What have you read about Australia’s history? You can’t even read and understand what I’ve said. I stated that the Australian Constitution was based on racist views of inferior people; aborigines and other ‘peoples of colour’? That doesn’t include Kevin Rudd’s race or mine - it does include Aboriginal people, and if you’re black, it could include you too! My whole point, of which you choose to ignore, is that from go to woe, this country was ‘founded’ on racist principles, and IT CONTINUES ON TO THIS DAY! The parts of the Constitution that can discriminate in a negative way are still there, and have been used against aboriginal people. The only real legal prohibition of racism is the Racial Discrimination Act, which Howard broke twice; once for the ammendments to the Native Title Act in 1998, and in 2007 for the Intervention. If a govt needs to remove this in order to do something ‘legally’ then that’s racist, and the result of that has been catastrophic for too many aboriginal people. Not one house has been built, only a handful of people have been charged with sexual crimes against minors, and the health of indigenous people has deteriorated further. In a rich country likek this one, that is criminal!

Put George Williams, Constitutional Lawyer into Google and read some of his articles re the Constitution. Or you could put in
http://www.smh.com.au/printArticle?id=459850 - the article is called,
‘Racist premise of our constitution remains’.

Section 25 ‘allows states to disqualify people from voting because of their race, while the federal Parliament’s races power in section 51(26)authorises legislations with respect to “people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws” Both sections remain in force today!

“Australia now has what may be the only constitution in the world, that allows its national Parliament to make laws based on a person’s race. As the only democracy without a bill or charter of rights, there is also no check on what the power is used for. The best protection we have is the 1975 Racial Discrimination Act”

I think my example re stealing money and the position indigenous people have and still are experiencing is pretty easy to understand. The point can’t be removed, that the country was stolen in the first instance. Mabo proved the association between indigenous people and their long relationship with the land and their culture. Changing the name or even lying about the history doesn’t change a thing.
Read Henry Reynold’s books, because he went to London and researched this aspect of the history re white settlement. Some of his books are, ‘This Whispering in our Hearts’ and ‘Why weren’t we told?’.

Aboriginal people were on this land - heavily in NSW until they were wiped out from murder and diseases, some introduced deliberately by the invaders to kill them off. In every state and territory, the original inhabitants were here for thousands of yrs - white settlers arrived and removed almost most of them. Successive govts, state, federal and in the NT had policies DELIBERATELY organised to get rid of the race - this reason is stated and has been acknowledged as being written down as policy - that’s genocide! As far as I’m concerned, persons engaging in this activity have no moral grounds of ownership - they had no legal ones either - they just ‘took it’?

Of course Rudd isn’t going to change anything - he’s a protector and upholder of the same attitudes that caused the destruction and misery in the first place. We didn’t need the UN in 1788 or 1901, we needed decent people who’d make a Treaty with the first Australians, and not set out to dessimate them, or ensure that they did not share in the stolen wealth - derived on and under their land. We needed people who didn’t automatically think that aboriginal people were inferior, even worse than animals. Concern was raised in the British Parliament on several occasions about the treatment of aboriginal people - pity they didn’t do something about it! Too many wealthy whites getting even more wealthy by stealing other peoples’ land.

If you can’t or won’t acknowledge history, or you’re ignorant of it, go and do some reading and research. The truth is there, you just have to want to find it. I don’t give a toss whether this country is called Apple, Orange or Australia, it was based on crimes of horrific nature, which would be bad enough, but successive govts have kept indigenous people on the ‘bottom of the pile’ ever since. There’s been some improvements, yes, there are lots of aboriginal doctors, lawyers, artists, etc these days, but the remote aboriginal people are living in conditions that are worse than many other third world countries - this has been acknowledged only recently by several reports out of the UN - after coming here to investigate, also by Amnesty International.

I find it quite amazing, that our national govt can throw money at overseas countries, while our own citizens are living in abject poverty - what a bunch of hypocrites! It’s like handing over millions to Indonesia or ??? to plant trees, while a football field of native trees are cut down in this country every day!

