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| Let Them Stay Cushion Cover by My Bearded Pigeon. Shop on etsy $10 from every purchase supports the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (Australia) (apply code ICARE for 10% off!) |
Welcome to Week 14 of Human Rights Reflections. Every week we examine an Article from the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Read more about the series here. This series invites your time for contemplation and participation through comments below and on twitter (tag #hrmlak).
This week we're examining Article 14 of the UDHR.
Article 14: (1) All persons possess the right to search for and obtain in other nations sanctuary from oppression. (2) This entitlement shall not apply in situations of legal action arising authentically from apolitical offences or from conduct incompatible with the objectives and values of the United Nations.
Study the provision below several times and allow it to absorb (this is an extensive clause, so you might wish to separate it as you contemplate). During your contemplation, think about the following:
· What's the initial image that entered your thoughts?
· What was your reaction to the material you encountered?
· Consider your perspective on yourself relative to those around you.
· Consider how you view the people and environment around you.
· Consider your awareness of worldwide concerns.
Jot down the piece and position it somewhere you'll notice it regularly throughout the week. This will encourage you to maintain your reflection! Or, jot down something that's caught your attention during this meditation.
Now, start the conversation! Let's discuss openly what we think about each piece, what we're discovering about ourselves and the steps we're taking to align more closely with the Declaration. Remember that alongside commenting below, you can join in via twitter using this hashtag: #hrmlak
I'll begin:
- I'm troubled by how the Australian government, media and society regard asylum seekers. It continues to disturb me whenever I hear someone rationalise their position. The argument that bothers me most is the "well-they-obviously-had-enough-money-to-board-the-boat-so-they-could-have-bought-a-plane-ticket" assertion. To be clear, possessing money does not shield one from the consequences of conflict. Possessing money does not ensure protection. Possessing money does not cover the expense of anxiety. Families sacrifice all their possessions and aspirations to flee the only reality they've known (often families exhaust all their savings to enable their children to escape, hoping they'll experience greater opportunities than their parents) because no alternative exists. There is no miraculous flight or compassionate government representative who will assist them. If Australia faced war, or our leadership became severely compromised, we would all be seeking the very same escape.
- We frequently downplay asylum seekers' circumstances because we lack genuine comprehension of what they're enduring. We diminish their struggles by labelling internal political upheaval as "Bloodless coups" and misapplying terminology through the media that was once reserved for the genuinely catastrophic. Because we employ the same terminology for our own situations, which ultimately amounts to minor disruptions here and there, we treat asylum seekers' experiences as comparable. They are not. A "coup" in Fiji, Pakistan, Guinea-Bissau and Honduras carries entirely different implications from what we experience. Likewise, the reality of "boarding a boat" and "securing" a place for those in such nations is so vastly different from our circumstances, we struggle to comprehend it. It's not a simple financial transaction. Pay attention to your language when discussing asylum seekers and you'll likely spot numerous familiar expressions as you follow news coverage.
Kate xx
Extending heartfelt gratitude to Cath from My Bearded Pigeon for championing this series and sharing her creations. $10 from each "Let Them Stay" cushion sold is donated to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. Find out more about Cath through her blog and explore her pieces on etsy.
Extending heartfelt gratitude to Cath from My Bearded Pigeon for championing this series and sharing her creations. $10 from each "Let Them Stay" cushion sold is donated to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. Find out more about Cath through her blog and explore her pieces on etsy.
