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Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death option

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 6:55 am
by Soi Dog
Australia's proposed resettlement policy doesn't seem to be going over too well with those on Nauru.
Refugees in Nauru protest
Tue, 30 September 2014
Daniel Pye and Vong Sokheng
Refugees on Nauru have said they will reject Australia’s offer of resettlement in Cambodia after a protest on the island was staged at the Australian Embassy yesterday amid reports of three more incidents of self-harm and attempted suicide.

An Iranian refugee, who cannot be named and who was speaking on behalf of residents of the “family camp” on the island, yesterday told the Post that the widely held perception of Cambodia as a poverty-stricken and violent country meant that nobody in the camp was currently willing to voluntarily accept the offer of resettlement.

“The people here think of a bad image of Cambodia in their mind, because it’s a very poor country. There is lots of crime, a history of killings and abuse,” he said. “Nobody here wants to go to Cambodia.”

Cambodian officials yesterday confirmed that a pilot phase of resettlement is scheduled to begin later this year.

“We have nothing to lose – there will be suicides if it carries on like this. They will only be able to send our dead bodies to Cambodia,” the refugee said.

During a protest of some 80 people yesterday morning outside the Australian High Commission in Nauru, the refugees called on Canberra to issue them temporary protection visas (TPVs) as officials have said they will do for refugees on Christmas Island, who arrived on the same boats as those on Nauru.

“[Australia is] trying to force people to go to Cambodia; we can’t tolerate this. It’s a really dirty game they’re playing,” the Iranian refugee said. “[Yesterday], there were three more suicide attempts and self-harm [in the detention centre].”

Another refugee, who reportedly slashed his throat upon hearing the news that he would not be offered a temporary visa to Australia, has not been heard from, but the man’s 14-year-old daughter has taken to leading protests against the deal and has refused to drink or eat for two days after sewing her lips shut, the Iranian refugee said.

Another girl, who swallowed washing powder, causing her to vomit blood, was recovering in a Sydney hospital yesterday after being airlifted from the island over the weekend.

Yesterday marked the fourth day of protests on the island against the resettlement plan, which have been marked by a number of suicide attempts and self-harm among children.

Australian officials from the embassy in Phnom Penh and the office of Minister of Immigration and Border Protection Scott Morrison did not respond to requests for comment.

Morrison, who is seen as a rising star in the administration of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, signed the agreement over glasses of champagne at Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior on Friday at about the same time that some of the asylum seekers apparently tried to kill themselves.

The signing followed seven months of secretive negotiations between the two countries since the possibility of sending refugees to Cambodia was first brought up in February at a meeting between Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Prime Minister HE.

Bishop told ABC television on Sunday that the agreement would benefit Cambodia.

“Cambodia is very keen to get people into their country who can help them grow their economy,” she said. “I don’t think it’s for you or me to tell Cambodia that they can’t offer themselves as a location for refugees.”

more...
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/refug ... ru-protest

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:11 am
by UKJ
“[Australia is] trying to force people to go to Cambodia; we can’t tolerate this. It’s a really dirty game they’re playing,” the Iranian refugee said

That guy is trouble.

And I feel a bit sorry for the girl who sowed her mouth shut, but she does sound like the sort of lunatic you wouldn't want to live next to.

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:21 am
by Soi Dog
I think this farce perpetrated by these self-titled "political refugees", who claim to be afraid of being killed by the brutal regimes of their home countries, is being exposed as bullshit. They are clearly economic refugees, who want to live a lifestyle they've seen on TV. If you are so in fear for your life, you don't threaten to kill yourself.

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:39 am
by phuketrichard
“The people here think of a bad image of Cambodia in their mind, because it’s a very poor country. There is lots of crime, a history of killings and abuse,” he said. “Nobody here wants to go to Cambodia.”

Political and economic refugees, why must we separate the two?
everyone wants a a better life for themselves and their families

why risk fleeing a bad country only to end up in one as bad or worse?