And yes I agree, that there is ingrained and revolting racism in this country. While every new migrant or their country has been denigrated in many ways, the aboriginal people have always been subjected to racism and discrimination by too many in this country. Of course, this has been used in a negative manner by too many media outlets, written and electronic - for their ends. They too benefit by depriving the original Australians of a decent standard of living - just basic things the rest of us take for granted - health, education, housing, sewerage and fresh running water, garbage disposal etc.

Similar reasoning can be applied to why Australia’s government chooses to help Sri Lanka at this crucial time in it’s history. A group of ethnic Tamil rebels, frustrated by the inequality and lack of opportunity forthcoming from corrupt and neglectful governments, took up arms and occupied a large area of Sri Lankan territory for about three decades, until they were overrun by the Sri Lankan government’s armed forces, which was justified in protecting it’s terrtorial integrity. That is history. Now Australia can use aid as an incentive for Colombo to incorporate those people previously in the failed state of Tamil Eelam into Sri Lanka, to make them equals in a multi-cultural democracy. These people were victims of the Tamil Tigers’ ruthless 27-year Marxist-style rule. I’m sure you would be aware that there has been a steady trickle of Tamil refugees out of “Tamil Eelam” (actually northern Sri Lanka) for decades. Using incentives to guide Sri Lankan governance along in the right direction is the surest way to ensure that future generations of Tamils do not suffer and become refugees, but prosper by contributing to a country that is taking strides towards becoming a developed country for the first time in it’s 61-year history, in an unprecedented time of political and social stability. That is an aspiration that Colombo and Canberra have in common, as it is beneficial to both.

The moral of the story is that we cannot change history. Your comparison would apply if the United Nations were around in 1778. Then, the British colonization of Australia would have been prevented, and history would have taken a different course. But, the fact is that it did happen and that was 231 years ago. Those who opressed and those who were opressed are not around, only their decendants are. Each generation inherits it’s circumstances from previous one. We can control only what our generation and future generations can do. We cannot undo things. I beleive it is important to accept that. Only then can we improve the circumstances we find ourselves in.

LIZ: “The Racial Discrimination Act was removed in order for them to do it! Our Constitution clearly states, that govts can use such racist practices for racist reasons - against any “inferior races” - so, watch it, you could be next?????????As could I, even though I’m a fair skinned woman!”

LIZ, the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is also of Irish/convict decent, is he not? Do you think he views himself as inferior? Is he going to opress himself, is he? Don’t be ridiculous! There are bound to be cases of legislation passed by Australian parliaments, as with all parliaments, in years gone by not having been removed. Legislation similar to the one you refer to existing does not surprise me. As I said in an earlier post, Australia did not become anti-racism until fairly recently in it’s history. You will just have to accept that not all migrants will be useful to your left-wing agendas. I’m not naive enough to be draw in by this nonsense. It’s all just anti-establishment propaganda typical of the radical left.

So, this land was not barren; was not ‘handed over’ was never relinquished, and those who lived here had every right to validly claim it as theirs.
You latch onto the lie about January 1 1901, and all you do is show your profound ignorance, to the detriment of the original habitants and nurterers of this land, and their immense history and love and care for this country.
I don’t feel intimidated or ‘robbed’ by acknowledging the reality - in fact, I love its simplicity and the history. It’s only when you feel inferior within yourself, that you have to deny the reality of others. The reality of this country and white settlement will always remain thus - regardless of what you or others want to change, for your own insecure reasons, or your own agenda.
The truth will set you free, someone once said! I agree!

If I steal your money, put it in my bank account under my name, it’s still your money? I can exchange it for american currency, or Indonesian, and call it pesas or pizza, it matters not - I’m still using YOUR money that I STOLE! The same happened in this country - this country was stolen from the original owners. In fact, if you educated yourself like historian Henry Reynolds has done, you’ll find, that the British Parliament never assumed that aboriginal people handed over the country - they never have, and never will! Nowhere is it written in Britain, that this country was uninhabited or the occupiers acquiesed weakly! Didn’t happen, in fact they fought like bloody mad - with weapons far inferior to that of the invaders!

