A Shocking Story!

I was shocked to hear about the actions of the emergency services who responded to the evacuation of a public school during a recent fire emergency and appalled by the follow-up actions of the Education Department!  

The fire was started by arsonists in the library and it quickly spread throughout the entire administration block and surrounding classrooms putting half the school community at risk of serious injury. 

As soon as the fire alarm was activated the school evacuation plan was immediately initiated with the students in relatively unaffected buildings being evacuated orderly through designated exits to the emergency assembly area.  Most of the staff in the administration block were able to exit through the main entrance.  However, a dozen teachers who were overcome by smoke inhalation had to smash a window in the staff room to escape from the thick blanket of smoke. Unfortunately, this window led into a closed in courtyard and the teachers were forced to climb over the timber privacy screens to get out.  

The class studying in the library were completely trapped with no way to safely exit by following the school's well rehearsed evacuation plan. Both emergency exits were blocked by flames and debris from the fire and panic caused the students to become disorientated with fear.  The librarian ushered some of the students to the back of the library and used a chair to break through a dividing partition into the classroom next door to find another way out.  The students on the mezzanine level with their class teacher climbed up the wall mounted book shelf and helped each other through a small overhead window onto the roof of the library.  Once on the roof they ran across the metal cladding towards the fire brigade frantically waving and yelling to get their attention.

As expected, the students who followed the school evacuation procedures were immediately attended to by the designated fire wardens to ensure they were accounted for and were assessed by first aiders for any injuries.  But to my surprise the staff who broke through the window and climbed over the timber screens were reprimanded by the police for not following correct procedures before being treated by the paramedics for smoke inhalation.  What I found most outrageous was how those trapped in the library were treated by the emergency services after their ordeal of escaping from the worst effected area of the school.  The librarian and students who broke through the partition wall were refused medical treatment by the ambos!  And those who climbed onto the roof were told by the fire brigade to go back the way the came and exit the building the right way!!

If this wasn't bad enough, an internal investigation of the incident by the Education Department found the teachers who had helped the students escape the 'wrong way' were in breach of department policy. The teachers lost their jobs and the students involved in damaging property were expelled from the school! Just when you thought this story couldn't get any more bizarre, the Minister for Education pursued legal action against the school principal to deter other schools from breaching emergency procedures in the future.

Sounds outrageous?  Absolutely, because it's not a true story!  If this fictional story was true, it would justifiably evoke the condemnation of every reasonably minded person associated with this made up school scenario. 

However, it does serve as a confronting allegory of the outrageous policies of the Australian government for handling traumatised people pursuing any means of escape possible from the dangers they face; irrespective of whether or not it complies with what is considered to be acceptable. In the face of imminent danger, real or perceived, there is no such thing as a 'right' or 'wrong' way to seek asylum. When you are in danger your survival instincts don't stop and ask if your safety is logical or even legal. When your family is at risk you don't stop and ask permission to make them safe.  If we are brutally honest and put our fears and prejudices aside, there is very little that any one of us wouldn't do if we genuinely felt our safety was threatened.  

Any parent who has ever said, "I would do anything to protect my family," needs to rethink condemning a mother or father who has acted on that statement.  Any government that has ever sent troops to war needs to reconsider policies that inhibit victims of war from escaping a conflict zone. Any society that values peace and freedom needs to reassess who is entitled to that same value.  

Finally, if you felt any level of outrage at the treatment of the students and teachers in this imaginary story then next time you hear a real story of people seeking asylum use your indignation to advocate for their universal right to life, liberty and security of person.

Charter Of Justice

"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed." - Psalm 82:3

Defending the weak does not exploit a position of power but journeys alongside in a spirit of humility.
Defending the fatherless does not patronise but displays empathy.
Upholding the cause of the poor not only provides welfare but addresses the issues behind poverty.
Upholding the cause of the oppressed not only alleviates distress but addresses the issues of injustice.


"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." - Isaiah 1:17

Doing right is not conditional upon popular opinion or political advantage but a moral alignment with a holy God.
Seeking justice is not determined by social, ethnic or religious status but a shared humanity with a just God.


"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk Humbly with your God." - Micah 6:8

To Act Justly...

Lord God, stir in our hearts a holy indignation for injustice. May your righteousness so burn within our spirits that we are compelled to stand up for the vulnerable, defenceless and voiceless of our society. Open our eyes and hearts to the injustices of our world. Challenge our own attitudes and actions that may inadvertently contribute to injustice.*

To Love Mercy...

Lord God, may we not only be a people who speak up for truth, but be a people of grace that displays your mercy and kindness to a lost and hurting world. Give us a deep compassion that sees people the way you see them, so that we may serve them as you would. Soften our hearts and quicken our hands so that we may “do for the least of these” as though they were Christ.*

To Walk Humbly with your God...

