The worst I've seen – trauma expert lifts lid on 'atrocity'

[cronus]

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... ion-regime

The worst I've seen – trauma expert lifts lid on 'atrocity' of Australia's detention regime

In my entire career of 43 years I have never seen more atrocity than I have seen in the incarcerated situations of Manus Island and Nauru.”

Paul Stevenson has had a life in trauma. The psychologist and traumatologist has spent 40 years helping people make sense of their lives in the aftermath of disaster, of terrorist attacks, bombings and mass murders, of landslides, fires and tsunamis.

He’s written a book about his experiences, Postcards from Ground Zero, and for his efforts in assisting the victims of the Bali bombings, the Australian government pinned an Order of Australia Medal to his chest.

Now, he says, it is the Australian government deliberately inflicting upon people the worst trauma he has ever seen.

(continued)

[pErvinalia]

Anyone with half a brain here knows that future politicians will have to issue an apology, and possibly compensation, for what we've done the last 15 years. But it sums up politics here in Oz at the moment. It's all a big game now. Both sides hold ridiculous positions because they see it as scoring political points against the other side. Trust levels here in politicians is at an all time low. Unfortunately that means we are probably being set up for a Trump style rwnj takeover. At the moment it looks like Pauline Hanson is going to benefit massively at the next election.

[Strontium Dog]

Australia suffers from having no real liberal party to help shape discourse there and make politics more humane. The Australian Democrats did for a while, but that died a death. The demise of the Lib Dems here is having the same effect, with politics becoming increasingly nasty and the major parties competing to out-screw the poor bastards fleeing hardship.

[mistermack]

Funny thing is that they all choose to be there.

It's an odd sort of atrocity that's so popular, people choose it over a free flight home.

[Hermit]

Ahhhh, for a free flight home sweet home.

[Strontium Dog]

Funny thing is that they all choose to be there.

It's an odd sort of atrocity that's so popular, people choose it over a free flight home.

Yes, I'm sure life in a concentration camp is exactly what people are dreaming of when they're fleeing certain death.

[pErvinalia]

Australia suffers from having no real liberal party to help shape discourse there and make politics more humane. The Australian Democrats did for a while, but that died a death. The demise of the Lib Dems here is having the same effect, with politics becoming increasingly nasty and the major parties competing to out-screw the poor bastards fleeing hardship.

You should have a look at Nick Xenophon and his party. He's been an independent senator for a few terms and his popularity has grown continually. He's pretty much taken up the gap left by the Aus Dems and thanks to major dissatisfaction with the major parties he's started his own party with multiple senators and lower house candidates in both State and Federal elections. He's benefiting from the general flee from the majors thanks to them being totally detached from reality. Pauline Hanson (One Nation racist party) is the other big benefactor. But Xenophon is basically a true liberal, if perhaps a little to the left of what Americans and UKians would consider a true liberal.

[mistermack]

Funny thing is that they all choose to be there.

It's an odd sort of atrocity that's so popular, people choose it over a free flight home.

Yes, I'm sure life in a concentration camp is exactly what people are dreaming of when they're fleeing certain death.

Of course. Because all of the people in Australian camps are fleeing certain death, right?
But hang on, Australia is an Island? Right? Thousands of miles away from where these people came from?

According to your logic, they should all have the right to go wherever they want in the world.
Why not Disney Land? They're fleeing certain death. They therefore have a right to live in Disney Land.
It makes as much sense.

[pErvinalia]

We've debunked this nonsense about 50 times before. You are impervious to the reality of the UN convention on refugees.

[Strontium Dog]

According to your logic, they should all have the right to go wherever they want in the world.
Why not Disney Land?

Disneyland is not a sovereign state. Thought you should know.

You should have a look at Nick Xenophon and his party.

Thanks, I will.

[Hermit]

Australia is an Island? Right? Thousands of miles away from where these people came from?

According to your logic, they should all have the right to go wherever they want in the world.

And according to your logic people have no right to flee intolerable conditions. It's an attitude familiar to those who fled Germany in the 1930s.



The boat people setting out for the Americas on the St. Louis had a difficult time making good a landing in a country away from persecution Of the 937 who left only 29 were allowed to disembark in Cuba. President Roosevelt denied permission for the ship to enter US territory altogether. Canada turned it away also. In the end Great Britain accepted 288 of the asylum seekers. The rest were strewn across Belgium, the Netherlands and France. After Germany conquered those countries an estimated 277 of them died in concentration camps.

As far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong with refugees trying their luck anywhere at all. Even if that is half way around the world. It's certainly better than spending several decades in festering shitholes with next to no hope of ever being able to resume a normal life just across the border of the lands they come from.

[mistermack]

We've debunked this nonsense about 50 times before. You are impervious to the reality of the UN convention on refugees.

Just as you are completely impervious to the reality of BOGUS refugees.

[pErvinalia]

What reality is that? Tell us all about your expertise in refugees seeking asylum in Australia.

[mistermack]

What reality is that? Tell us all about your expertise in refugees seeking asylum in Australia.

Genuine refugees seek asylum in the first safe country.

[pErvinalia]

No they don't, unless they want to be jailed or sent straight back.