If, as some posters persist in saying, these people were genuine dinki di "refugees" why didn't they go to the nearest Islamic country. Why pay to risk their lives trying to sneak into a WESTERN country?
They probably crossed muslim nations, they stayed in Indonesia a muslim nation.
Go back to drinking your latte Tony.

"The deliberate, calculated misuse of immigration for political ends by ethno religious/leftist groups is tantamount to WAR"...but it's OK if your rightwing government does it.

Which reminds me. Jesus was a leftie. Pretty religious too. AND ethnic.

mickijo

A refugee is a person seeking asylum in a foreign country in order to escape persecution, war, terrorism, extreme poverty, famines, or natural disaster. Some regional legal instruments further include those seeking to escape generalized violence in the definition of a refugee. Those who seek refugee status are sometimes known as asylum seekers and the practice of accepting such refugees is that of offering political asylum. The most common asylum claims to industrialized countries are based upon political and religious grounds.

Under the 1951 United Nations (UN) Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and 1967 Protocol, a signatory nation must grant asylum to refugees and cannot forcibly return refugees to their nations of origin. However, many nations routinely ignore this treaty.

The asylum seekers on SIEV X were Iraqi, they had every right under the convention signed by our Government to seek asylum in Australia.

If you believe Howard and Ruddock's lies about our international obligations you are a fool.

Maybe these people should have donated to Ruddock's "slush fund" they would now be Australian Citizens instead of being DEAD.

Thanks Steve,

I often don't have the energy to fill the gaps of ignorance that disguises itself as 'informed opinion' here.
I'm glad to see that you do, even if it is futile at times.

Hear hear. What Ranier said.

Divergence - Excellent Post

Although I would correct you –“The "internationalists" don't care particularly about disadvantaged Australians”

The internationalist care only for power and their dominance over the free thoughts and actions of others.
There “Socialism” is the failed crop which feeds no one and starves everyone.

Marilyn “but it does not take away the truth.” And nothing which you wrote supports the truth. It only supports only your misinterpretation and manipulation of supposed “events” so they conform to your angry viuew of everything – as someone wrote on another post – you parade your anger like a virtue. Shame it is not one.

Rogidon

“The people who died …were overwhelming genuine refugees and innocent victims.”

That assertion is a safe one to “claim”, when it can never be tested.

However, I claim that since they were all in Indonesian territory, a religiously "Muslim" country, like Iraq and Afghanistan, immediately before they set sail, they were beyond the wrath of the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan and thus, not subject to “dire peril” and therefore not the "genuine refugees" but simply "Religious / Economic Opportunists" hell bent on their own selfish crusade to do everything to evade "Non-Muslim" Australia's migration tests and requirements.

If these people were truly "Innocent" and "Worthy", they would respect Australia's right to determine who comes here and wait there turn, like thousands of other do.