese Ministry of Defense back to LTTE areas on grounds of being a Tamil from the north. Did this country have those same laws when they were battling the JVP in the south? I beg you answer this if you care?
/
lal / February 17, 2017
Spark,
Your diatribe of propaganda about alleged Sinhala violence has nothing to do with what this subject is about. The discussion is about Australia’ refusal to accept bogus Tamil refugees who claim that their lives are in danger.Australia does no acceptt liars posing as refugees and violating Australian laws. They are economic opportunists. If they are genuine refugees why don’t they go to their Tamil homeland only 20 miles away from Jaffna. Your propaganda – No Panadols in Jaffna is nonsense. The LTTE mad dogs were bringing in guns, Claymore mines from India but didn’t care to bring Panadol or milk powder for fellow Tamils? It was Tamils who started the killing Sinhalese in 1958, 1977 and 1983 and, that lead to Sinhalese killing Tamils. Do you really believe that Tamils can go around Killing Sinhalese and there won’t be a reaction? The root cause of your problems is the hatred for Sinhalese passed on to you by racists Ponnampalam brothers, Chelva, Sunda, GG and, not the Sinhalese. That is the reason for being losers.
/
Spark / February 17, 2017
Can you logical prove Tamils rampaged and killed Sinhalese in thousands on those years you mention? Or is this typically like the Sinhalese Police taking a suspect to locate weapons and then hatching the story of an attack and the suspect was killed? The truth is ugly and inhuman, thus I have pity on you for overwhelmingly trying to deny all the truth written. You are right when you state “The LTTE mad dogs were bringing in guns, Claymore mines from India but didn’t care to bring Panadol or milk powder for fellow Tamils?”. That is why they were known internationally as terrorists and banned in all countries. However a democratic government cannot behave in the same manner as those terrorists towards their own citizens even if they are of a different ethnicity, otherwise their will be no difference between a terrorist and the action of the GOSL. Does your pea brain understand this simple logic? Hatred begets hatred and when you keep on hitting a person for voicing his rightful rights (Ponambalam, Chelva, Sunda, GG did simply that) imposing your majority and hegemony, it is not long when he hits you back and that was what LTTE did for 30 long years, devastating the country (both Tamils and Sinhalese) like “mad dogs” (in your own words). The Tamils lost only the war, but not their respect. Sinhalese have lost their respect for the savagery they perpetrated on minorities, the UN report says it all. Obviously to any Sinhalese (repeat only Sinhalese) the UN is bullshit bcos what has been documented by them is so shameful.
/
Spark / February 16, 2017
If their are economic migrants from Sri Lanka in Australia, then they are only Sinhalese. The Sinhalese have whatsoever any reason to leave this country, as the total state power and governance is held by Sinhalese. It is not a Tamil problem that these Sinhalese leaders are all crooks and have been robbing the country since independence, one after the other.
/
Hamlet / February 17, 2017
Spark:-
You are wrong, when you say
“… the total state power and governance is held by Sinhalese…”
You meant to say Total Power and Governance is held by ‘Politicians’ Of all Ethnic Categories!!
Otherwise, how do you explain the Emigration by Professionals of the Majority Race?
/
Amarasiri / February 16, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake,
“These economic migrants and their backers have done an enormous amount of damage to the good will of Sri Lanka. Not only this damage to Sri Lanka, these irregular migrants have caused serious problems to the Australia way of life and economy. “
Why?
These are all effects and symptoms.
What were the causes?
The primary cause is that the Para-Sinhala did not want to treat their Para-Cousins Para-Tamils, from India as well, as equal citizens, and many had few choices either to fight back or flee by boats from the Land of Native Veddah Aethho.
Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations
Journal of Human Genetics 59, 28-36 (January 2014) | doi:10.1038/jhg.2013.112
Through a comparison with the mtDNA HVS-1 and part of HVS-2 of Indian database, both Tamils and Sinhalese clusters were affiliated with Indian subcontinent populations than Vedda people who are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka.
http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v59/n1/full/jhg2013112a.html
/
Native Vedda / February 17, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake
“Please do not write bogus statements justifying human smuggling trade.”
Thanks.
Now when are you going to revise Mahawamsa and tell our historians not to write bogus history in order to justify myths, land grabbing and genocide of my people?
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / February 17, 2017
Oh really go and tell your fairy tales to someone else. Half the so called refugees to Australia were Sinhalese largely from the Negombo/Chilaw area who were pretending to be Tamils. Some Muslims. You can immediately tell from their Tamil dialect. Many of these Sinhalese are familiar with Tamil as a generation or two ago their ancestors were Tamils. Originally the Australian government was not aware of this but now they have woken up to these pretend Tamils and employ linguists who can identify dialects. Most of these fake Tamils once they get their residency under false pretences, start bad mouthing the Tamils. This however does not excuse Australia’s cruel practice of treating asylum seekers.