So, you can rant on all you like - it won’t change a thing, not a thing. This country as we know it now, was raped by invaders, who murdered those who lived here, and went on killing during a 100 yr ‘war’ that resulted in another 20,000 at least being murdered. These wonderful people, who are the custodians of the world’s oldest known culture! Imagine what we could learn if we just ‘lowered ourselves’ to ask?

The Rudd govt is continuing the racist, oppressive, patronising, paternalistic actions of the Howard govt. A recent report of the United Nations states, that the life expectancy gap between aboriginal people and the rest of the community is now 20 YEARS - that’s worse than the figures used by the Rudd govt - go and research that!(their figure is 17?)
The Racial Discrimination Act was removed in order for them to do it! Our Constitution clearly states, that govts can use such racist practices for racist reasons - against any “inferior races” - so, watch it, you could be next?????????As could I, even though I’m a fair skinned woman!

My ancestors were Irish, and none of them killed aboriginal people. However, those who live or lived here, and took advantage of the oppression of the aboriginal people for their own material gain, are no better than the original invaders - I’m not one of them! I feel ashamed, that the horrors metered out to these gentle, intelligent and strong human beings happened in my lifetime - but I’ll tell you something, I’ll maintain my rage against racism while ever I breathe, and will rise up against the injustices and cruelty of any govt in this country - or individuals for that matter.

I’m more than happy to share this country with you and your family, as long as, with our protection, you don’t become just another abuser or appeaser of these injustices. I’m more than happy for Iraqis, Afghanis, Tamils and others to seek and receive shelter from possible torture or death in this country, but don’t you dare deny others the succour that you enjoy here! You have no damned right to do that! I’m against locking up babies, toddlers, pregnant women, old people and men too - such actions are not the actions of a civilized people, whose govt boasts of a ‘fair go’!

Aboriginal people did live in Australia - they didn’t do the name change. The areas where their ancestors lived, like Uluru and many many others were here, part of the same soil as the country we know as Australia - but don’t tell me that it’s a different one, because that’s a lie - an absolute lie! How convenient for us to deny this fact? Still doesn’t change a damned thing!

I’ve never compared Burma to Sri Lanka. What I did say, was this govt provides information/assistance (to the police or govt, or both?) and money to both these govts - both of whom persecute their citizens! That’s what I said, go and read it again!

None of us can deny it. We are all decendants of people with blood on their hands, and live in countries that were drenched in the blood of defeated peoples before the foundation of a new nation, like the one in which we live, was layed down. Instead of denying it or being ashamed of it, we should just accept it as reality and vow never to repeat those actions of our predecessors. Is that not what the United Nations and NATO are all about?

We should merely resolve to improve the quality of life of Indigenous Australians to a point where no such discrepancy exists between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, which the Rudd-ALP government is endeavouring to achieve. Then, there would be no reason for some Anglo-Australians to feel guilty about past wrongs and we won’t need to accomodate for that by pretending that Aboriginals united the continent. We can both appreciate the Indigenous peoples’ ancestors’ cultures and, at the same time, acknowledge that they lived in different nation, not Australia.

As to the name of the country and aboriginal people. If we invaded Iraq, changed its name and constitution(which Paul Bremmer did in Iraq before he left - changed their constitution, not the name) and called it ‘Brownland’, would that make the Iraqis presently living there non citizens? Of course not. [edit] Aboriginal people were living on this land, with 250 languages spread across the country for at least 60-80,000 yrs prior to white invasion. Murdering those who were already here, poisoning the water, raping the woman and killing their babies doesn’t change those facts. [edit]

While you and I argue, we’re playing right into the hands of those who benefit from the ‘divide and rule’ activities. If we want to stop people from other lands, including from Sri Lanka, Iraq etc, then we should stop murdering their country men and women, or stop supporting those who are oppressing them. When it comes to Australia, we support both Burma and Sri Lanka - I did not equate one with the other, only the role successive Aust govts have played in both countries. Go back and read what I said!

