We arrived in Australia on 23rd October 1989. We had lived to tell a story some never could. But the battle was not over, in fact, it was just beginning. We had fought with the elements and with authorities, but the real battle started the day we arrived in Australia. My parents have since learnt that language barriers can be as insurmountable as giant waves, that exclusions leave a void far greater than the size of any ocean and that numbers last long after they have been removed. There is, however, another face to the tribulations they have been forced to endure: there is nothing that brings out genuine human endeavour and courage more than the refugee experience. There’s nothing like having to cling to every bare breath, to see life reduced to a scarce trickle, to walk the tightrope separating life and death, at times not knowing one from the other. Very rarely do we get to see human nature stripped of all that it depends on to learn that human nature is itself enough.
The radio blaring frantically in the background now turns its attention to the ‘refugee crisis.’ Once again, it is the numbers we hear first. ‘fifty detainees have escaped from a detention centre in …’ Fourteen years on, my parents still remember their numbers (and I am sure they always will) but it no longer defines who they are. Having told their story, they have embedded themselves in history, and if not official history, then certainly personal history. They are no longer part of a statistic, but a personal legacy that I will pass onto my children. The refugees that have recently arrived on the shores of Australia still continue to be numbers, to be statistics, to be overlooked. Children whose faces we see peering out from behind the wire lattice of our detention centres are still one of ‘fifty detained children’ and their parents continue to be one of ‘65 females’ or ‘105 males.’ Perhaps, as a society, we should focus less on numbers and more on words—words of compassion, words of kindness and words of human value. Most importantly, we should listen to their words, hear their voices and document their stories.
Acknowledgements
These essays and stories were encouraged, collected, selected, admired, promoted, collated and edited with the help of a huge number of people and organisations, including: Actors For Refugees; Phillip Adams; A Just Australia/Australians For Just Refugee Programs; Allen & Unwin; Amnesty International Australia; Ian Anderson; Australian Education Union; Australian Education Union—South Australia; Australian Refugees Association; Kate Atkinson; BJ and A Baker; Andrew Bentley; Geraldine Brooks; Julian Burnside; Errin Davis; Sue Cass; James Dent; Jenni Devereaux; Kate Durham; Dan Farmer; Ann Feather; Derek Fielding; Malcolm Fraser; Ron and Sue Fraser; Mary Freer; Fremantle Refugee Support Project; Raimond Gaita; Alice Garner; Helen Garner; Charlotte George; Libby Gleeson; Virginia Gordon; Mariana Hardwick; Lolo Houbein; Annette Hughes; Independent Education Union Australia; John Kinsella; Katie Langmore; Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor; Kevin Liston; Sam Malin; The CUB Malthouse; Kelly Martin; Tom Mann; Meme McDonald; Bern McPhee; Joan Medhurst; Metro/Screen Education; Neil Montieth; Gaylene Morgan; National Committee on Human Rights Education; NSW Teachers Federation; Oz Positive; CJR and LJ Payne; Project Safecom; Hellen Rabel; Lea Redfern; Resources for Courses; Margaret Reynolds United Nations Association Australia; Margaret Riches; Rural Australians for Refugees; Roger Sallis; Savoy Park Plaza Hotel; School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia; Selina; Simone Senisin; Tom Shapcott; Albert Shelling; Beverley Sherry; Jack Smit; MDH and REJ Smith; South Australians for Justice for Refugees; Jo Stanley; Helena Turinski; Victoria Chambers; Victorian Trades Hall Council; Franziska Wagenfeld; Nadia Wheatley; Amanda Whitmore; Morag White; John Wishart; Diana Wolowski; Ulrike Zimmermann.
Many more unnamed teachers and parents across Australia made this book possible. They inspired and helped their children and young adults to take up the project and produce these stories. Most of all this book owes its existence to the children and young adults who wrote essays and stories for the competition. There were many wonderful pieces that do not appear here, simply for lack of space.