Lord God, give us “the same attitude as that of Jesus Christ” who humbled himself “taking the very nature of a servant”. Remove any pride that would cause us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Restore within us a right image of ourselves so that we may see what our Creator sees. May everything we think, say or do bring glory and honour to you, O Lord!*

* Prayers taken from my book 'Divine Conversations - A Journal of Prayer" - https://divineconversationsbook.blogspot.com.au

- See more at: http://ephesiansfour12.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/divine-conversations-1.html#sthash.qdpiGMMq.dpuf

Share Their Stories

Amidst politically driven and socially divided opinions about asylum seekers and refugees in Australia emerge remarkable stories from beautiful people who restore a sense of humanity to the discussion.  Here is a snapshot of a few real stories that are indicative of others that are being discovered by those taking the time to positively engage with people seeking to call Australia home:

Ali & Sarah came to Australia about 18 months ago from Iran on a student visa looking for religious freedom.  As cultural Muslims they were tired of living under oppressive Islamic law and believe Christianity to be a religion of "peace and freedom."

Haluel is a refugee from Sudan who escaped the war of Sudan when she was a child and spent 12 years in a refugee camp in Kenya before embarking on a dangerous and complicated journey towards settlement in Australia.
 

Ihab & Amaal recently left the conflict in Egypt on a tourist visa and are looking for refugee status in Australia due to persecution from a Muslim landlord that led to false charges against them.  They lament the current turmoil in their country and the burning of their Christian churches.

Athula was a Buddhist man who left political persecution in Sri Lanka because he supported the opposition party.  Since seeking asylum in Australia Athula connected with our church, had a revelation of Jesus and is now a Christian man.

Farzana is a student from Afghanistan who is studying a Diploma of Community Services to serve and support asylum seekers and refugees in Australia.  She now volunteers at The Salvation Army and is assisting to establish a multicultural playgroup.

Tahir is a Muslim from Pakistan who is an active member of his local Islamic Community Centre who has a heart to engage in inter-faith dialogue with Christians.  He is a gracious man who wants to deepen the understanding between each others faith perspectives.

These are real people, with real hopes and dreams, facing very real adversity!  Share their stories and stop the dehumanizing of people seeking the same basic human rights that we celebrate and defend in this country.

Human Trafficking Repackaged?

Disclaimer:  This post is a personal reflection expressing my own opinions, which may not reflect the official position of The Salvation Army. You can find official statements on asylum seekers by The Salvation Army at www.salvationarmy.org.au or www.justsalvos.com

In the wake of the recent Australian government policy shift on asylum seekers, many Australians are left reeling over the perceived inhumanity of our Prime Minister's tough stance on people smugglers and "boat people".

While detention centres and off-shore processing has been the strategy by both sides of politics in one form or another, this recent move has seen the Australian government broker a deal with the Papua New Guinea government to transfer unwanted "boat people" to our neighbours with no chance of settlement in Australia, regardless of the legitimacy of their claim for asylum.  

In other words, we have come up with an economic arrangement to offload unwanted human cargo with a no return policy attached!  

As offensive as that sounds, it characterizes how Australia's political behaviour appears not that far removed from the behaviour of the people smugglers they are attempting to deter.  People smugglers relocate vulnerable human beings for economic advantage, whereas this new policy plans to relocate vulnerable human beings for political advantage.  While the two operate on different sides of the law, human beings are still being traded and transported with little regard for their basic human rights into another form of captivity and increased vulnerability.  Whichever way I look at this new asylum seeker policy, I am left wondering if it inadvertently falls into a politically justified form of human trafficking?

Beneath the distorted justifications for this policy, you can't escape the fact that an economic deal has been brokered with another country to trade human beings, who are not breaking the law, into an oppressive situation against their will.

This point of view may well be overstated and even a little controversial, but I hope it compels us as a society to critically assess and challenge any policy that increases the vulnerability of people who are exercising their internationally recognised right to seek asylum, which is not conditional upon their mode of transport.  We need to strip away politics and set aside prejudices so that we can reengage in a meaningful discussion that puts human rights back on the agenda to find a more appropriate and unified response to this human catastrophe!

Stop The Boats!?

There is a lot of political rhetoric flying around Australia at the moment about stopping the flood of boats carrying asylum seekers from reaching Australian waters.  Both sides of politics are playing the blame game, promising the impossible and in it all seem to be completely missing the point!

Politics, parochialism and prejudice only serve to distort and devalue the very real issue of desperate human beings seeking refuge from poverty and persecution.  These boats are filled with some of the most vulnerable people on earth, leaving unthinkable circumstances for an uncertain future.  Stopping the boats may win votes but does nothing to address why people are on the boats in the first place!!

Stopping the boats does not solve the problem!

 

Stopping the boats redirects the problem to someone else!

 

Stopping the boats exposes the passengers to even greater risk!  

Stopping the boats denies our responsibility as global citizens!

I recently discussed the biblical mandate for how to treat foreigners in my post Kingdom Citizenship, but add to those thoughts a plea to all Australians, as we approach the upcoming election, not to allow emotive and deceptive campaign slogans to corrupt the essense of what makes us human.  Instead, let us resolve as a nation to stop any form of injustice that creates the demand for the boats.  Let us redefine the political agenda so that stopping the boats has no political advantage.  And let us refuse to turn our backs on those who are seeking what we celebrate as a nation to be a fundamental right for all human beings.