When it comes to colour; the revolting racists won’t treat you any better than any other group if your skin is black - just remember that. I’m a no-good ‘leftie’ who’d offer you a hand in friendship if you were being treated badly by a govt or racists. Strange how right wingers think murdering people in their own country is OK - like Iraq and Afghanistan!

It doesn’t matter what you think, anyway. Only about 30-35% of Australians are left-wing. Australia aknowledges that Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural democracy. All Western countries do. [edit]

LIZ, [edit] why don’t know stop trashing Sri Lanka’s image by comparing it to non-democratic failed states like Burma (which is actually more similar to the Tiger rebels’ failed state of Tamil Eelam) and give Sri Lanka ‘a fair go’? Well, then again, I suppose ‘a fair go’ was only for Anglo people back in your time, heh? And all non-white peoples were just pawns for extending your left-wing political agendas? [edit]

If you don’t agree with any of the above, then you don’t care about Australia’s national interests. I might be a Sri Lankan ethnic Sinhalese person, but I was raised Australian. I’m an Australian Sinhalese. There are about 100 000 of us (which is acutally more than the Aus Tamil community; you might not think that, judging by the left-wing media coverage over here). We, like most Asiatic Australian communities, are a knowledge-based community that contributes to Australia to reap rewards (unlike refugee-based communities). I don’t need some f***ing leftist telling me to leave. I don’t care what you think; you either don’t know or don’t care about what’s best for Australia. I’m more Australian than any of your leftist traitors of Australia will ever be. Your the ones that should piss off, in the interests of Australia.

Did you know, that even though aboriginal people had no rights federally, they still fought in all the wars that the national govt committed to? Even though they were only allowed in pubs on Anzac Day, they stood beside soldiers from the rest of the community and gave their lives or were badly injured. Unlike the wives of ‘white’ soldiers, the wives of aboriginal soldiers were not paid their husband’s married allowance? They could not fit on clothes in stores, and had to rely on supportive ‘lefties’ to do that for them.

A white parent only had to complain about an aboriginal child attending the same school as their child, and that was enough to have that aboriginal child/children removed? Pregnant aboriginal women weren’t allowed in the same area to have pre-natal care as white women, nor were they in the same area to give birth. Aboriginal kids with serious illnesses like epilepsy were denied an education. I could contine! If you’d like to find out the real truth about aboriginal rights/lives/struggles etc in this country, you might like to join your public library. Watch ‘First Australians’ on the net; read ‘Demons at Dusk’ about the massacre at Myall Creek, by Peter Stewart, and perhaps look at ‘Mabo’ and other issues of the last 40 yrs! ‘Black Deaths in Custody’ ‘Bringing them Home Report’ etc - all available on the web!

Stir up your brain cells. Find the truth!

The facts about aboriginal people is, that the British Parliament even acknowledged, that aboriginal people never gave up their land; they never relinquished their rights to BE, and what happened after the invasion was a murderous travesty; genocide against the original inhabitants. Now you can rant and rave about the white man’s constitution of 1901 in this land, but it won’t change the reality at all. You can do all you like, but the truth always remains the truth. We are the invaders, and too many injustices were and still are being perpetrated against those who had first claim here - at least 60-80,000 yrs ago - they didn’t need a bloody piece of paper, they know the truth! And so do I!

And also, the rubbish and bullshit about Iraq and Afghanistan will never change the truth, that they weren’t a threat to the US or their neighbours, and certainly not Australia, and the invasion of both countries is a war crime. Many crimes after the invasion, and to this day, are against the Geneva Conventions and many other International Laws.

If you don’t like it here, then f**k off back to Sri Lanka or wherever, and take your genocidal attitudes with you! You’re also paradeing your ignorance around like a huge cloak about the peoples of Latin America and other countries, that with our appeasing attitude allowed hundreds of thousands of innocents to be butchered. You can live with that without being angry, OK, but I can not!

If you want a good leader of the Tamils, f**k off home and become one!
I’d have more sympathy with both of you, if you didn’t have such a revolting attitude to others who have a genuine need of protection - particularly the children. The “A Last Report” stated very clearly of the sometimes irreversible damage done to kids if they’re locked up and treated as criminals or non-people. If you can’t empathize with the suffering of others from other countries, then just go away! I’m not interested in your heartless judgemental attitudes, of which you’ve not provided any proof!