Lucy McBride’s essay was published in Screen Education February 2003. Hai-Van Nguyen’s essay was published in Newsmonth December 2002; Education February 2003; Fairfield Champions; Physical Journeys: The Complete Guide to the HSC Area of Study: The Journey 2003; AIR! Winning Stories 2002; and, abridged, in The Age December 4th 2002. Melanie Poole’s essay was read on Radio National in Lea Redfern’s Radio Eye documentary ‘A Place You Cannot Imagine’ 29th March 2003; and published in AIR! Winning Stories 2002. Zara al-Hosany al-Shara’s story was published in Educator March 2003 and in AIR! Winning Stories 2002. Alexandra Drakulic’s story was published in Stories From a Troubled Homeland and Roads to Refuge. Essays and stories of Khazmira Bashah, Rosa Brown, Gabriel Courtney, Zana Mujezinovic, Tita Tran and Mohammad Zia were published in AIR! Winning Stories 2002.
About the Contributors Now
Pharan Akhtarkhavari
Pharan was born in Sydney on the 11th of February into a Persian Baha’i family. He understands what the Baha’is in Iran went through during the Islamic Revolution. Pharan feels that the story of his uncle sums up what happened to the majority of Persian Baha’is during that dreadful period in Iran. He is now living in Brisbane with his family feeling content with his life and living life to the max! He is proud to be Australian.
Yasmin Aleem
I am currently in my first year at Flinders University, South Australia, studying a Bachelor of Behavioural Science. I hope to do Honours and Masters and Psychology and my dream job is to work in a refugee camp overseas.
Ghulam-e-Ali
Lives in Victoria.
Mohammad Riyadh Ali
Mohammad arrived recently from Iraq with his family to settle permanently in Australia. He lives in Victoria.
Zara Al-Hosany Al-Shara
I am a year ten student in NSW. I like public speaking and debating and enjoy horse riding. My favourite subjects are English and Commerce. In the future I’d love to be lawyer.
Khazmira Bashah
Khazmira Bashah - Human rights activist! Ambition: Heart Surgeon or Politician. Goals: To make the world a more tolerant place. To establish a program to ensure that children (especially girls) in Third World Countries have access to books and are taught to read.
Adam Bennett
I am currently studying year nine. My favourite subjects are computer programming and business studies. I enjoy playing golf—I am of a twenty-six handicap and I have recently moved to southern Queensland from South Australia.
Bojana Bokan
Lives in Queensland.
Rosa Brown
I am in year eight. I like to row and read books about the world and social issues. I care about human rights and equality.
Sarah-Jane Bryson
I was born in Wagga Wagga, NSW, to a large family. Shortly afterwards we moved to a quiet suburb in Queensland where we still live today. My interests include reading, music and the arts. I will continue my studies after school in the areas of journalism and business.
Chloe Costas
Chloe completed year twelve in 2002 and has been spending 2003 working and travelling around Europe. In 2004 she will commence a Bachelor of International Studies at the University of New South Wales.
Gabriel Courtney
I live with my mum in Sydney and my dad lives in London. I went to India for eighteen months from 1999 to 2000 with my mum for her research. I went to school there and learnt to speak Hindi and play tabla, a kind of double drum. All my friends there were very poor, but good at lots of things like kite flying. I am in year six. I like reading novels, playing computer and I go to drama at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) at the Wharf theatre.
Nitya Dambiec
What should I tell you about myself that is important? I would like in my life to do something useful for others because every person is a part of my family and I have this responsibility. Also, I am an optimist and the future is bright because the only lasting achievements are those carried out by the people who really care.<
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Zac Darab
My name is Zachi Darab and I am currently in senior studies at high school in New South Wales. When I leave school I plan to travel the world and study medicine at University.
Gracia Diep
I am currently in year eleven. My interests include spending time with my friends and cooking. My goal is to gain entrance to a degree in business at university. My motto in life is never give up because you never know what can happen.
Alexandra Drakulic
At the moment I am studying accounting but have applied for the NSW Police Force. Next July I plan to go to Vietnam to visit my World Vision sponsor child.
Aidan Fawkes
I’m currently sixteen and studying as a high school student. I love soccer, camping and music, especially rock and punk. After school I’m hoping to go to university and end up involved with event management or in the media industry.
Rosie Giudici
I’m fourteen and my name is Rosie. I live in Tasmania and I have two brothers. I love holidays and my favourite subject at school is art. I really can’t wait to travel and I love to have fun!
