Asylum Seekers Arriving in Australia by Boat - Essay Example

Asylum Seekers Arriving in Australia by Boat Introduction: An asylum seeker primarily refers to a person who has left his own native landin order to seek refuge in any other country or location. Generally the reasons behind individuals seeking for asylum involve incidents of persecution that can be in the form of any abuse, any form of intrusion or bigotry. When individuals suffer from any of such above mentioned difficulties with no protective measures from their native countries, they tend to take shelter in other countries thus seeking for asylum (Whittaker, 2006, pp.6-7). Asylum seekers are also known to enter Australia by either boat or through other travelling means. In general the asylum seekers are not only welcome by the countrymen of Australia, they are provided with all the required necessities. On the other hand the treatment to the asylum seekers coming by boats is dealt with measures of detention. They are considered as illegal and not presenting any legal documents (McMaster, 2001, p.2). The current study focuses on the asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat and reflects on their physical and emotional health, the roles of the government and the policy setting, the obligations under the United Nations Human Rights Commission as well as focus on the role of the media in shaping the public and political opinion in the context. 2. Asylum Seekers Arriving in Australia by Boat: Facing the approaches of the asylum seekers and refugees, Australia had earlier initiated the detention policies on the entry of the asylum seekers. However, the liberal movements of the government have taken initiatives to bring about suitable solutions. Australia has subsequently been found to drive out the opportunities for the asylum seekers to some of the immigration locations of the country. Particularly, since it is believed that the asylum seekers coming by boat are illegal, the strict policies are applied with greater forces (Wilson. 2010). However the country has proved to have greater responsibilities for individuals who seek shelter as their physical and emotional health can be realized from studies as well. 2.1. Physical and Emotional Health of the Asylum Seekers Arriving by Boat: Most of the asylum seekers are known to have physical health difficulties that primarily include problems like apprehension and depression. This might occur as a consequence of any experience of the past that has made the individual suffer in regard to any torture associated with ill-treatment leading to the fear of uncertainty. The emotional disturbances also arise due to the lack of support from their own native governments and their losses in regard to their shelters as well as employment. Planning and successful implementation of re-settlement also hampers the lifestyle and the mental stability of individuals, particularly the children (Harris & Telfer, 2001). Some of the asylum seekers may also be found in a state where they possess the pain and effects of the physical torture that they received in their native homeland. These individuals can be expected to be in the need of immediate and essential medical care. Such physical injuries might include head injuries, broken bones or fractures, epilepsy, or any other related suffering of the muscular joints leading to complete weakness of the health. Women could be the victims of rape, where they involve the chances of diseases that are sexually transmitted. Infectious or contagious diseases may also spread among the individuals creating the ill and deteriorated physical health of the asylum seekers (Harris & Telfer, 2001). Associated with the physical torture can be realized the reasons for the extreme uncertainty, fear and apprehension that leads to the deterioration of the emotional health of the asylum seekers as well. It has been found by the medical practitioners that physical and psychological effects or disorders are mostly prevalent in such individuals who seek for asylums in countries other than their native lands (Harris & Telfer, 2001). Thus a study in the physical and emotional health of the asylum seekers reflect the poor conditions of many of these individuals who desperately leave their own nations to get shelter at a new location. 3. Role of the Government: In regard to the detention policies for the asylum seekers coming by boat and entering Australia or the process of banishment with respect to certain areas reflect the involvement of the government and its policy settings based on which the different measures have been undertaken over the years. 3.1. The Policy Setting of the Government: With respect to the entry of the asylum seekers coming by boat in the country of Australia, the policy setting of the government can be discussed to understand its role and influence. Under the policies of the Australian government, there are governing bodies for the regulation of the refugees and the asylum seekers. These bodies include the UNHCR or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the local integration process, and the resettlement process of third countries. Resettlement policies are primarily dedicated towards providing the refugees with the basic necessities to the asylum seekers. Since asylum seekers are required to wait for verification, there are policies constructed for Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). However in order to receive such TPVs, the individuals are supposed to satisfy the Australian Federal legislative and policy positions that have the responsibility to settle on the rights of such asylum seekers (Murray, Davidson & Schweitzer, 2008, pp.5-6). In order to make it possible for the asylum seekers to migrate from their native land to other countries in search of shelter, the countries are required to be parties to international laws dealing with the protection of health and providing the refugees with safety. Some of the countries in the location of Australia are known to possess such associations with the international laws. Thus asylum seekers can come to Australia intending to protect their lives. It is also necessary that unless asylum seekers who bring no or false documents along with them are proved to be so, they are supposed to be treated as refugees, as followed by the policies of the government. If this is not done, it might be assumed that the country has not performed to meet the responsibilities towards refugees who are genuine and need protection (Refugees and Asylum Seekers: What you need to know, 2010). Thus from the role of the government it can be realized that the Australian government has set policies that are focused towards providing the needy refugees or asylum seekers with the basic necessities and protection for their health and life. However, since asylum seekers coming to the country by the boat are assumed to be individuals making false claims, they are required to be verified for the truth of their documents and claims. Although detention policies have been tried to be attempted on such seekers, the liberal policies of the government have made it clear that such seekers unless they are proved to be false, have to be provided with the required necessities for their protection, as are mentioned under the policies of the government. 