Refugees in Australia

Refugee Activity

Australia’s Refugee Dilemma!

Imagine if....

The following is an example of an imaginary scenario that can be used to encourage students to think about what it means to be a refugee.

Imagine that your mother or father arrives home from work one day and tells you that the police are about to arrive to arrest the whole family, because of your family’s religious beliefs.  You are told to pack a small backpack and be ready in 2 minutes. A family friend drives you overland to Darwin where you climb aboard a yacht. Your parents hand over thousands of dollars in cash. Six weeks later the yacht leaves you on a Japanese beach.  Police arrive and take you to a detention centre which is prison and home to refugees like yourself from various parts of the world, all speaking different languages. Only a few other people speak English.  The guards, canteen staff, doctor etc. all speak Japanese.  Your parents tell you that they are applying for refugee status in Japan, which means you will be allowed to live in the country, go to school there and eventually get a job. 

1.     What would you pack in your backpack?I would pack 5 of my favourite books, water, food, 4 changes of clothes, pencil, rubber, paper, address book and photos of friends/family.

2.    What would you miss most if you had to leave your home, your school, Australia?I would miss my dog, my freedom, all the places I visit regularly and my friends.

3.    What would be some of the problems of living in a detention centre in a foreign country?Not knowing anyone but your family, not feeling safe, not being able to speak the language of the foreign country, not knowing when you will be free or if you will be sent back home and worrying if you and your family will be split up.

4.    What would be the biggest challenges for you if you and your family were accepted as refugees?Learning the new language, making new friends, missing home and friends and fitting into the community.

5.    Why is this ‘imagine’ story a very unlikely one?The story is very unlikely as in Australia we are very safe and we have a very stable fair government.