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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Tue 20 Jun 15:01
It looks like the death toll from the fishing vessel carrying (illegal?) immigrants, mainly from Syria and Pakistan, is set to top 600 with up to 100 of those being children. A truly horrendous tragedy. It`s unbelievable that the Greek Coastguards are hiding behind the excuse that the traffickers told them they didn`t want/ need help and that the boat was in no danger until just before it capsised. Surely they are duty bound to go in and investigate and provide assistance if there is any danger to human life?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65947919
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: OzPar
Date: Tue 20 Jun 15:43
Deep down, this is Australia`s fault.
It goes back to 2001, when a Norwegian ship called the Tampa encountered the Palapa, a small Indonesian fishing boat overloaded with 433 asylum-seekers from Afghanistan.
It was stranded in international waters north of Christmas Island. Tampa rescued the asylum-seekers under the direction of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
However, in a shock move, the Australian Government refused to allow Tampa to land the asylum-seekers. Prime Minister John Howard said it was in Australia`s national interest to draw a line on what was increasingly becoming an "uncontrollable" number of illegal arrivals in the country.
That was debatable; the number of asylum seekers heading by boat to Australia was tiny compared to those heading to many other nations.
My Government, for heaven`s sake, for some temporary electoral kudos, disregarded centuries of a maritime tradition that demands that mariners always rescue others in distress at sea.
The Tampa affair will live in infamy in the maritime industry, for John Howard`s actions opened the doors to other countries to model their actions - or perhaps I should say, inactions - on Australia`s. As a result, tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of refugees have died since.
This disaster off the coast of Greece is yet another part of Australia`s horrible legacy.
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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Tue 20 Jun 16:55
Quote:
OzPar, Tue 20 Jun 15:43
Deep down, this is Australia`s fault.
It goes back to 2001, when a Norwegian ship called the Tampa encountered the Palapa, a small Indonesian fishing boat overloaded with 433 asylum-seekers from Afghanistan.
It was stranded in international waters north of Christmas Island. Tampa rescued the asylum-seekers under the direction of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
However, in a shock move, the Australian Government refused to allow Tampa to land the asylum-seekers. Prime Minister John Howard said it was in Australia`s national interest to draw a line on what was increasingly becoming an "uncontrollable" number of illegal arrivals in the country.
That was debatable; the number of asylum seekers heading by boat to Australia was tiny compared to those heading to many other nations.
My Government, for heaven`s sake, for some temporary electoral kudos, disregarded centuries of a maritime tradition that demands that mariners always rescue others in distress at sea.
The Tampa affair will live in infamy in the maritime industry, for John Howard`s actions opened the doors to other countries to model their actions - or perhaps I should say, inactions - on Australia`s. As a result, tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of refugees have died since.
This disaster off the coast of Greece is yet another part of Australia`s horrible legacy.
No, I can`t agree with that, Oz. Australia no doubt set an extremely poor example to other countries, but there was no obligation on them to follow suit. No, I rather feel it`s down to the rise of so many right wing, populist governments, but then who votes them into power? ☹
Not your average Sunday League player.
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