Sri Lankan refugees? What would Jesus do, Mr Morrison?

I am watching with deep distress the response of the Government (and Opposition) across the Tasman to the plight of the world’s most vulnerable, refugees seeking asylum. Since the middle years of the Howard Government neither side of politics has done anything but out-tough the other in response to refugees, playing off a perception in the community that waves of “bludgers” are crossing the seas, desperate to snatch Australian wealth from its rightful owners (who are, of course, in this narrative not the dispossessed Indigenous people but the Anglo-Celtic colonisers).

Lest this be seen as your too-Australianised Dean banging on about another country’s issues, there are New Zealand angles here. First, let it be said, that following the Tampa crisis in 2001 the response of the New Zealand (Clark) Government was exemplary, and the way in which New Zealand opened its hearts and doors to the refugees should have poured hot coals on the consciences of Australia. 150 Afghani refugees were granted NZ citizenship following that crisis. Eventually the Howard Government was forced to accept some as refugees, but did so reluctantly. Captain Arne Rinnan of theTampa was, in a snub to the Howard Government, named International Captain of the Year by Lloyds of London, even though his ship was refused entry to Australian waters.

On the whole New Zealand has been quarantined by distance from the refugees descending on Australia’s somewhat misplaced Christmas Island, 500 kilometres from Indonesia. From Christmas Island to Perth is a further 2,600 kms—and a further 5600 kms to the closest kiwi port (Port Taranaki, as kayaker Scott Donaldson could tell us). So far only one boat-load is known to have attempted that massive journey, and gave up at Geraldton, still some 420 kms north of Perth. There is some talk of refugees attempting to use the Pacific Ocean route, but the logistics remain huge, and a landing on the Hokianga or other west coast harbours could be fairly scary.

The Judaeo-Christian tradition however has some very stern things to say about obligations to refugees. So does International Law. The current performance of the Australian Government, particularly in attempting to hand 250 Sri Lankan refugees back to Sri Lankan authorities, is simply evil. As it happens, so far, the Abbott Government has been thwarted by its own High Court, but it is likely to find ways to circumvent their sanity. Sri Lanka reserves the right to imprison (and therefore potentially torture) Tamils who flee the country. Meanwhile mothers in “off-shore processing centres” are threatening suicide to save their children, and two Tamils have self-immolated rather than be returned to Sri Lanka. The primary ministers responsible for refugees are, incidentally, both professing Christians. They refer to the refugees as “illegals” and call the suicides “manipulation.” What would Jesus do?

I can only hope and pray that we as Christians in New Zealand speak out about the atrocities the neighbouring government are perpetrating (with Opposition collusion). I can only hope and pray that when the time comes for New Zealand to take its fair share of the world’s most vulnerable we do a better job, and that Christian voices are at the forefront of the demand for just and compassionate response. Let us hope our response to Tampa was not a one-off event.