You are just another Sinhalese racist. I have come across many Sinhalese in Australia who have obtained refugee status/residency and later citizenship by falsely claiming that they were Tamils or part Tamils who had to flee Sinhalese persecution. Also many Muslims who usually deny their actual Tamil origin, claiming asylum stating that they are Tamil Muslims fleeing Sinhalese persecution. Tamil when it suits them and Tamil haters all other times.
Strange that you never came across all these people in Australia. Strangely encountered a so called Tamil refugee family(sic) out of all the places in Tasmania. Australia is full of Sinhalese racists, especially in the Melbourne area. They are nasty and very virulent. Many belong to Sinhalese extremists organisations called SPUR Etc. Many of them had migrated to Australia with fake qualifications and credentials and when asked to the job, that they are qualified for cannot and work in factories. Others have claimed asylum in the 80s/90s falsely stating they are Tamils or part Tamil.
/
Shiva / February 17, 2017
Sri Lanka is a rogue state under successive Sinhalese that has no respect for rule of law, R2P, Human rights, Justice and democratic values and will never understand pluralism.
This nation can only be brought to understand democratic values by launching military intervention by the international community, investigate all war crimes, human rights abuses and genocide since independence and take strong action to put an end to Sinhala Buddhist racism, Apartheid and madness.
/
Shiva / February 17, 2017
Hi Sunil,
Do you know how many Sinhalese including war criminals sought asylum in Western countries. One of the famous stories that most Sinhalese submit that they support Tamils’ demand for their rights against oppressive Sinhalese regime and the regime and its forces are denying democratic values and commit war crimes. As we (Sinhalese) support tamils’ legitimate demand we are targeted by the rogue Sinhala regime.
/
jim softy / February 17, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake
If the Sri Lankan Tamils cannot live in Sri Lanka due to security threats why are they going to Australia?
Begining from the time of the LTTE war Tamils have moved to South. Now, more Tamils are living in the South than those live in the so-calleed Tamil homeland. Get the population Statistics and see. Some Tamils, mostly the LTTE rump, use it to smuggle Tamils and ddo business. Some Tamils were waiting in Thailand or in Tamilnadu. They are not Refugees, they are looking for greener pastures.
They don’t want to go to Tamilnadu and become part of the high Caste – low caste war.
/
jim softy / February 16, 2017
did you read. Austrlia do not like those immigrents. but, TRump is willing to accept them ?
Migration is a big business.
/
AJ / February 16, 2017
Indian immigrants are now speaking Sinhala. Now they are admitting it’s a good business
/
Jehan / February 16, 2017
It’s funny the aboriginal natives didn’t tell cook and the gang
You are imprisoned. But treated them well as there shop was a wreaked.
Then you know how grateful the cook and his crew.
/
Native Vedda / February 17, 2017
Jehan
“Then you know how grateful the cook and his crew.”
Shouldn’t it ring a bell? How grateful are the descendants of Kallathonie Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims to my people?
/
Sunil Dahanayake / February 16, 2017
I always support the Australian Government policy on Sri Lankan boat people. They can be Sinhales or Tamils. I consider Sri Lankan boat people who are coming to Australia as bogus economic refugees.
Australian Government Policy on Sri Lankan boat people is correct and well supported. Australian Government needs to give priority to the real deserving refugees who are coming to Australia through proper channels not by boat. Australian Government needs to put the taxpayers’ money into the welfare of poor Aboriginal Communities instead of bogus economic refugees.
/
Native Vedda / February 16, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake
“Australian Government needs to give priority to the real deserving refugees who are coming to Australia through proper channels not by boat.”
What a noble thought.
Thank you for sharing the White Man’s Burden.
/
Non PhD / February 16, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake Mahathya,
With your 2nd comment “…They can be Sinhalese or Tamil ” you have shifted your position and taken a U turn. From Tamils only to Sinhalese also. How about Burghers, Muslims and Malays and mixed ones ?. You have shown your anti Tamil sentiments with your 1st comment.
If you are so altrustic why not with the help SL High Commission or Government of Australia give the full statistics of Sri Lankan Diaspora. The break down will show
how many are Sinhalese, Tamils,Burghers,Mulims & Malays and others. These break downs can be by states, by arrival periods ( eg 1950 to 60, 1960 to 70 & so on ), by professions or jobs, by imigration status ( eg. Aust citizens, permanent residents, visitors, family sponsored visitors, refugees, detainees in camps, in prisons,deported back to SL and so on ).
So Sunil Dhanayake please act on this and prove your altruism by giving the statistics .You will be doing justice to Lord Buddha as well as the Australian Tax Payers. I presume you are a dual citizen. If I am wrong my humble appologies to you.
