1000 needle strokes against Muslims

Australia likes to present itself to the world as a casual multi-culti country, but has a restrictive refugee policy. Anti-Islamic movements are influential, although few Muslims live there. The German welcome culture and the appeals of the churches seem incomprehensible to the country.

One Greenpeace action per refugee in Sydney: immigration was restricted in Australia and social welfare services reduced.

Warm and friendly, the sun appeared on the 26th of January this year from the Australian sky. Australia's national holiday marks the beginning of "white history" on the continent and is celebrated most extensively in Sydney.

As always, the attendees have gathered on the lawns of Hyde Park to listen to the bands, and to eat and drink what the cool bags and snack bars give. Framed by a floral sea, the "Australians of the Year 2017" sit together on a large podium - people who are honored here and now for special achievements for their country and are rewarded with a premium. On the right before the stage the future citizens made themselves comfortable on basket-chairs. A few minutes later, the presenter will ask her to take a solemn oath to the Australian constitution.

"Welcome to the Lord Mayor's Australia Day Ceremony!"

A few of the Chinese, Indian, and Arab-looking women brush their nose, while their male counterparts wipe the sweat of the upper lip and forehead, and tears from the corners of the eye. To the 50 new citizens who have proved that they meet the demands of the government.

The elect of this year are not older than 45 years. They have not committed any offense, belong to a professional group asked for in Australia, have answered at least 15 of 20 questions on the culture of the country and have good English skills. However, the candidates from Asia and Arabia have a "stain": their skin color is not white and their original home is not called Great Britain.

Right-wingers: Muslims, Islam, multiculturalism

"If some politicians claim to get involved with the average Australian, this is a code for the white Australian, who came from England in 1788 and is often referred to as the '1st Australian', which is a rather supple exaggeration The Aboriginal ancestors lived here for 40 or 50.000 years ago, "says Zareh Ghazarian, a political scientist from Monash University in Melbourne.

"One Nation" used this term, for example, always gladly. The country's best-known legal league has been a long way behind its success, but the one-mile mill that has milled into Australia's political landscape is unmistakable. With racist and xenophobic slogans and a policy of 1000 needle strokes against Muslims, fears were aroused and prepared for long-lasting discussions. The result: Immigration was restricted, social assistance services were reduced, repressive measures against young people were salonable and democratic basic rights had been restricted.

Refugees from Bangladesh, who were imprisoned for crossing into Australian waters

"Other representatives of the right now use typical fears that One Nation has liked to reduce to three fearful opponents: Muslims, Islam and multiculturalism," says Ghazarian. "Even if the rights are smaller groupings - the dripping of the stone is a huge problem, and skepticism is being thrown into the balance." What do the migrants bring with them? And what role can Islam play here? "

Australian anti-Islam alliances continue to form up to this day. Australia must be a sign and resist a growing Islamization. This, although only about two percent of the Australians are Muslim faith. More than 33 per cent were denominated in the last census, or made no mention at all, while over 60 per cent of the Australians declared themselves Christian. This is a religion that seems to play a significant role only for a minority of Australian Christians.

Not only are the anti-Islamic formations amazing. However, such alliances are also contrary to the credo of many Australians - the often proudly expressed perception of being part of a multi-culti nation.

"Off-the-eyes-off-the-mind" -Abschiebepolitik

This is just one of many contradictions, emphasizes the human rights activist Nick Riemer, who teaches linguistics at the University of Sydney. Even the allegedly casual attitude, which is often boasted, can no longer be discussed at the latest in the subject of refugees. With the approval of many of his countrymen, the government has long been pursuing an "out-of-the-eye" policy.

"Refugees who try to reach Australia by boat are being intercepted and sent back to their homes," says Riemer. "When the asylum seekers are already on Australian territory, they are sent to detention centers where they can be held for an indefinite period of time. The asylum seekers come either to the island of Christmas Island, to Nauru in Melanesia or to North Papua New Guinea, To the island of Manus. "

Suicide attempts, self-inflicted injuries and brawls are the order of the day in these deportation camps. Professor Gillian Triggs has already looked at the camps several times. Not only the heat and the forced proximity made the asylum seekers there, the chairman of the Australian human rights authorities describes their impressions, but also the ongoing uncertainty whether they are deported back to their homeland.

The children in the camps are traumatized

"In addition, the refugees have to accept the fact that they are being tortured by the guards and that they do not even take into consideration their religiously motivated food regulations," says Triggs. "And the answer to the question as to their application for asylum is: 'No chance, it will not be processed.'"

Opponents: Protesters demand the accommodation of asylum seekers and refugees on the mainland

The children in the camps, Gillian Triggs added, were so traumatized that many of them did not introduce themselves by name, but called the number of the boat with which they arrived.

"Parents talk about their children in the presence of their children," reports Triggs. "This, of course, completely removes the ground from the girls and boys, but instead of leaving fathers and mothers psychologically, they are only separated from their offspring in a spatially spatial way!" Once the government responded to our investigation reports by sending all the children into community institutions But in the meantime, children and youths have been living in the camps for a few years, which is a tragedy! "

"Church has only a very manageable influence"

And the churches, added Nick Riemer, would have made all this through the active support in the eyes of the public.

"The Salvation Army, for example, had contracted to help the camp inmates on Nauru and Manus," says Riemer. "The help of the salvation army consisted almost exclusively of being present on the ground, and the refugees were locked away indefinitely, so that the unpleasant impression remained that the 'Salvation Army' The Australian government. "

"On the other hand, the churches have also repeatedly called for the refugees to be welcomed and their right to be accepted asylum," Ghazarian interjected. "In addition, church representatives have repeatedly pointed out that Australia has more than enough capacity and could absorb a lot more people, but the church has only a very manageable influence and can hardly do anything politically."

Australia "exchanges" asylum seekers with the USA

The prospect of many asylum seekers in the near future is not necessarily more attractive than the lot they are currently facing. In an agreement concluded under Barack Obama, the US is committed to accepting a large proportion of the asylum seekers currently in Australian camps. Refugees from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras are to come to Australia in exchange. It is, however, proposed that the asylum seekers designated for the USA be thoroughly reviewed and, if necessary, rejected. This, says Zareh Ghazarian, is precisely the language one understands in Australia when it comes to refugees.

"The European - and above all the German - response to the refugee crisis is incomprehensible to many Australians," Ghazarian said. "It is seen as a door opener for unwanted invaders, and is in stark contrast to the Australian strategy, but Australia is a classic immigration country, but the tenor says: 'Let us - very much - choose our new citizens and let them enter only when We need them. ' Many political commentators are frightened when they even imagine such a weakening of the refugee policy, but they can be unconcerned - our government will continue to do everything it can to stop it. "