Mina Hami
I’m seventeen years old and in year twelve. I arrived in Australia in 1998 with my family. My plans are to continue my education through university studying Arts in Communication and Humanities.
Helen Huynh
I like to question things, anything, whether or not it has an answer. Perhaps it was this curiosity that led me to ask Kim his story. What I did here was put a question mark next to my perception of things, challenging the reality I took for granted as the only one.
Tshala Jenkins
Lives in NSW.
Chelsea June
I am interested in reading, dancing and music. I am in year eight so don’t do much studying but I love school. My plans for the future are to finish school up to year twelve, then go to uni and become a lawyer either in criminal law or family law.
Jack Lander
I like sport and at the moment I am playing indoor hockey. I also play grass hockey, soccer and baseball. My three favourite subjects at school are cooking, Italian and woodwork. My future goal in life is either to become a pro ice hockey player or grass hockey player. I have four sisters, Megan, Heather, Stacey and Rochelle and my two parents, Dave and Julie.
Lucy McBride
Lucy spent 2003—having completed year twelve last year—working in Adelaide. Now Lucy has gone to Botswana for four months working as a teacher’s aide. Next year she hopes to study either medicine or veterinary science.
Hannah Moore
Hannah is currently a year twelve student. She has been very involved with the recent refugees but hopes to study acting. Hannah aims to advocate for refugees in both her writing and her visual art work.
Karen Motta
Lives in Western Australia.
Zana Mujezinovic
Lives in Victoria.
Hai-Van Nguyen
I’m nineteen years old. I was born in Vietnam. I have an older brother and sister. My main interests including poetry, literature, writing and travelling. My favourite poets are Sylvia Plath and Robert Gray and my favourite authors Anais Nin and Michael Ondaatje. I’d love to travel to Africa and South America and do further exploration of my home country of Vietnam. I’m currently studying Law/International Studies at the University of New South Wales. I would love to get into the areas of human rights law and immigration law. One day I’d love to work for the United Nations. My goals are to help refugees, earn enough money to buy my parents a big house and to one day hopefully write a novel.
Katie Petrie
Lives in Queensland.
Simon Pitt
Simon Pitt is a Tasmanian student with a passion for youth and international affairs. He enjoys contributing to his community, and is active in roles both at school and extramurally. Simon is a keen debater and public speaker, and especially enjoys the way in which these endeavors challenge people to consider their own viewpoints from different perspectives, and rationalise their positions.
Melanie Poole
Melanie Poole is an energetic person who enjoys writing, public speaking and travel and has successfully pursued these interests while studying. Melanie has always worked to support global justice and human rights. She feels particularly strongly about the Australian Government’s treatment of asylum seekers, and is interested in international law. Melanie is studying law at ANU.
Zina Romanov
I was born in the USSR. Arrived in Australia in 1993. I have always had a passion for writing and people. I am a student in UNSW (BA Social Science-Economics). My career plans are to be a financial analyst and eventually move into politics, writing in retirement. I am planning to go on a world tour in a year or so before finishing my degree. I also love France and would love to live there one day. I am currently learning French.
Ariel Smith
I am the youngest member of the Australian Greens. In the future my long term goal is to get a degree in Law and also a degree in Environmental Engineering. On the 30th of September I turn fourteen. The Tampa calamity changed my life forever and opened my mind to the people and their plights throughout troubled parts of the world.
Tita Tran
I was born in Vietnam. My dad (a heart doctor) is dead and my mum used to be an anaesthetist. We flew over to Australia, where I went to different schools. I now live with my mum and sister. I’m currently in high school and hope to stay all five years and get a good job in the medical area.
Nooria Wazefadost
I would like to be a doctor in my future. My interest is to help others in their difficulties. I also like one day to see every one treated equally. Human beings are human beings. There is no such difference.
Jane Woodward
Jane is a seventeen-year-old student in year twelve in Canberra. She works part time as a swimming instructor and is an enthusiastic rower and triathlete. She also enjoys reading and writing.
Mohammad Zia
Mohammad is originally from Afghanistan. He arrived in Australia just over three years ago and still has no certainly about his future. He finished high school in 2002. Mohammad is now studying first year Computer Science at Victoria University.
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