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / February 17, 2017
Non . PHD originally Australian statistics showed that there were more Tamil speakers amongst the Sri Lankan population than Sinhalese speaker. However later statistics show many of these so called Tamil speakers have now state that they are Sinhalese speakers. Actual Tamils in Australia do not change their mother tongue from Tamil to Sinhalese. They do not have to. These are all Sinhalese who had falesely claimed asylum and refugee status as Tamils now reverting to their true identity, once they have established themselves and obtained citizenship. At the beginning they still pretended to be Tamil and declared their mother tongue as Tamil, as they were still not established and through fear of being found out by authorities. May be this Sunil Dahanayake is one of them.
Australian government is now wise to this and this is the reason many asylum seekers from Sri Lanka were returned, in recent years, as most of them were Sinhalese. I again state I do not support Australian government’s policy of detention and demonising refugees. Seeking asylum is not illegal. Most of these asylum seekers( Sri Lankan refugees are only a small proportion, They are largely from Iran.Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan) have been found to be genuine refugees fleeing persecution but they are still demonised.
/
lal / February 18, 2017
Rubbish! If most refugees in detention are Sinhalese why are Tamil propagandists jumping up and down with their protests? Have they found a sudden love for Sinhalese people? Read the article again; it’s all about hardships – false and/or self inflicted and bogus claims made on behalf of Tamils by Tamil propadandist/s.If they are Sinhalese these propagandists demand deportation.
/
Nimal / February 16, 2017
In 50s P&O liners were carrying thousands of British and even Italians going past Colombo to Australia and New Zealand to settlement. Was it also human smuggling without the permission of the natives?
/
Plato. / February 16, 2017
Sunil Dahanayake.
Your comment above illustrates the Sinhala Supremacy syndrome! Perhaps,you may not be aware that these people are risking their lives after paying enormous amounts of money to get out of the North;Conditions over there,in the aftermath of that bitter war that ended in 2009,is far from rosy.I can understand an Australian national echoing the sentiments that you have expressed;But being a Srilankan national yourself,you are only too well aware what factors push these Boat people.There is nothing wrong if they are looking for greener pastures.The Burghers too left the country enmasse in the post-1956 period,since there was no future for them too.Did the Australian Govt:not think of their own Aborigins then?
Have a Heart Sunil; Desperation knows no bounds.
For these Boat people it is a case of falling from the frying pan into the fire.This is what this essayist is attempting to highlight.
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarna / February 17, 2017
Plato sad to say many of these Sinhalese in Australia, are even more racist and virulent than the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. They themselves have fled their homeland for the good life here but condemn others who flee persecution. Funny because a very good percentage of them falesely claimed to be Tamils fleeing Sinhalese persecution to obtain their residency. Being a Tamil at one time was used by many Sinhalese and Muslims to gain residency in many western nations. Once they obtain their residency and citizenship, from being a Tamil they become anti Tamils.
/
bangbrothers / February 18, 2017
Dickless shiv shankar sharma de fagot.
99 percent of Sri Lankan Sinhalese here are professionals who arrived on migration visas and students who obtained PR later, same applies most Tamils , but there are quite a few asylum seekers and if they are not discouraged many will follow
/
Rajash / February 17, 2017
Sunil
I believed your story until I read your last sentence in your penultimate paragraph.
you are a Sinhala racist who never visited Australia
/
jim softy / February 17, 2017
The Australian public is not informed about any of these “on sea” operations. The Australian people do not know how many Sri Lankans never reached our shores.
This Article is trying to portray that those boazt people are innocent refugees.
It does not talk about how Tamil use their knowledge during the LTTE operations time, and organize smuggling operations to go to western countries. Some of these so called refugees are from Sri lanka and from Tamilnadu.
The way the article is written, Tamils always blame others for their mayhem. Never they blame their own. Even here, Tamils die because former LTTE cadres buy cheap ships and do smuggling business with their own.
Probably, this writer had been influenced by those who engaged in the business.
/
Mohamed / February 17, 2017
This writer sounds like trying to justify illegal (mostly economic) migration is right, and Australian Govt is illegally not accepting these boat-people.
If there is a law of a country, we must obey that[period]
Let’s talk about Sri Lankans being ill-treated in Sri Lanka, and not given the deserved opportunities or not having the right local environment for economy or peace that turns many people with dignity into ‘boat-people’ – This is what will resolve the real issue there
/
Rizwan / February 17, 2017
The problem of migration to Australia could be alleviated if SRI LANKA did not require anyone who leaves the country to have a visa.
Sri Lanka TRAPS its people, and also TRAPS whatever wealth that is in it. It is for this reason that people want to get out and take their wealth with them.
/