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:44 am
by Soi Dog
phuketrichard wrote:“The people here think of a bad image of Cambodia in their mind, because it’s a very poor country. There is lots of crime, a history of killings and abuse,” he said. “Nobody here wants to go to Cambodia.”

Political and economic refugees, why must we separate the two?
everyone wants a a better life for themselves and their families

why risk fleeing a bad country only to end up in one as bad or worse?
This is coming from the guy with ZERO sympathy for farangs or anyone who stays in Thailand without the "correct" visa, and is perfectly happy to see them cracked down upon by immigration authorities and sent packing.

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 7:51 am
by UKJ
phuketrichard wrote: Political and economic refugees, why must we separate the two?
everyone wants a a better life for themselves and their families

why risk fleeing a bad country only to end up in one as bad or worse?
I don't blame people for wanting a better life, but there are rules to protect the citizens of the home nation. I think Australian taxpayers are doing great, that their money is being spent to rehome the refuges away from their home country and feeding, sheltering and giving medical care to them in the mean time. But are the refugees grateful? It doesn't sound like it.
I'd love to go and live in Australia. But there are rules :D

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:45 am
by frank lee bent
They reached safe refuge in Indonesia prior to their attempt to enter Australia, thus are not subject to refugee status under the convention.

While I DO NOT AGREE with the Cambodia solution, it is ludicrous to refer to them as refugees or illegals (they are nether of these things) it is true that Australia is not obliged to grant them entry.

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:46 am
by Mr Curious
phuketrichard wrote:“The people here think of a bad image of Cambodia in their mind, because it’s a very poor country. There is lots of crime, a history of killings and abuse,” he said. “Nobody here wants to go to Cambodia.”

Political and economic refugees, why must we separate the two?
everyone wants a a better life for themselves and their families

why risk fleeing a bad country only to end up in one as bad or worse?
there's a BIG fucking difference between wanting to live and eat and decide what to do with your life and wanting to go to the place of easy big screens and nice new cars and easy money and malls.
BIG difference. Those who NEED are NOT PICKY. Some of these fuckers OBVIOUSLY ARE.

Picky fux. Let one of ya touchy feelie ppl go talk to em and show em pics an tell em how lovely Cambodia is. Then sit back and wait for the outcome. Eventually Cambodia will be like Thailand. Those grandfathered in can be smug like PR. At some point ppl MIGHT consider fighting for their right to live in THEIR country. But not before they exhaust places like Oz and England, USA etc. As long as there is the BELIEF that you can make it to the GOOD life easy just by showing up, this will continue.

Really I'm wondering why only THESE few on the islands are picked out. Is it really that if you can pay for airfare you are OK?

and yeah, Mr iran don't need to be dictating terms. You'd like to see monks losing heads in Cambodia too?

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:56 am
by phuketrichard
Soi Dog wrote:
phuketrichard wrote:“The people here think of a bad image of Cambodia in their mind, because it’s a very poor country. There is lots of crime, a history of killings and abuse,” he said. “Nobody here wants to go to Cambodia.”

Political and economic refugees, why must we separate the two?
everyone wants a a better life for themselves and their families

why risk fleeing a bad country only to end up in one as bad or worse?
This is coming from the guy with ZERO sympathy for farangs or anyone who stays in Thailand without the "correct" visa, and is perfectly happy to see them cracked down upon by immigration authorities and sent packing.

:please:

Re: Death or Cambodia? Some refugees prefer the death optio

Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:57 am
by frank lee bent
Let them fix up their own fucked up messes of countries.
Certainly, these people entirely repudiate our open society, and immediately begin agitation for us to chang3 our ways to accomodate their authoritarian and hierarchical, repressive practices once granted entry.
fuck them.

they chose to take these actions, let them live with the outcome. It costs australian taxpayers 900/day aud per person to keep them on nauru or manus, money far better spent elsewhere.

let th3 fukkin saudis take them seeing they are custodians of islam and have more money than satan.
bunch of cunts.