The Sydney Morning Herald Letters October 9, 2001 When desperation goes overboard
It's hard to imagine the desperation that drives a refugee to throw a child into the sea. With the boat turned back, we may never know their reasons. Simple panic? A heartless protest? Sheer terror at the thought of your child being returned to the dictatorship you have just risked everything to rescue it from? Whatever the reason, anyone who endangers a child's mental or physical safety ought to be condemned. But where does that leave a government that cages refugee children - or leaves them on the deck of a freighter in the blazing heat while it fishes the electoral waters for votes? Kate Orman, Epping, October 8. How many people do you know who would sacrifice their children and throw them overboard from a boat? Is this the kind of person you want for a neighbour? Do we really need this type of savage in Australia? No way! George Freuden, North Bondi, October 8. Perhaps we should set up an embassy/consulate/mission in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and those countries where the "illegals" are coming from. Then they could apply "legally" and there would be no need for the people-smuggling. Naive. Robert More, Thirroul, October 8. We overwhelmingly supported the intake of refugees from both Kosovo and East Timor when the situations in their homelands required such humanitarian action. World media coverage in recent days leaves little doubt that much of the Afghan population is in similar dire straits. Can we still turn our backs on safe haven for these people? Peter LeMarquand, Castle Hill, October 7. John Howard claims that he will not be intimidated by the refugees' actions. How can a group of desperate asylum seekers possibly "intimidate" a Prime Minister with a heart of stone? Mary Lee, Chippendale, October 8. -- ***************************** Join the peoples' movement: The Australian Reconciliation Party http://www.green.net.au/arp/ ***************************** --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/ until 11 March, 2001 and Recoznettwo is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznettwo%40green.net.au/ from that date. This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