4. Obligations under the United Nations Human Rights Commission: There are obligations in Australia in regard to the human rights of the asylum seekers coming to the country through the sea. The rights of such individuals are supposed to be protected irrespective of the manner in which they reach the country. Under the general governmental policies of the country, individuals who meet the criteria of being true refugees are provided with the basic necessities and protection measures for their health and safety. The country also cannot return any individual who has come to the country in search of shelter and protection. However, along with the protective measures obliged for the refugees, the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) also reflects on the protection of the government rules and policies (Asylum seekers and refugees, n.d.). Thus the UNHRC supports the policies to detain those asylum seekers who come by the boat and do not have legal documents based on their claims for the need of protection. Under the monitoring policies of the commission, such asylum seekers may be detained unless they are verified to be true refugees. In such situation, there might be cases where the individuals verified do not meet the criteria of the Australian policies of becoming true refugees. Yet, if they return to their native lands, they might encounter severe torture and insecurity that they wanted to avoid and escape. In such cases the Commission has measures for the different authorities to make discretion and take decisions to declare the individuals valid for the Visas and make them eligible to receive the protection and safety to their health and lives (Asylum seekers and refugees, n.d.). From a study on the obligations of the UNHRC, it can be realized that the Australian country has obligations towards welcoming and treating the refugees and asylum seekers with all the necessities and protective measures that they require. Such obligations are in general applicable to all asylum seekers irrespective of their way of arriving in the country. However, the asylum seekers coming by boat representing those without validation and with false claims are not considered as true refugees and are thus detained for verification. Depending on the results of the verification, they can be allowed with the entry in the country. However, discretionary measures of allowing particular individuals are permitted under the policies of the UNHRC if the individual, although not verified, reflect uncertainty to his life on returning to his own land. This clearly presents the obligation and the policies of the commission to serve the human rights to the utmost level possible. 5. Role of Media: The role of the media has been significant in regard to the shaping of the public and political opinion to the policy measures applied for the treatment of the refugees and asylum seekers coming to the Australian country. The media has played the role of increasing the extensive attention in the public bringing the actions of the government in front of them (Lusher, 2007, p.35). 5.1. Shaping of Public Opinion: The role of the media in shaping up the public opinion in the context of the entry of asylum seekers in the country and the protective measures they receive from the government lies in the manner they have used the technology to spread the measures undertaken in the public. The media has acted as an essential instrument for information passed through television, press, radio or other media sources. Thus people are capable of watching, realizing, perceiving the current happenings in the concerned issue and make relative opinions. Its importance lies in the manner it presents the refugees or the asylum seekers and their needs in front of the public. This can be expected to create an understanding among the native people such that serving the seekers do not hamper the peace of the country (Hadeshian, 2006, pp.2-3). 5.2. Shaping Political Opinion: The role of the political leaders in forming the beliefs and minds of the public is highly significant particularly with respect to the acceptance of the refugees being treated in one’s own country. In case of Australia, the refugee program is thus much influenced under the political leadership of the country. The media has a significant role in this regard since they reflect on the political debate that prevails in the country depending on the measures undertaken for the refugees or the asylum seekers. Thus based on these issues, the public is also able to make up their minds and create opinions (Power, 2010). The media can thus be realized to create a connection between the public and the political power and aids in the formation of opinion of both the public and the political leaders in relation to the asylum seekers arriving Australia by boat. 6. Conclusion: The study has portrayed a clear picture on the asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat who are considered as illegal as against those who arrive by other means. Although these asylum seekers are not considered as true refugees unless verified, many of them are in the uncertainty of their lives and fear to return to their native lands. Their physical and emotional health can be found to be in deteriorated conditions requiring essential treatments. The governmental policies and the obligations of the UNHRC reflect that asylum seekers are supposed to be provided with the necessities and protective measures that they require. However, since asylum seekers coming by boat are not allowed entry unless verified to be true, in situations where they might have severe danger of returning, discretionary measures are also allowed. Thus with the media as well playing a significant role in shaping of public and political opinion, it can be realized that the Australian country has significant obligations and protective measures for the asylum seekers even irrespective of the way they avail to arrive in the country. . References 1) Asylum seekers and refugees (n.d.), HREOC, available at: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/human_rights/immigration/asylum_seekers.html (accessed on December 1, 2011) 2) Hadeshian, S. (2006), CCR International Refugee Rights Conference, CCRWEB, available at: http://ccrweb.ca/presentations/shadeshianmediaen.pdf (accessed on December 1, 2011) 3) Harris, M.F. & B.L. Telfer (2001), The health needs of asylum seekers living in the community, The Medical Journal of Australia, Vol.175, pp.589-6592, available at: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/175_12_171201/harris/harris.html (accessed on November 30, 2011) 4) Lusher, D. (2007), Yearning to breathe free: seeking asylum in Australia, New South Wales: Federation Press 5) McMaster, D. (2001), Asylum seekers: Australia’s response to refugees, Melbourne: Melbourne University Press 6) Murray, K.E., Davidson, G.R. & R.D. Schweitzer (2008), Psychological Wellbeing of Refugees Resettling in Australia, Psychology, available at: http://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/Refugee-Lit-Review.pdf (accessed on December 1, 2011) 7) Power, P. (2010), Australian Attitudes to the Acceptance of Refugees, Refugeecouncil, available at: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/resources/speeches/100320_MurdochUni_PPower.pdf (accessed on December 1, 2011) 8) Refugees and Asylum Seekers: What you need to know (2010), Salvationarmy, available at: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/justsalvos/up/Refugee_and_Asylum_Seekers/refugeesandasylumseekers.pdf (accessed on December 1, 2011) 9) Whittaker, D.J. (2006), Asylum seekers and refugees in the contemporary world, London: Taylor & Francis 10) Wilson, C. (2010), Australia and Asylum Seekers: Another Offshore Solution?, London Progressive Journal, available at: http://londonprogressivejournal.com/article/view/740 (accessed on November 30, 2011) Read More