To call SINHA’s lavish praise of Sri Lanka’s democratic history ‘generous’ would be a gross understatement. Frankly, it is insult to injury for all minority peoples in that country. Since independance, Sri Lanka has maintained a democracy of sorts, but this has been mainly for the Sinhalese. Tamils have benefitted very little from it, and suffered quite a lot; foreigners in our own native country. Meanwhile, the Muslims have recieved only mixed results from their decades of loyalty to the Sinhalese democracy. It’s just not worth it. This is why Lankan Tamils want a seperate nation.

Many Tamil people in Sri Lanka and India helped create a movement to create a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka. For a while, things were going well and Tamil people were very proud of the Tigers, whose success even attracted Western supporters. But, somehow, the Tigers lost sight of the Tamil Eelam dream. We wanted a democracy, like the Sinhalese had, for ourselves. But the Tigers were not interested in that now. They just listened to people in other countries who now bankrolled the movement, who wanted them to create a non-democratic state. This meant no elections and no elected officials in a future Tiger-run state. The Tigers could create a Tamil-only state, but not the one we wanted. All we ever wanted was freedom and opportunity; none would have been forthcoming from the Tigers. I am not sad to see the end of them.

Most of us Tamils are just tired of all this BS. No one wants to help us, only to use us. That we were swindled by our own Tamil leaders is what hurts most. Leadership. We are, as ever, desperate for leadership. That’s what we need. That’s what we have always lacked…

Yes, IMMORTALWIND, that is exactly what this is be about. Our Australian Tamil community, just like all Western Tamil communities, have been taken over and silenced by Tiger agents masquerading as refugees. Perhaps the only ethinc minority in the Western hemisphere that does not enjoy freedom and democracy are Western Tamils. Just when we thought there was a prspect for us to enjoy greater freedom, we learn that the Tigers have sent more enforcements to try and continue their rule over the Tamil world. IMMORTALWIND, I’m a fellow Australian; those 5 five detained by ASIO are forreigners. Whose rights are more important to you? Whose rights should Australia see and more important? This is an issue of morality.

I find the views of most people on this blog to be misguided. Australia and other Western countries should be working to ensure that genuine refugees in Sri Lanka are able to apply for refugee status. And there certainly are very many genuine Tamil refugees in Sri Lanka. But none of them will ever manage to get on a boat to Australia or anywhere else in the West; they either can’t afford it, or get caught in the security nets of the Sri Lankan government or the Tigers while trying to escape.

“Sri Lanka is one of the strongest democratic countries in Asia.”

HAHAHAHAHAHA

edit

A Government that kills thousands upon thousands of its own people with bombs and bullets, kills journalists who dare to speak against it, locks up refugees in concentration camps (according to human rights groups) is NOT a democracy mate.

Your “unfairly tarnished democracy” is a cauldron of blood, hate and hypocrisy. Furthermore, you took a conversation about the legitimacy of ASIO and turned it into a pro-government anti tamil platform, and THEN you have the audacity to talk about DEMOCRACY??

AND REBEL WARRIOR??? When the hell did this thread become about your community in Australia whose voices have been silenced by the Tigers? is that what this debate was about?

edit

LIZ45: We provide weapons, education etc to Sri Lanka and Burma, while we bullshit about the violence that takes place. It’s sickening!
AMEN.

Im anglo-saxon, ive been exposed to opinions from both communities and it BAFFLES me how the world has sat back and done nothing, while a fascist government backed by monks who proclaim to be disciples of Buddha, yet clearly refer to Mein Kampf for inspiration.

I do agree with you on one thing Sinha_View, LIZ45 had NO RIGHT to compare Sri Lanka to Burma. The Burmese people are inherently beautifal good willed people being crushed by tyrants in power. I think comparisons with Nazi Germany are more apt, a nation of people swept up by nationalist sentiments and willing to support anyone that will crush the opposition, no matter how big the human cost.

