Cambodia, Australia Ink Controversial Refugee Deal
This was the headline in today’s Cambodia Daily,and the Phnom Penh Post’s front page had a photo of Scott Morrison (the Australian Immigration Minister) and Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng smiling with champagne glasses. They were silent and didn’t speak to the journalists. I don’t know why they were smiling. The Cambodia journalists and lots of Cambodians are not happy and nor am I or Mum or lots of Mum’s friends. There are Cambodian’s protesting outside the Australian Embassy here in Phnom Penh.
Australia is a rich country with a lot of land AND with lots of Australians who would help asylum seekers and even have them live with them. Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world!
I read the papers, they say Australia is giving Cambodia $35million to take the asylum seekers, they are people who are escaping war and torture and death! In the Phnom Penh Post it says “Australia will no longer condemn human rights abuses in Cambodia”!! It also says “The agreement has been strongly opposed by rights and legal groups in both countries who accuse Australia of shirking its international responsibilities and question the ability of a developing country like Cambodia to take care of refugees”!
I read the papers, they say Australia is giving Cambodia $35million to take the asylum seekers, they are people who are escaping war and torture and death! In the Phnom Penh Post it says “Australia will no longer condemn human rights abuses in Cambodia”!! It also says “The agreement has been strongly opposed by rights and legal groups in both countries who accuse Australia of shirking its international responsibilities and question the ability of a developing country like Cambodia to take care of refugees”!
Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian Opposition leader said: “Cambodia is not a place to resettle the refugees because the local people in this country cannot lead decent lives, they are deprived of fundamental rights and living conditions. So how could we accommodate people from other parts of the world.
The refugees will get help in their first year in Cambodia to learn the language, to set up a business and have time to find somewhere to live. They will also get medical help from Australia. MOST Cambodians don’t get this type of help, so imagine if you were a poor Cambodian? How would you feel about the refugees? I don’t think they will welcome them. Life will be very hard for the refugees in Cambodia … and Australia is rich, has people who want to help and the refugees could contribute SO much to Australia.
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