Friends, the 2017 Christmas is upon us again. Christmas for many of us is a time for love, peace and hope; and time for generosity of heart. It is rare few moments, as it seems, for ordinary folks in Australia that could have their time to open kind hearts for those enslaved asylum-seekers in PNG and Nauru. But my friends, I'm afraid that something may have somehow prevented, so far, such Australian kindness towards the asylum-seekers comes into fruition.
Early this year, I had reported the Government and Mass Media's "Conspiracy of Silence" as regards to the death of Faysal Ahmad [#1] -- the Manus Island refugees who died at Christmas Eve of 2016. Why would the Government want to filter any bad news about asylum-seekers to the Australian public ? To me, the answer is simple: the Government mistreatment of asylum-seekers is against any human conscience. Any human being who would have witnessed such injustice will have to seek redress. The Government and Mass Media (i.e. perpetrators of crimes) therefore seek to filter news and, create diversions where necessary about these asylum-seekers. Hence, that becomes the case of "Elephant in the Room" and "Packs of Lies".
When there is an "Elephant", there will also be "Lies". This Christmas season has been no exception. I have identified, at least, two packages of lies our government thrown at us at this Christmas. They are --
(I) The possible resettlement of the 200 asylum-seekers to the United States as early as mid-January 2018 [#2]. This is clearly a media spin, that feeds positive news about offshore asylum-seekers, aiming at the Christmas time. We don't have to wait too long though, that media 'Spin' is going to be hit by 'Something'. And I will be the most joyous person, IF it's proved I am wrong!
(II) The Government's blatant statistical fudge about the asylum-seekers at offshore [#3]. Look at page 4 of the ABF report and see that how our government has been so desperate! There are NOT a single person in Manus Island detention now; the 690 asylum-seekers super magically disappeared from our offshore detention list. This blatant mis-representation is unprecedented in any context and, the sly work un-matched even by Centrelink/Australian Bureau of Statistics reporting of unemployment figures in Australia!
My friends, on X-mas, when you were thrown at with packs of lies by your government, the only way we can reciprocate have been to declare New Year the year for justice. Lets make this happen.
Happy X-mas to you all; Especially to our enslaved friends on Manus and Nauru; & Also of Rohingya/Bengalis on those far a field as marsh lands of Bangladesh: Whatever is your religious orientation and the prevailing circumstances, do enjoy the X-mas and do keep up the fight for justice. A year of justice is coming!
Regards, U Ne Oo, NetIPR, Sydney.
[#1] http://www.netipr.org/saorg/node/39
[#2] http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/up-to-200-refugees...
[#3] https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/statisti...
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