The Forum > Article Comments > Why we need a new policy on refugees > Comments
Why we need a new policy on refugees : Comments
By Petro Georgiou, published 31/5/2005Petro Georgiou argues it's time for compassion and accountability in handling asylum seekers.
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And the matter of children (as the article addressed it) was children under 18. I think we all know from current youth violence all over the world, that there are no real age restrictions as to when violent behavior begins. Very young children have been used as suicide bombers, and there are those as young as 8 bearing arms willingly for terrorist organizations, generally with their parents support. On talking to a Desert Storm vet, one of her worst problems there was that many of the "enemy" (in this case the Iraqi army under Saddam) had barely hit puberty, aged 13 or 14. That was very difficult for her to rationalize, but they were shooting at her. Hard for Westerners to deal with certainly, but a common and excepted practice in the Middle East.
The fact is, it seems, that immigration must take each case on a personal basis, as they should be doing now, and although I don't particularly like the idea of small children (I'm speaking of primarily toddlers) being separated from their parents, perhaps if detention is more detrimental to their mental health, that should be considered. I also believe that processing times should be stepped up for the parents, giving them priority over non parents. That may already be the case, I'm not certain.