PATHETIC.

Question: What is the definition of an Australian?
Answer: A citizen of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Question: When did Australia come into existence?
Answer: January 1, 1901.

So there you are, that should clear it up for you lot. Indiginous people are no more Australian than anyone else. Indiginous peoples’ ancestors lived on this land for tens of thousands of years, but that was not Australia. Their ancestors lived in their own tribal nations. There were scores of them across the continent. The fact it was immoral for their lands to have been taken from them does not change this fact. The Australian nationality has only existed for as long as this continent has been under one flag.

Perhaps you people need to learn to show some respect to your own country before we can expect you to do as much of other countries.

And another thing: how dare you associate Sri Lanka military-run failed states like Burma and others in South America! How about doing some research on Sri Lanka instead of relying on your far-left-leaning Tamil peers? Sri Lanka is one of the strongest democratic countries in Asia. Sri Lanka has held free and fair elections for 61 years, and the political will of the voting public has never been challenged by a national leader or ruling party. Not bad for a tiny little third world country, heh? Sure, the system is yet to be perfected and minority groups like Tamils and Muslims have got a rough deal sometimes. But then again, what is the record of equality like in Australia? Did you know Indigenous Australians did not have a vote until 1960? What was life like for Italians and Greeks (‘new Australians’) back then? But wasn’t it good that we did not get rid of democracy, but improved the system instead? While others in the region such as Pakistan and Bangladesh have suffered interruptions to democracy such as military coups, Sri Lanka’s democracy has stood strong. It’s democratic institutions have survived the threat of Marxist rebellion in the form of the Tamil Tigers and Sinhalese groups of that nature. Sri Lanka’s political record is really quite acceptable - remember Sri Lankans had not enjoyed self-rule for centuries prior to 1948 due to Colonialism - provided that it continues to improve it’s credentials.

You quote statistics from a report you have read. If “in need of protection” means that those Iraqi and Irani childrens’ lives would have been at risk if returned to their home country, then I am very happy that we let them stay. If “in need of protection” merely refers to harsh living standards and the like, then, unfortunate as it may seem for those children, that is not the purpose of granting refugee status. Every time such a person is granted refugee status, a genuine refugee (whose life is at risk - like someone held captive by Sri Lanka’s government) either misses out or has to wait longer (and may be killed in their homeland in the meantime).

I notice you have no quotes on Sri Lanka. I’m not surprised. I stand by all of my comments above: about how Sri Lanka’s Tigers have rorted the refugee migration system to get their operatives into the West, and to ensure unfavourable stories of Tamil persecution are kept away from Western shores; about how the Tiger operatives have taken over every Tamil community in the Western hemisphere, and have silenced anyone (such as me) who does not subscribe to their narrow view of a Tamil homeland.

We good and honest Tamils, your fellow citizens no less, who are being prevented from enjoying the democratic priviledges of free speech and political opinion as everyone else does, by those within our own community. How about ‘a fair go’ for some of your fellow Australian citizens?

[edit]

The only real australians are aboriginal people - the rest of us arrived by boat or plane or whatever, or our ancestors did. In fact, 25% of Australians were born overseas, and in NSW I believe it’s 40% - many came as asylum seekers, including some of my extended family members.

Why is it only the ‘left’ who raise issues of justice and a ‘fair go’? If you’re against these people, what the hell are you doing here? Oh, I see, you’re different? Sadly, the Australian govt of many types have supported oppressive regimes, and I’m ashamed to admit, even taken part in the demise of those seeking justice and equality from the despots - the US has invaded or interfered with over 45 countries since the end of WW2, and we’ve either assisted or remained silent, slavishly following this horror! We can now add Iraq, Burma, Afghanistan, East Timor and our silence was deafening while thousands were murdered in Latin America. We’ve also slavishly adopted the US views on who terrorists are etc. We provide weapons, education etc to Sri Lanka and Burma, while we bullshit about the violence that takes place. It’s sickening!

