The federal government insists that the Murugappan family can be safely returned to Sri Lanka聽and that they do not meet the refugee criteria.
Really? A quick glance at recent history suggests otherwise.
In 2009, Sri Lankan government forces of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa carried out their 鈥渇inal solution鈥 to the 26-year civil war waged by the Tamil Tigers against the oppression of the Tamil peoples.
They prepared well 鈥 banning all foreign journalists, human rights鈥 monitors and United Nations observers. Next, they declared a 鈥淣o Fire Zone鈥 and encouraged between 300,000 and 400,000聽Tamil civilians to gather in that zone for their own 鈥渟afety鈥.
The armed forces then launched their deadly, sustained and deliberate shelling campaign on this zone, as well as other areas, including hospitals set up for the wounded.
An estimated 40,000-70,000 Tamils were killed. Some credible estimates put the figure at twice this many. It was genocide.
Nades, like many Tamil youth, was recruited during the civil war as a child soldier to the Tamil Tigers.
Before meeting Nades, Priya watched as her previous fianc茅 was burned alive, along with five other Tamil men.
The persecution of Tamils is ongoing in Sri Lanka. In 2013, former New South Wales Greens was arrested and forced to leave Sri Lanka after meeting with activists there.
One of these was a lawyer who showed her text messages sent by an army commander in the north to Tamil women. They were being systematically raped as 鈥渃omfort women鈥 by army officers.
The on counter-terrorism and human rights, following a visit in July 2017, reported the use of torture by Sri Lankan security forces is routine and continues despite the government鈥檚 claim to have reformed the security sector.
on the 鈥渃ruel legacy鈥 of the military occupation encroaching on Tamil civilian life in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
This is a reference to the fact that vast tracts of Tamil land in the North and East of the island had been stolen and handed over to Sinhalese settlers from the South.
Government soldiers and Sinhalese were given land and financial inducements to settle in Tamil lands. They were encouraged to build permanent houses. Meanwhile many Tamil refugees have been prevented from returning to their homes, farms and businesses.
Tamil temples and graveyards have been bulldozed. The Sri Lankan government has a deliberate policy of trying to break up the geographically defined Tamil homeland.
This, by itself, meets the definition of genocide.
In May, the United Kingdom鈥檚 Upper Tribunal urged Australia to retract a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) report that suggested the torture of Tamils is no longer state-sponsored and that Sri Lankans face a low risk of torture overall.
It questioned how the DFAT could have arrived at this conclusion when no sources were identified or cited.
The International Truth and Justice Project and the Australian Centre for International Justice also this conclusion 鈥渋n the face of overwhelming evidence from independent and verified sources鈥.
Why is the Coalition聽so determined to ignore the well-documented evidence of ongoing persecution of the Tamils in Sri Lanka?
Is it only a product of its racist refugee policy that seeks to prevent people seeking asylum in general 鈥 which we know contravenes its obligations under international and human rights law 鈥 or is something more going on?
There is a second crucial element and that is Australia鈥檚 special security relationship with Sri Lanka, a relationship that has deepened since the 1970s when the Indian Ocean gained strategic importance for both countries.
The government views the Indian Ocean as key to its national security in the Asia Pacific region.
In 2013, then Prime Minister Tony Abbot gifted two patrol boats to Sri Lanka to help its navy stop the 鈥渆vil trade of people smuggling鈥 and 鈥減reserve lives at sea鈥.
In April, the federal government gifted the Sri Lankan police five drones for use in a 鈥渨ide range of activities鈥 including countering 鈥渕aritime people smuggling鈥.
Once again, raised concerns. 鈥淲e have seen increased surveillance in northern areas, which are Tamil majority areas,聽and seen a lot of activists and victims鈥 families complaining about visits from security agents, threats and intimidation.鈥
Whether it is locking up people seeking safety, gifting boats and drones to governments perpetuating human rights abuses or denying asylum to those seeking safety, the Coalition (and Labor when in government) has pursued an obscene policy that is rooted in racism and further fuelled by corporate strategic economic interests.
The Tamil people of Sri Lanka are paying the price.
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