BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE
Few people could admire the morality of deliberately setting fire to someone's house and then locking all the doors and windows to prevent the occupants from escaping to safety. Neither action is justifiable by itself and both together are reprehensible. Yet this is exactly the approach of the Australian government to the long-suffering people of Afghanistan.
After implementing — along with other Western governments — the policies that have made Afghan refugees the second largest refugee population in the world, the Australian government is heartlessly turning away the few hundreds who attempt to seek refuge in Australia.
It appears that the heartlessness of John Howard (enthusiastically matched by Kim Beazley) is electorally popular. However, it would be a grave mistake to conclude that the most Australians are naturally inclined to oppose justice for refugees.
The current opinion of many who support the government's policy is a result of having been subjected to a barrage of misinformation over several years. The very words used — "queue jumpers", "flood", "illegals" — betray the dishonesty involved.
Only two years ago, the majority of Australians strongly welcomed Kosovar refugees. The government went out of its way to create legal (albeit limited) channels for Kosovars to come to this country and — in contrast to the treatment given to Afghan refugees — the media and government did not demonise the Kosovars.
The welcome extended to the Kosovar refugees was genuine despite the fact that the government's policy of accepting them was simply aimed at winning public acceptance for its support for the US-led war against Serbia. The disingenuous motives of the government were exposed when it forced the Kosovars to leave against their will. At this point the demonising began. However, significantly, the welcoming attitude remained current for large sections of the population.
Similarly, the policy today of refusing to accept Afghan refugees is also a weapon building support for the government's participation in the US-led war on the Afghanistan. Welcoming Afghan refugees could promote a sense of solidarity with the chief victims of the US bombing campaign — Afghan civilians. It is easier to build popular support for bombing "terrorists" than it is for killing innocent civilians.
It follows that the interests of ordinary working people in Australia demand that this country should open its borders to all those fleeing the repressive Taliban regime — a regime that came to power with support from the Australian government.
[Alex Bainbridge is a Socialist Alliance Senate candidate in Tasmania.]
From Green Left Weekly, November 7, 2001.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.