Australians like to think that we are a friendly and multicultural society, but are we? Our media has shown great emotion expressed by members of parliament over statements by Fraser Anning that we should return to the White Australia policy, and his inclusion of the words “the final solution” in his proposal for admitting only white Christians into Australia.

The phrase “final solution” was used by the Nazi regime about their policy of sending Jews, political opponents, dissidents, the disabled, and Romany people to the gas chambers. These people were demonised by government, excluded from civilian life, and ultimately killed. That is uncomfortably close to how our federal government has been treating refugees.

All the anger and discussion over what Fraser Anning said serves the useful purpose of covering up the real mental and physical crisis on Nauru and Manus Islands and the racism and xenophobia that lie at the heart of imprisoning refugees. Like the Nazi government, our federal government has resorted to lies and secrecy: we have been told that “there are no children in detention”.

What has not been discussed with sorrow and anger is that this week a twelve year old boy is in danger of dying because of the conditions on Nauru where he has been for years. He has given up hope for life, given up eating and drinking, and given up communicating with others. Like others before him, his position has been ignored by federal government. Pleas from medical practitioners for this child to be taken to Australia have met the same denials of help that were given to other requests from medical and psychiatric. As a result, people have died from deliberate medical neglect from the federally administered department.

Refugee children, as well as adult asylum seekers, have over the past few years also been mentally, emotionally and physically damaged by the terrible conditions they are forced to live under in Nauru and Manus by our government. The effects of extreme stress and depression at a young age have a physically damaging effect on children’s brains.

Apart from the damage to children, twelve young men have died from the results of being imprisoned for years by the federal government policies of punishing refugees. Some died of medical neglect, others committed suicide, and one was murdered by security guards.

If we as Australians are not to be in the same category as the compliant Germans prior to World War II, then we should be demonstrating our opposition against the cruelty of keeping people imprisoned on Nauru and Manus. We should be phoning and writing to the Prime Minister to ask that the refugees be taken off Manus and Nauru and into our country for medical treatment, resettlement, and attempts to repair the psychological and physical damage that has been inflicted on them. Those who take no action, who are compliant and complacent about government mistreatment of refugees, are themselves implicated in this crime against humanity.
Gillian Blair, Panmure, Vic. 3265