The Australian Human Rights Commission - Essay Example

The Australian Human Rights Commission Name: Student Number: Course Code: Word Count: Date of Submission: Introduction The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) defines an asylum-seeker as to being an individual who has sought international protection from any country and whose claim to being an immigrant is yet to be determined. As a necessity that has resulted from previous social contradiction, the same commission saw it fit to differentiate an immigrant or asylum seeker from a refugee. The commission defines a refugee as a an individual from their native country but seeking international protection from another country and whose protection has been deemed necessary by the commission or a state that is a signatory to UNHCR. More often than not, an asylum seeker is differentiated from a refugee by the fact that an asylum seeker leaves their country on their own initiative to run away from or escape something they cannot avoid or get rid of their native country. On the other hand, a refugee is forced out their country by a natural occurrence though with the option of going back to their native county. This essay discusses asylum seekers in Australia with the aim of detailing reasons as to why native Australians develop uneasy relationships with these immigrants. To achieve this objective, the discussion employs the methodology of dividing the subject matter into Asylum seekers in Australia, Rights of asylum seekers, Prejudice against asylum seekers in Australia and The option of humanitarianism in asylum-seeker debates subtopics. Supplementarily, the essay will also be able to discover reasons as to why asylum seekers leave the countries. This majorly encompasses internationally recognized reason for documented asylum-seeking cases. Asylum seekers in Australia Researches and reports from international entities like the UNHCR show that approximately 40 million people move across the globe from their native countries to settle in other nations. As a signatory to UNHCR, Australia has the international obligation of protecting the human rights of all asylum seekers who arrive in the country (Mckay et al. 2011). This protection should be accorded regardless of their place of origin or means of arrival to Australia, that is, with or without visa documentation. The UNHCR commission is majorly concerned with internationally accepted human rights. It is for this reason that the Australian government is under the obligation of ensuring that the basic human rights of asylum seekers in its jurisdiction are respected and protected. Asylum seeking is therefore, legal in Australia and is recognized by the laws of the land. The nation respects the principle of Non-Refoulement which postulates that an asylum seeker who meets the definition of a refugee should not be sent back to a country where their freedom, human rights or life is threatened. The Australian government has the Humanitarian Program which functions to provide options for refugees who have been forced out of their native countries by way of conflict, persecution and abuse of human rights. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, asylum seekers arriving in Australia are mainly victims of persecution because of their race, religion, membership of particular social groups, political opinions and even original nationality. The same report also generally indicates that the inability or unwillingness of their governments contribute to them seeking asylum elsewhere (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012). The graph below from the Department of Immigrations and Citizenship shows an increasing number of asylum seekers in Australia from 2004 to 2012. Rights of asylum seekers Modern discussion on political asylum stipulates that everyone across the globe has the right to seek and enjoy asylum persecution in another country or other countries, different from their native country. Provision for such asylum is guided by the UNHCR. It gives international guidelines on national legislation concerning political asylum. Technically, asylum seekers are people exercising their right to seek protection and application for refugee status under the UNHCR convention. Violation of human rights including of asylum sows seeds of prejudice and even effective conflicts. Danielle (2008) presents the option of humanitarianism alongside other reasonable and practical policies. If the right to seek asylum is respected, then other basic human rights such as those of shelter, freedom, food and ownership of property must be respected too. This leads to the aspect that in Australia, asylum seekers have the right o work and obtain employment. This draws from the establishment that asylum seekers are victims of persecution based on other factors; they are, therefore not economic immigrants. With respect to immigration, the Australian government views payed work as a remedy to poverty. Asylum seekers released into the community may not be able to work immediately and so continue to rely on non-profitable sectors of support. This, however, does not imply that they want to continue living out of aids and governmental support. The point is that accepted asylum seekers should be given opportunities to work and earn as respect to their rights of employment and property ownership. To the country of asylum, working immigrants contribute economically by the fact that having gainful employment enables them to spend money and pay tax. Prejudice against asylum seekers in Australia In Australia, asylum seekers who entering this territory bring about a large amount of prejudice in the native Australian community, especially those entering by boat. This level of prejudice is developed by the local regardless of the fact that these asylum seekers have not broken any laws or gone against any international policies as long as the UNHCR in concerned (Mckay et al. 2011). Nevertheless, it is normal and acceptable for the Australian natives to feel that their culture and social set ups a threatened by immigrant intrusions. The immigrants come in with cultures and societies different from those of Australia and the two may clash and differ in a number of aspects. Most of the negative ideas by the Australian public about asylum seekers are politically instigated. This means that resultant prejudice against such people propagates from ill-minded leaders in official government positions down to the people. Such negative ideas and intentions attack the perceptions of the people to make them feel insecure with the immigrants and develop in them an acceptance of false belief. The uneasy relationship that exists between the people of Australia and asylum seekers in Australia can be viewed to be because of social, political and cultural nature. This means that coming in of the asylum seekers makes the Australians uncomfortable socially and culturally yet politically. It leads to prejudice which is unnecessary and unjustified. Reactions towards the immigrants are instantaneous, preconceived mentalities and personal. Such reaction can only be justified when there is close contact with the asylum seekers Danielle (2008). The option of humanitarianism in asylum-seeker debates Humanitarianism demands that asylum seekers be received in Australia and not in some other offshore facilities from others. Danielle (2008) presents the option of humanism like it is the best natural course of action that one can take with respect to one who fears for their lives in the country of origin. Such documentation acts as a reminder of the advantages that come with acceptance of genuine asylum seekers in the community. Nevertheless, it is real and evident that since these people come from varying social and cultural backgrounds, their ways of life may conflict with those of the locals in the country of asylum. With respect to this kind of prejudice, it is important for the government to clearly state to the public its stand of persons seeking asylum in Australia. Social and cultural sensitization is also vital for the government to clearly define its policies of dealing with protection of the Australian society and cultures. Perspectives are also drawn relating to the government’s current policy implementation, initiatives and practice of detaining asylum seekers who arrive by boat on excised territory like the offshore islands. Such actions severely limit the asylum seekers’ access to basic rights and services. Essentially, even if they are finally accepted into the community, their right shall have been violated to some extent. This presents a given impression to the immigrants about Australia. It also gives the Australian people with negative impressions of how to treat immigrants like they are different depending on how they arrive in the Australian soil. References Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012. Australia’s asylum totals. [online] Available at: [Accessed 20 July 2013]. Danielle, E. 2008. A Reasonable, Practical and Moderate Humanitarianism: The Co-option of Humanitarianism in the Australian Asylum Seeker Debates. Journal of Refugee Studies, 21(2): 210-229. Mckay, F. K. Thomas, S. L. Kneebone, S. 2011. It would be Okay if they came through the Proper Channels. Community Perceptions and Attitudes toward Asylum Seekers in Australia Journal of Refugee Studies. 26(2). Read More