In his article carried in the Herald Sun, one of Australia’ leading dailies, dated March 06, 2007, entitled: Make lost boys feel at home,’ Hon. Lindsay Tanner, Federal Opposition labor member for Melbourne and the Federal Labor’s finance Spokesman, has urged the Australian society to make Sudanese lost boys feel at home. Given the recent bad publicity involving the Sudanese, the latest comments from one of the Country’s leading Federal Politicians, Hon. Tanner is a rare consolation for a community that has increasingly found itself besieged by the media fond of sensationalizing minor issues, exaggeration and prejudice toward particular minorities; and which is becoming notorious in selective approach to community issues.
Wrote Honorable Lindsay Tanner: “Inevitably, African migrants stand out. If one does something wrong, the whole community gets blamed. When a drunk, unlicensed Sudanese driver injures six Dandenong schoolchildren, it’s a Sudanese issue.
When a drug-crazed Sudanese man rapes several women, it’s a Sudanese issue. Sadly, people get killed by drunk drivers and raped by violent thugs fairly regularly. Most of these criminals aren’t refugees, Sudanese or otherwise. But no one talks about an Aussie problem when a young white bloke, called Johnson or Jones, kills or rapes someone.”
Acknowledging the outstanding efforts being exerted by one of his constituents, a young Sudanese man and the leader of the Lost Boys Association in Australia, Mr. Akoch Manhiem, Mr. Lindsay Tanner emphasized that the key to integrating African refugees into the Australian society was jobs. That what refugees from war torn Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and indeed Sudan wanted was a chance to be part of the wider and great Australian society.
In articulate passion, Hon. Lindsay Tanner noted with displeasure, the prevailing atmosphere of discrimination against refugees and migrants in some circles. For example, in his words, “it is absurd that we’ve got Somali engineers driving taxis in the middle of a national skills crisis.” He further elaborated that the messages the Australian society send to refugees’ kids were crucial. That for example if they see their parents denied opportunity and discriminated against; the children would not find it meaningful to study and work hard.
“If we don’t ensure they have a real chance of integrating into Australian society, why would they try?”
The Labor Politician also observed that many African refugees were more passionate about their adopted country/ies than people who were born here. He cited Akoch Manhiem’s recent attempt to organize a day for community service for the Sudanese Lost Boys in Melbourne to say thank you to Australia as just an indicator of that commitment. But unfortunately, he noted, no organization came to the lost boys’ support.
For further details, please visit: www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story or google search Lindsay Tanner – make lost boys feel at home!
Deng M. Koch,
Focal point, Gurtong Project in Australia