Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Refugees? Tell me what you know...

I guess many of us wouldn't know much about Refugees as Singaporeans, ok... Maybe some of you do, but I don't. So anyway, today my lecture was on Refugees. Australia has always been this big bleeding heart who has agreed to signed an agreement with the United Nations to take in Asylum seekers. By the way, Asylum seekers are not Refugees, that's what they are known before becoming Refugees. And Refugees are people who escaped their own country due to oppressing circumstances such as wars and disasters (man - made and natural). But the Australian government become hesitant when people come in boat loads knocking at their doors. Especially when there were Iraqis and Afganistan people in these boats, they defended their stand by saying that they can be potential terrorist and they need to be mindful of the welfare and safety of their own citizens. Well, that is perfectly understandable... to a certain extend anyway.

The point is... do you know... Singapore, a smally teeny weeny country like ours... We actually have some sort of a half way house that are host to refugees. Of course, our government was more practical in the sense that they know it's impossible to cram Refugees on the limited land space that we are blessed with. No agreements was sign with the United Nations on that. So... who funded the half way house for the Refugees on Singapore? Well... it's the United Nations of course... They funded the (approx.) 500 people who are detained in the centre, but Singaporean are not heartless people to start with. Many people volunteered to provide their services for the people who were detained in the centres. Teachers who offered lesson to the young childrens, doctor offer to check up on them, stuffs like that. You would probably think that they are 'released' soon after the United Nations found them some where safe, but most of them stayed at the centres for as long as 10 years. Imagine growing up in a detention centre. Its nightmarish to even imagine...

I really can't imagine how hard life can be as Refugees, imagine you are born in a country that has internal strifes and had to move away to make a living or even to live in peace. Parents pawned what they have for their kids to move on in smugglers boat, hoping that they can have a future and (ideally) reunite with them. However, many died on the boats even before they reach their destinations due the appalling conditions of these boats. Poorly ventilated and sea sick people just get sicker, and those who are not sick and lived had to suffer from the traumas from watching people die and the grieve and guilt of leaving their parents behind.

Thinking that by reaching somewhere 'safe' they can look forward to a better life, they hopes are crushed when they come to know that they are going to be confined to the detention centres. Many of them do not get their permanent visas at all and temporary visa holders are prone to the discriminations in the society. It's a vicious world, not every one is sympathetic toward a foreign culture and a ethnic group that is different from your own. Problems of discriminations persist even with the best efforts of governemnt to assimilate them into the society. Nobody wants to take responsibility for them, they had difficulties in finding a decent job, earning a properly living, much less reunite with their families. Crime rates increases, they are blamed... and stereotyped...

Who's fault is it then? Nobody's I guess, it's just that some people are born to a society that is lacking of chance and opportunities. What we've got is that we're lucky, just plain luck that we're born in Singapore and not some war torned town, bullets flying over ur roofs and living everyday without knowing what's going to happen tomorrow, or who in the family is going to die tomorrow. Some people just have it when they are born and others, they either go the hard way or it's no way for them... What makes thing worse is that so many people are ignorant about Refugees and what you don't know scares you, and thanks very much for that, they cannot escape the fate of being further stigmatised. Of course, we can't forget our very source of information, the MEDIA... all thanks to most of them and their negative and reluctance portrayal of Refugees. What say do you think they have over their lives?

Posted by Piglet at 5:46 PM

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