Almost all Tamil refugees over the last 25 years have come with the Tigers’ help. Tigers fear genuine refugees’s stories of horror reaching the West just as much as the government do, since their are partly responsible for them. The so-called ‘refugees’ have enabled the Tigers to effectively take over the Tamil communities here and elsewhere in the West.

In addition to not having come here on a boat, but a plane, I did not come as a refugee. I came to this country as a skilled migrant, and do not subscribe to the Tigers cause in any way. If skilled migration accounted for the bulk of the Tamil community, then things would be very different. I support Tamil Eelam, but not the Tigers’ one. Most Tamil people feel this way in secret. Tamil Eelam should be a democracy.

Tamil people here have been intimidated with threats of harm to relatives in Sri Lanka by the Tigers if people speak or act in public in a way that the Tigers do not approve. Despite living in democratic countries in the West, we ordinary Tamil citizens have been silenced. I desire nothing more than for our people in the West to be able to live without fear of either the Lankan government or the Tigers. The end of the Tigers provides a chance for this to happen. We cannot possibly do this if more Tigers enforcements are on the way. Our oppresion may yet continue. I cannot bear the thought…

It appears the concept of sarcasm is foreign to you. I commend you though for being the only one stupid enough to misinterpret my comment.

More baffling then your inability to grasp fundamental messages is this:

“all refugees ever do is soak up wellfare money and add to the crime rate”.

Now being an anglo saxon/Caucasian with the fortune of not having to flee a war torn country, I am absolutely baffled by this comment. You say your a Tamil from Sri Lanka, many of whom are being held in detention facilities in other countries under the refugee banner. So if circumstances were not so kind to you, and you were forced to flee your country, wouldn’t that inevitably make you a refugee “soak up wellfare money and add to the crime rate”?. The only thing that separates you from them would be a plane ticket and a passport?

Stop ranting on with your agenda of slagging the tamil tigers, of tamil groups being muffled here, of wanting to be like other expatriate communities and so on, NO ONE CARES, that isnt the ISSUE MATE!!! STICK TO THEM!!! Your 20 line diatribe accounts to nothing, with no relevance to ANYTHING mentioned by anyone.

Back to the topic, if these men, woman and kids are LTTE members, then hooray to ASIO, confirm it. LIke Tigerchelle said, our lucky country has so far been one of the only western nations untouched by major bombings or political assassinations (the latter wouldn’t have been such a bad thing for Howard, but I digress), thanks, in part to ASIO, and to the general cohesion between ethnic communities in Australia. It should not be a problem then, for ASIO to reveal their information. Why it fails to do so is beyond me, given the pressure being applied by all sectors.

I am agitated by the thought that ASIO now dictates this nations policies on all things green and gold, at the same time, I am just as wary of politicians and government departments quitely hoping that the criticism of ASIO continues so they can continue to make their absurd policies and find a whipping boy to do so.

You ranted
The point is

Did you bother to read

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/we-decide-who-gets-a-visa-rudd-20090821-esx2.html

The Australian LABOR Government won the last election and currently are in charge of Australian immigration policy.

And I for one am happy with the job ASIO are doing. As yet no major bombings or political/religious murders have taken place on our soil. They must be doing their job.

Why did Howard cut back on air servaillance; has it been rectified, and what about security at our ports, particularly major ones like Port Kembla, which is the major receiving area for cars? How do we know that security has been improved there? We don’t! If these idiots were really keen about protecting us, they’d be concentrating on keeping drugs and guns out, not locking up babies!

The question still remains unanswered. How can people be deemed ‘fair dinkum’ asylum seekers by the UNHCR, but be deemed ‘security risks’ by ASIO? Simple question isn’t it? Why aren’t we entitled to the answer? We should be told the reasons why the babies/toddlers are to be kept perhaps in permanent detention; what their parents did, to whom, when etc?

In recent times, with the evidence available re David Hicks, Mandouh Habib, Dr Haneef etc, none of the main players in security matters are without grievous errors of judgement and justice. Why should I accept what they say? I don’t, and questioning them should be a right, not an automatic reason to be put under surveilance or demeaned as a ‘left’ anything. Are ‘left’ people the only ones who query our democracy?
An indictment on the others surely!